Clif Magness

Clif Magness
Birth name	Clifton Magness
Born	(1957-04-24) April 24, 1957 (age 67)[1] Lubbock, Texas, U.S.
Genres	Pop, rock, adult contemporary, folk/pop, alternative
Occupation(s)	Lyricist, singer-songwriter, producer
Instrument(s)	Vocals, guitar, keyboards, drums, bass guitar, programming, engineering
Years active	1973–present
Website	www.cliftonmagness.com

Clifton “Clif” Magness (born April 24, 1957) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist, best known for co-writing and producing several tracks on Avril Lavigne’s 2002 debut album, Let Go including the song "Losing Grip".^[2]

At the 33rd Grammy Awards, Magness won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s) for the song "The Places You Find Love" from Quincy Jones' album, Back On The Block. He received nominations for an Academy Award,^[3] Golden Globe Award,^[4] and Grammy^[5] for the theme song "The Day I Fall In Love" from the film Beethoven's 2nd.

Collaborations

Magness worked with Lavigne on her multi-platinum^[6] debut album, Let Go, co-writing five tracks and producing 6, including "Losing Grip", Mobile, "Unwanted", "My World", and "Too Much to Ask". Let Go reached the top of the albums chart in Canada and the U.K., as high as #2 on the Billboard 200, and finished the year at #14 on Billboard's 200 Albums for 2002.^[7] Prior to leaving New York for Los Angeles to collaborate with Magness, Lavigne was assigned cowriters by her label, Arista, who "failed to click with a girl who'd just discovered guitar-based rock.^[8] Magness gave Lavigne the creative freedom she desired. "The harder-rocking songs on Let Go – specifically "Losing Grip" and "Unwanted" – had the sound she wanted for the whole album."^[9]

Following up his collaboration with Lavigne, Magness went on to work with original American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson on her debut album Thankful. The #1 album^[10] featured two productions by Magness. He co-wrote and produced two songs from Clarkson's multi-platinum^[11] second album, Breakaway. Magness also produced five songs for another American Idol contestant, Clay Aiken, on his debut album, Measure of a Man, including the single "Solitaire", which topped the 2004 Canadian chart for 4 weeks. Magness produced the longest radio air played song in Australian history,^[12] "Perfect", for Vanessa Amorosi.

Magness co-wrote the first single "Lights Out" and five other songs with Lisa Marie Presley from her debut album, To Whom It May Concern. The album debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 album chart.^[13]

Early in his career, Magness co-wrote and produced the title track "All I Need" on Jack Wagner's debut album All I Need. In 1985, the song spent 2 weeks at the top of Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart.^[14] In 1990, Magness' collaboration with songwriter Steve Kipner resulted in a Billboard top 5^[15] single for Wilson Phillips' "Impulsive".

Magness has either co-written and/or produced tracks for Celine Dion, Jessica Simpson, Amy Grant, Hanson, Steve Perry, O-Town, Charlotte Martin, Rachel Loy, Wild Orchid, Judith Owen, Jude, Joe Bonamassa, The Urge, Kyle Vincent, Marie Digby, Andreya Triana, Days Difference, Ill Scarlett, Ivy Lies, Christina Grimmie, Caroline Sunshine, Jermaine Jackson, Barbra Streisand, Julio Iglesias, Sheena Easton, George Benson, Patti Austin and Al Jarreau.^[16]

Awards and nominations

Grammy Awards

• 1990 - Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s) - Won
  • Glen Ballard, Jerry Hey, Quincy Jones and Clif Magness (arrangers) for "The Places You Find Love" performed by Siedah Garrett & Chaka Khan
• 1994 - Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or for Television - Nominated
  • Carole Bayer Sager, Clif Magness, and James Ingram, for "The Day I Fall In Love" performed by Dolly Parton and James Ingram

Academy Awards

• 1993 - Music (Original Song) - Nominated
  • Carole Bayer Sager, Clif Magness, and James Ingram, for "The Day I Fall In Love" performed by Dolly Parton and James Ingram

Golden Globe Awards

• 1993 - Best Original Song - Motion Picture - Nominated
  • Carole Bayer Sager, Clif Magness, and James Ingram, for "The Day I Fall In Love" performed by Dolly Parton and James Ingram

Discography

Studio albums

• Solo (1994)
• Lucky Dog (2018)
• Road to Gold: Official Collection of Lost Demos (2022)

with Planet 3

• A Heart from the Big Machine (1991)
• Music From the Planet (1992) (European version of A Heart from the Big Machine, with one song replaced)
• Gems Unearthed (2004)

with Marc Jordan

• Untitled (1996–1997) (Unreleased, possibly unfinished)

Singles

• "There's Nothing So Expensive as a Woman Who's Free for the Night" (1980) (as Clif Newton)
• "Rest of the Night" (1980) (as Clif Newton)
• "Footprints in the Rain" (1994)
• "Flower Girl" (1994)

Soundtrack appearances

• "Incommunicado", "Never Crossed My Mind" (from The Last Starfighter) (1984)
• "Top of the Hill", "Hold On" (from Hot Dog: The Movie) (1984)

References

1. Birthdate, discord.com. Accessed July 26, 2023.
2. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. April 5, 2003. pp. 39–. ISSN 0006-2510.
3. "Academy Awards Database". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on 16 March 2014. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
4. "Golden Globe Awards Official Website". The Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
5. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. February 18, 1995. p. 9–. ISSN 0006-2510.
6. "Gold and Platinum". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
7. "Billboard 200 Albums: 2002 Year-End Charts". Billboard. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
8. Willman, Chris (November 1, 2002). "Avril Lavigne The Anti-Britney". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 10, 2012. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
9. Eliscu, Jenny (March 20, 2003). "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
10. "Clarkson Becomes A No. 1 'Idol' Again". Billboard. April 23, 2003. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
11. "Gold and Platinum". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
12. Staff. "Ralph Carr". Archived from the original on February 14, 2014. Retrieved April 3, 2014.
13. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. April 26, 2003. pp. 70–. ISSN 0006-2510.
14. "Adult Contemporary - 1985 Archive". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
15. Jay Warner (2008). Notable Moments of Women in Music. Hal Leonard Books. pp. 297–. ISBN 978-1-4234-2951-7.
16. "Clif Magness credits". AllMusic.com. Retrieved January 17, 2014.

External links

• Clif Magness - personal website
• Clif Magness' Credits on AllMusic
• Clif Magness at IMDb