Clifford Hocking

Clifford Henry Hocking (9 February 1932 – 12 June 2006) was an Australian impresario and festival director.

Biography He was born in Melbourne on 9 February 1932 to Olive and Fred Hocking, the fifth brother in his family and the youngest. joined his company, and the list of artists then extended to such names as American stars The Pointer Sisters, Blossom Dearie and Alvin Ailey; British performers Cleo Laine and John Dankworth, Donovan, Elvis Costello, Derek Jacobi, Pam Ayres, Lenny Henry and Rowan Atkinson; and European performers such as Victor Borge, Stephane Grapelli, Paco Pena and Alirio Diaz. survived by his two elder brothers. On 15 June, Senator Rod Kemp, the Minister for the Arts and Sport, paid tribute to Hocking in a speech to parliament. A celebration of his life was held in Hamer Hall, Melbourne, on 29 August.

In 1991 he was awarded the inaugural Ken Myer Medallion for the Performing Arts. In 2001, Hocking received the JC Williamson Award, the LPA's highest honour, for their life's work in live performance.