In 1962, shortly after leaving school and supporting himself with a series of clerical jobs, Ward formed a beat band Cliff Ward and the Cruisers, which won the 1963 Midland Band of the Year contest in Birmingham. The band was popular in Birmingham and also in demand at American Army bases in France. It was during this time abroad that Ward wrote “Home Thoughts from Abroad” (a song that would later appear on his second solo album and also as the B-side of “Gaye”). In the mid 1960s and after several member changes, the group was renamed Martin Raynor and The Secrets, with Ward in the role of the elusive Raynor. The fictitious name was soon dropped and the band continued on as Raynor’s Secrets and as Simon’s Secrets, and went on to tour around Britain and France, achieving moderate success. Along the way, six singles were recorded by the group (ten of the songs penned by Ward himself), though these made little impact.

In 1967, following the demise of The Secrets, Ward decided he needed to get “a real job”. He enrolled at Worcester Teacher Training College and subsequently taught at North Bromsgrove High School teaching English and Drama. One of his pupils was the future wife of Sting, Trudie Styler, and another was Underworld singer Karl Hyde. The children heard singing on Ward’s early albums were from North Bromsgrove High School.

In his spare time, he continued songwriting and recorded his first solo album Singer Songwriter, released in 1972 on Dandelion Records (a label formed by the disc jockey John Peel) just before it went into liquidation. As a result, the album received little media coverage and went largely unnoticed. Signing a new recording contract with Charisma Records, Ward went on to have a hit with the single “Gaye”. It sold over a million copies worldwide and reached number 8 in the UK Singles Chart in July 1973.

In July 1973, following the success of “Gaye”, Ward’s second album Home Thoughts achieved healthy sales and reached number 40 in the UK Albums Chart. At this point, wanting to concentrate on music full-time, he gave up the teaching profession. He made a rare public appearance in July, performing “Gaye” on Top of the Pops. In January 1974 Ward entered the singles chart again at number 37 with “Scullery”, a track from his third album Mantle Pieces.

In 1987, Ward was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). He continued to record and write songs while living at home, cared for by his wife, Pat. In 1994, Ward was interviewed by a local newspaper, the Wolverhampton Express & Star. He told reporter Aidan Goldstraw: “I have not and will not come to terms with this illness. There are times — usually quite late at night — when I’m almost normal again. But unless they find a cure for this dreadful MS, then I don’t see a future”.

In November 2001, Ward contracted pneumonia and died in Tenbury Community Hospital a few weeks later on 18 December 2001.