Vithana Kuruppu Arachchilage Clarence Arthur Somasinghe Wijewardena (3 August 1943 – 13 December 1996) was a Sri Lankan singer, composer and musician. Considered one of the most respected musicians in Sri Lanka, Wijewardena revolutionized Sri Lankan Sinhala Pop Music with the use of the electric guitar in Sinhala music, in the 1960s. Due to his influence on Sinhala pop music, he is often named as the "father of Sri Lankan pop music".
Clarence Wijewardena was born on 3 August 1943, in Haputale, Sri Lanka, to an estate medical practitioner. His family moved to Batugedara, Ratnapura, and Clarence abandoned a budding career as a planter to pursue music full-time. He completed education from Hatton Highland College and Mahasen College, Yatawatta.
He married Sheela Ramadasa and they had one daughter, Amila Priyadarshani.
Wijewardena died on 13 December 1996, at the age of 53, in Sri Lanka after a long struggle against ruptured gastric ulcers and gangrene due to acute Diabetes.
