He achieved international hit singles with the group and is credited as co-writer on several of their best-known songs, including "On a Carousel", "Carrie Anne", "Jennifer Eccles" and "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress".

[2] After 1967, Clarke began writing solo songs under the team banner, notably: "Lullaby To Tim" (dedicated to his son, though sung by Nash), "Heading for a Fall", "Water on the Brain", and "Would You Believe?".

Clarke assumed more of a figurehead profile as front man of the Hollies following Graham Nash's departure from the group in December 1968.

[2] Clarke has sole credit for songs including "My Life Is Over With You", "Goodbye Tomorrow", "Not That Way at All", "Marigold" (1969), "Mad Professor Blyth", "Separated" (1970), "Row the Boat Together" and "Hold On" (1971).

Also, Clarke helped Nash's replacement, Terry Sylvester, develop as a songwriter, [citation needed] teaming with him to write a number of songs including "Gloria Swansong", "Look at Life" (1969), "I Wanna Shout", "Man Without a Heart" and "Perfect Lady Housewife" (1970).

Their first single with him back in the fold was another of his songs, "The Day that Curly Billy Shot Down Crazy Sam McGee", a UK top 40 hit that autumn.

He left The Hollies briefly for the second time in March 1978 and made I Wasn't Born Yesterday (1978), an album of original material mostly written with singer-songwriter Gary Benson.

Subsequent solo albums included Legendary Heroes (1980), another largely original set, with its UK title and track running order changed to The Only One.

Between 1974 and 1978, Clarke wrote most of the original songs the Hollies recorded on a series of studio albums with Tony Hicks and Terry Sylvester.

Due in part to ongoing medical problems with his vocal cords, Clarke retired from the music industry in 1999 to care for his wife, who had received a second diagnosis of cancer.

On 15 March 2010, Clarke, with fellow Hollies members Graham Nash, Tony Hicks, Eric Haydock, Bobby Elliott, Terry Sylvester and Bernie Calvert, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

[4] In 2011, Clarke made a surprise appearance at a Crosby & Nash concert at the Royal Albert Hall where the two former Hollies performed "Bus Stop".

[5] Having appeared on harmonica for Carla Olson's band The Textones in 2018,[6] Clarke made a return to his solo career in 2019 with a new album, Resurgence, on BMG.