Summer's Gone by Kelly Clipperton
As most artists can relate, the end of a project or tour or exhibit can bring great sadness. With this in mind, in the midst of rehearsals for my one-man-lady-cabaret show in the winter of 24/25, I began entertaining the notion of writing music again. I knew that this mammoth journey of writing, producing and performing this show, for the duration of a year and a bit, was going to come crashing down around me when it ended. I had released a few songs in the summer of ’24, testing the waters, and the hours of singing and training I was doing for my show brought a new joy back for me…so I thought…let’s try.
Summer’s Gone was one of the very first new ones I wrote (with Soul II Soul’s Back To Life in the back of my head), and came from a very sincere moment: As I was saying goodbye to the team on the closing night of my show I had an overwhelming feeling of : “this will never happen again. Not like this at least. I will see these people again, but never in this capacity”… It felt like saying goodbye to new friend’s you made during summer camp. Sure you’ll keep in touch but the intensity of the weeks you just spent together will never come around again.
The next day Summer’s Gone was written in about an hour on piano. I reflected on going to IMC music camp at 16 and the boys I had crushes on and the ease I felt, possibly for the first time as a young gay man, in the company of these other musicians…and the lyrics came very easily. Summer will always remain my favourite time of year. I am most myself in the summer heat.
Toronto based Renaissance Man Kelly Clipperton has built a unique career in the performing, recording and visual arts in Toronto for 40 years. Since graduating from York University’s BFA program in Theatre, he has worked as a producer, songwriter, playwright, singer, designer, actor, stylist, photographer, filmmaker and former PSW.