Ian Handford: The amazing singer and Paignton businesswoman

After Mr Kenny Young had telephoned the BBC to find out who the new Irish singer Clodagh Rodgers was, he contacted her and was soon writing all new songs for the next phase of her career which was successful.

Within a year of his arrival Clodagh's next release had achieved top twenty chart status with "Come Back and Shake Me" which was made third in the charts for the first time. In  Ireland the song reached No.2 in the "hit ratings".

This was soon followed by Kenny's "Goodnight Midnight" which reached No 4 in Britain, but more importantly the two releases made Clodagh the best selling singles artist of 1969. That accolade was then followed by another when Clodagh won a competition for having the "Best Legs in Show Business".

Her career had literally taken off and now amazingly - or was it common sense - she had her voice insured for one million £pounds. The early prediction by Jim Reeves in 63' in America had proven right yet by 1964 he was dead.  

Johnney remained her Manager and saw Kenny's next two singles "Biljo" and "Everybody Go Home the Parties Over" both making the charts. She now met songwriter Billy Richie and he gave her "Scrapbook" which later appeared on her 1969 album entitled "Midnight Clodagh". 

In 1970 Kenny wrote "Give Me Just a Little More Time" released by the Moonshine Label although on this occasion it failed to make the charts. Perhaps its title said it all, as now divorce from Johnney Morris became "absolute" and their son Sam would be brought up by Clodagh. In fact she said at the time "I opted for motherhood" and not entertainment or as she remarked "her musical career".  

Having recorded Kenny's "Give me a Little More Line" and although not making the charts an unphased Clodagh still picked the song as one of her "eight most favourite discs" when appearing on BBC radio's "Desert Island Discs".  Now she won another competition after appearing on an NME "Poll Winners" concert in May 1970 hosted by Tony Blackburn and Jimmy Saville, when Clodagh was voted "The  most favourite female singer of 1969" by the public. 

Kenny next ensured that Clodagh appeared in over a dozen seaside resorts around the UK during the summer season. These brought her into contact with all the stars of  that era including: Tommy Cooper, Bob Monkhouse, Des O'Connor Cliff Richard and even Mike Yarwood and more.

She also became the resident singer on the "It's Cliff Richard" show, a popular TV production from January 1971. She performed a different song each week for six weeks, then on the seventh and having heard them all again, the public were asked to nominate their favourite song by confirming this on a postcard to the BBC.

In sharing the billboards with Mike and Bernie Winters Clodagh was now appearing at Blackpool but still found time to come to Paignton to open a new Bistro or Wine Bar at Bishops Place off Palace Avenue. Opened with her second husband Ian Sorbie, previously a guitarist, they had finally married in 1987.

Sam was now Ian's stepson and now Clodagh stopped singing new songs and even reduced her live appearances on TV and in theatres. Their marriage was very happy and like the first it lasted lasted ten years until Ian developed a brain tumour and died in 1995.  After his death the Inland Revenue chose to declare them bankrupt and the restaurant was sold. 

Many years later Sam confirmed his stepfather had "suffered three long years from his illness" and amazingly 30 years later his beautiful mum had "passed away after battling an illness" which also lasted three years. Death came to Clodagh on April 18th 2025 when Sam again was reported as saying his mum "peacefully passed surrounded by their family at Cobham where she lived".