Some sources claim that Clarence Lofton was born Albert Clemens in 1887, Kinsport Tennessee, although other sources based on official records claim he was born Clarence Clemens in around 1896 in Burns , Tennessee. The confusion may be due to the possibility of his brother being Albert Clemens who was born around 1903, also a singer pianist. Clarence Lofton was born with a limp, it is this that obviously led to his nickname/ stage name. It just shows how different the world was then compared to now, as such a nickname these days would have the political correctness people going crazy, but again, such nicknames – that many boogie woogie pianists seemed to have – add greatly to the history of it all. It’s clear that although he may have been born with a birth defect, it certainly didn’t effect him too badly, as he actually began as tap dancer. This was carried over when he began performing boogie woogie music, as he’d (unusually) play, sing and dance in the same act.
His first recording was in 1935, accompanied by Big Bill Broonzy and he went on to make a few more over the years and continued to perform in Chicago, even owning his own club which was named the Big Apple. He retired after the boogie woogie craze died down and died from a blood cot in the brain at Cook County Hospital in 1957.
| Cripple Clarence Lofton – A Lost Recording Date (vinyl 10”) | 1954 |
| More Motion Sweet Tooth Sixes And Sevens Clarence’s Blues | Lofty Blues House Rent Struggle Juice Joint Salty Woman Blues |
| Cripple Clarence Lofton, Meade “Lux” Lewis, Leroy Garnett, Dobby Bragg – Boogie Woogie Classic Blues Accompaniments (vinyl 10”) | 1955 |
| Freakish Man Molasses Sopper Blues Evil Woman Blues Keep A ‘Knocking And You Can’t Get In | By The Moon And Stars On The Wall My Lovin’ Blues Weary Heart Blues |
| Cripple Clarence Lofton – An Early Exponent Of Boogie Woogie And Blues | |
| I Don’t Know – 1 In De Mornin’ Early Blues Policy Blues | The Fives South End Boogie I Don’t Know – II Streamlined Train |
| Cripple Clarence Lofton – Leadbelly On The Air, The Rarest Of All Broadcasts 1940-49, Also Included Cripple Clarence Lofton – Rare Unissued Sessions 1938 (Vinyl) | |
| Leadbelly I Ain’t Goin’ Down Leadbelly Went Up The Mountain Leadbelly Whoa Back Leadbelly Worried Blues Leadbelly Good Morning Blues Leadbelly You Can’t Lose Me Charlie Leadbelly Boll Weavil | Cripple Clarence Lofton Travelin’ Blues Cripple Clarence Lofton Mercy Blues Cripple Clarence Lofton I Don’t Know Cripple Clarence Lofton Streamline Train Cripple Clarence Lofton Boogie Woogie Cripple Clarence Lofton Cripple’s Blues |
| Cripple Clarence Lofton – Clarence’s Blues | 1979 |
| Strut That Thing Monkey Man Blues Brown Skin Girls You Done Tore Your Playhouse Down Had A Dream | Streamline Train I Don’t Know Pine Top’s Boogie Woogie More Motion |