François Clemmons: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:Francois Clemmons.jpg|right|thumb|François Clemmons]] | |||
'''François Scarborough Clemmons''' (born [[April 23]], [[1945]] in [[Birmingham]]) is an opera singer, playwright and lecturer best-known for his appearances as "Officer Clemmons" on "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood". | '''François Scarborough Clemmons''' (born [[April 23]], [[1945]] in [[Birmingham]]) is an opera singer, playwright and lecturer best-known for his appearances as "Officer Clemmons" on "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood". | ||
Clemmons was born in Birmingham, but his family moved to Youngstown, Ohio when he was a child. He learned to sing negro spirituals form his grandmother and performed at school and church functions. He studied music at Oberlin College and earned a master of fine arts at Carnegie Mellon University. He auditioned successfully for the Metropolitan Opera in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and earned a | Clemmons was born in Birmingham, but his family moved to Youngstown, Ohio when he was a child. He learned to sing negro spirituals form his grandmother and performed at school and church functions, later fronting a rock band. He studied music at Oberlin College and earned a master of fine arts at Carnegie Mellon University. He auditioned successfully for the Metropolitan Opera in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and earned a position in the Opera Studio, performing with numerous companies across the country. | ||
Clemmons joined the cast of "Mister Rogers Neighborhood", portraying | Clemmons joined the cast of "Mister Rogers Neighborhood", portraying a police officer and owner of a singing and dance studio. He also continued to perform professionally. His performance as Sportin' Life in the Cleveland Orchestra's recording of "Porgy & Bess" won a Grammy in [[1973]]. In the 1980s he returned to singing spirituals and founded a professional performing company, the Harlem Spiritual Ensemble, which he dedicated to "preserving, sustaining and commissioning new and traditional arrangements of American Negro Spirituals for future generations." Many of Clemmons' real-life achievements were reflected on the program. | ||
In his later career, Clemmons arranged a song-book entitled ''Song For Today'', published by Strube Verlag of Munich, Germany and wrote and produced a musical based on the life of Roland Hayes in [[1997]]. | |||
Clemmons is currently a scholar and artist-in-residence at Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont. | Clemmons is currently a scholar and artist-in-residence at Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont. | ||
==References== | |||
* Morris, Jasmyn Belcher (March 11, 2016) "[http://www.npr.org/2016/03/11/469846519/walking-the-beat-in-mr-rogers-neighborhood-where-a-new-day-began-together Walking The Beat In Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, Where A New Day Began Together]" NPR.org | |||
==External links== | |||
* [http://www.neighborhoodarchive.com/mrn/characters/francois_clemmons/index.html Officer Clemmons] at neighborhoodarchive.com | |||
* [http://www.middlebury.edu/academics/music/faculty/node/43681 Francois Clemmons] at Middlebury.edu | |||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clemmons, François}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Clemmons, François}} | ||
Latest revision as of 17:42, 11 March 2016
François Scarborough Clemmons (born April 23, 1945 in Birmingham) is an opera singer, playwright and lecturer best-known for his appearances as "Officer Clemmons" on "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood".
Clemmons was born in Birmingham, but his family moved to Youngstown, Ohio when he was a child. He learned to sing negro spirituals form his grandmother and performed at school and church functions, later fronting a rock band. He studied music at Oberlin College and earned a master of fine arts at Carnegie Mellon University. He auditioned successfully for the Metropolitan Opera in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and earned a position in the Opera Studio, performing with numerous companies across the country.
Clemmons joined the cast of "Mister Rogers Neighborhood", portraying a police officer and owner of a singing and dance studio. He also continued to perform professionally. His performance as Sportin' Life in the Cleveland Orchestra's recording of "Porgy & Bess" won a Grammy in 1973. In the 1980s he returned to singing spirituals and founded a professional performing company, the Harlem Spiritual Ensemble, which he dedicated to "preserving, sustaining and commissioning new and traditional arrangements of American Negro Spirituals for future generations." Many of Clemmons' real-life achievements were reflected on the program.
In his later career, Clemmons arranged a song-book entitled Song For Today, published by Strube Verlag of Munich, Germany and wrote and produced a musical based on the life of Roland Hayes in 1997.
Clemmons is currently a scholar and artist-in-residence at Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont.
References
- Morris, Jasmyn Belcher (March 11, 2016) "Walking The Beat In Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, Where A New Day Began Together" NPR.org
External links
- Officer Clemmons at neighborhoodarchive.com
- Francois Clemmons at Middlebury.edu