Obituary - Clifford Harold Burnett Jr.

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Clifford Harold Burnett, Jr., 75 of Richmond, VA.  Cliff went to be with our Lord Jesus Christ on the afternoon of Saturday, August 13, 2025.  Born in the Philippines at Clark Air Force Base on May 1, 1950, he was the son of the late, Clifford Harold Burnett , LT Colonel US Air Force and Camelia Burnett Cameron.  He was preceded in death by his sister, Mary Kathryn “Kitty” Sims; brother-in-law, Tom Sims; brother-in-law, Jay Harpine; nephews, John and Alex Harpine; and his step-parents, Scotty and Lois Cameron.

Cliff leaves his family to cherish his memory, including his wife of 33 years, Leora Gayle Burnett; daughter, Jane Camille Burnett; sister, Elisa Burnett of Cora, WY; brothers, Colin “Collie” Cameron (Kristi), and Charles “Chas”  Cameron (Denise) of Lakewood, CO; sister-in-law, Patty Harpine; nieces Kate and Allie Sims; nephews, Andrew Cameron (Holly), Chris Cameron, and Brion Reushe; and numerous cousins, extended family and friends.

Cliff worked for many years as a sales rep. with companies such as Comcast, Primestar, Capitol One and S and K Menswear to support his family, but his great gift, love and passion was music.  He was a consummate musician whose talent first emerged when he signed up for trumpet in middle school and rose to play first-chair All-State his senior year, class of 1967 at Thomas Edison HS in Springfield, VA.

After going with his Mom to see the Beatles’ first concert in the U.S. at the D.C. Armory, he eventually taught himself to play the guitar and never looked back! After high school he worked with bands in the Washington, D.C. area such as The Spaniels (“Goodnight, Sweetheart”) and in the 1970’s after exploring the music scene in Richmond, VA joined The Zippers and toured for a couple of years in Florida and up and down the East Coast.  Later he returned to RVA and joined forces with vocalist Ben Greenbaum to form Baby Huey and the Babysitters, a very popular and successful R and B band that got it’s start in 1980.  Cliff played and sang with Baby Huey for over a decade.  After taking a break to marry Gayle and start a family he played with Crimson, The Blue Light Specials, Spectrum and many other bands both large & small over his 60-plus years in the music profession.  Known as “The Master of the Telecaster” Cliff most recently played with Spectrum from 2010 – 2022 and helped anchor their rhythm section during much of the last half of their 40-year history.

Cliff blessed and touched the hearts of many at Shady Grove UMC (Short Pump) for over two decades, where he sang in the Sanctuary Choir, the men’s group Gideon’s Call, and played guitar for their contemporary worship service, concerts, benefit shows and dessert theaters.

He instilled his love of music in his daughter Jane, and also in his students at the Center for Creative Arts where he taught guitar for many years.  He had a dry wit and was smart, cool, funny, immensely talented, caring and a good husband and father.  Cliff Burnett was truly a “Soul Man” whose memory, musical gifts and friendship will be treasured by all who knew him.

A memorial service will be held at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, September 21, 2025, at Shady Grove United Methodist Church, 4825 Pouncey Tract Road, Glen Allen, VA 23059.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society; or the Shady Grove United Methodist Church-Glen Allen Music Ministry, 4825 Pouncey Tract Rd., Glen Allen, VA 23059.