Clifford Martin

Clifford Martin, born in Birmingham to Jamaican Windrush parents, shares his journey in faith and gospel music within the New Testament Church of God.

He began singing solos and duets with his sister Diane at age seven for church “building fund programs”.

The Highgate Gospel Choir was formed with the arrival of Pastor McIntyre from Canada and his musically gifted children, Pamela and Fritz McIntyre. Pamela, classically trained, and Fritz, a classical jazz musician and keyboardist for Simply Red, arranged complex five and six-part harmonies, giving the 20-member choir a powerful sound that seemed like 40 voices. They rehearsed enthusiastically at Autumn Road, Highgate, with members around 16 years old.

The choir toured “all over England” and gained significant exposure through appearances on BBC’s Pebble Mill at One and Central TV’s Here and Now, as well as radio. They were featured in a prime-time BBC documentary about the New Testament Church of God, where Clifford led praise and worship for a large convention segment, boosting interest in the church. This led to recording backing vocals for Labi Siffre’s “Something Inside So Strong” at Rock Machine Studios.

Clifford later joined the Shiloh band, formed by the late Trevor Prince, which included his brother Junior (an “amazing drummer”) and the late Fritz McIntyre. Shiloh band toured England and Holland, and Clifford recalls a powerfully anointed performance at Aberdeen Street playing “Banner him walk in the light”. Trevor Prince also organized a hugely successful, “rammed” concert at Aston University’s Triangle, inspiring Clifford’s musical development.

Clifford took formal singing lessons with Brenda Griffiths of the BBC Conservatory choir, leading to an opera performance and vocal technique lectures. The Highgate Gospel Choir recorded their LP, “Oh, How Good is the Lord?”, live with The Merry Bells Choir, funded by a label after their media exposure. The LP featured songs by Fritz McIntyre and Gladstone Wilson and is available on YouTube.

Clifford reflects on a “gap” in youth engagement, attributing it to today’s youth being more integrated and facing less adversity than his generation, whose strong unity stemmed from the Windrush pioneers’ struggles Community choirs, like the Town Hall Gospel Choir he joined (where he met his wife), now fill this void, supporting mental well-being. He also sang for “The Well,” an innovative gospel platform for young people with contemporary music.

Clifford emphasises that musical talent is a divine gift, citing singers like Maxine Simpson and Jennifer (Heavenly Dreamers) who could “own the stage”.