Hot Press has learned that the Cork singer and songwriter Jennifer Clarke is currently anxiously awaiting news from US officials, with a tour support slot with superstar vocalist Michael Bolton hanging in the balance.
Clarke recently toured the UK with Bolton and as a result the Grammy Award winning singer – who scored US No.1s, with ‘How Am I Supposed To Live Without You’ and his version of Percy Sledge’s ‘When A Man Loves A Woman’ among others, and has sold over 53 million albums – personally asked her to join him for his upcoming tour of the US and Canada.
But without the necessary visa, the opportunity will be lost. “The tour is due to start on August 21,” Clarke told Hot Press, “so we are running out of time to get the visa sorted.”
A graduate of the Music, Management and Sound course at the rock school based at Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa, Clarke is one of the most highly rated young singer-songwriters to have emerged from Cork in recent years.
Her debut single 'Right Back At The Start', was the subject of a rave review in Hot Press and was subsequently play-listed by over twenty radio stations around the country. She has signed a management deal with US manager Mike Maska, who also handles the affairs of Joe Jackson.

Her debut album, which is due for release in 2007, is produced by Bruce Brody, who has worked with US artists of the renown of Maria McKee and Patti Smith, as well as being involved in the U2 Elevation Tour and the mixing and production of the soundtrack to the movie Pulp Fiction.

“Having just finished touring with Michael Bolton around the UK I've seen first hand what a huge opportunity this American tour would be for me,” Clarke told Hot Press. “The exposure I got in the UK was invaluable and to do it on a larger scale in America would be amazing. It's every beginning singer's dream to tour with a star of Michael's calibre.”

That dream will be shattered, however, unless the necessary documentation is forthcoming from US officials in time.