Clifton didn’t grant many interviews and I was worried I wouldn’t get to talk with him. His wife, Margaret, was fiercely protective of him and wouldn’t let me into the house when I went to interview him. Fortunately for me somehow it happened that his friend Helen Faulk said I could interview Clifton at her house. He was so charming and friendly, kind of shy. There was a loud parakeet screeching all the way through the interview but what was I to do? Clifton said he would let me film him playing old time Lala music with his brother Cleveland. Sadly, he became very ill shortly after that and passed away before I could do it.

-Ann Savoy