Clif “is a lush tenor with soaring melismas in his individual passages.” —Don Heckman, Los Angeles Times

TEACHING
Clif has studied voice with Jeanie LoVetri (NYC), Chip Hand (LA) and Roger Burnley (LA). Clif’s strength as a voice teacher is rooted in his ability to teach a variety of music styles: pop, country, folk, theater, r&b, blues, inspirational, gospel and jazz. He is equally familiar with today’s hitmakers – from Lauvey to Ed Sheeran, Billie Eilish to Daniel Caesar, Beyonce to KPop, from Benson Boone to Kendrick Lamar and more.

IN CONCERT
Clif demonstrates a passion and mastery of song interpretation spanning the genres of jazz, R&B, pop, folk and gospel. His connection to the audience is captivating and mesmerizing, having performed at various venues including LA’s Jazz Bakery and Herb Alpert’s Vibrato Grill Jazz. San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall and Davies Symphony Hall. Yoshi’s Oakland and the Gallo Center for the Performing Arts.

IN THE STUDIO
Clif has sung with 5-time Grammy winner producer Narada Michael Walden, legendary drummer Harvey Mason and former Chicago lead vocalist Bill Champlain. After years of singing on commercials (Chevrolet, Manwich, Delta Dental, Molson Beer), voiceovers and various artist albums, Clif released his first solo albums, Welcome To My World in 2016 and TOO in 2018. Both albums were a tribute to the classic R&B stylings of the 1980s & ’90s and featured the legendary vocalist Freda Payne in duet with Clif.
Welcome To My World featured their #1 U.K. R&B hit “No Pain, No Gain.”

LEGACY
Clif was born into a family of singers, musicians and preachers. The first song he remembers hearing on his minister grandfather’s radio was The Platters’ iconic version of “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” at age 5. Clif’s first vocal solo was “Steal Away To Jesus,” sung at his grandfather’s church at age 12. But it was hearing Donny Hathaway’s live version of John Lennon’s “Jealous Guy” years later that began 18-year-old Clif’s love affair with singing as a career and art form.
Clif is the son of James “Buddy” Payne, reeds man with jazz legends Lionel Hampton, Lucky Millinder, Cozy Cole and Fletcher Henderson bands of the Harlem jazz and R&B scene of the 1930s-1950s. While in Harlem, the Payne family lived within walking distance of the Apollo Theater. His father was a regular in the Apollo Theater bands. Clif’s mother, Aline, (taught by Tuskegee Alabama famed educators Harry T. Burleigh and William Dawson), was a choir vocalist who once backed Nat “King” Cole. James was in Coles’ accompanying band for a Tuskegee concert. That’s how Clif’s Mom and Dad met! The Payne family lived in an apartment on St. Nicholas Avenue on Sugar Hill in Harlem. Duke Ellington lived on the floor above the Payne family.
Years later, Clif’s mom spoke of her recollections of “just happening to be in the lobby” when Duke would pass through.
clifpayne.org