Thomas McClary
Thomas McClary (born October 6, 1949 in Eustis , Florida ) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter and record producer who is known as the founder and lead guitarist of The Commodores . McClary is credited with creating the signature sound of the original music by The Commodores.
life and career
McClary was born in Eustis, Florida in 1949. He was one of the first African American students to incorporate the Florida school system prior to Brown's enforcement against Board of Education. McClary began making music very early on, starting with the ukulele , through the acoustic guitar to the electric guitar . After graduating McClary attended the College of Tuskegee University in Alabama. As a freshman at Tuskegee University, McClary met Lionel Richie on the registration line. The two became friends and in 1968 they formed the band they originally called The Mystics . McClary was the lead guitarist . The group played local gigs , added members and changed their name to Commodores.
McClary was the lead guitarist for the Commodores for 15 years. His guitar solo in the Commodores song "Easy" brought his first recording to Rolling Stone and was described as "one of the best solo guitar appearances". During his time with the Commodores, McClary wrote "Slippery When Wet", one of the group's first singles. This song influenced the hit "Play that Funky Music" by the group Wild Cherry . “Brick House”, “Too Hot ta Trot” and “I Feel Sanctified” are among the many songs with which McClary contributed to the band's success. The classic jazz instrumental "Cebu" by the Commodores is another example of McClary's writing style.
McClary's musical influence later moved only outside of The Commodores. From the Endless Love soundtrack he wrote "Dreaming of You" with Lionel Richie, which was performed by Richie and Diana Ross and Kenny Rogers "Without You In My Life". McClary wrote and produced several songs for the 1980s pop group Klique des .
After leaving the Commodores in 1984, McClary signed a solo deal with Motown and the following year released a solo album entitled "Thomas McClary," which included the popular single "Thin Walls," which ranked 57th on Billboard R&D. B charts climbed.
In 1986 McClary returned to Florida and turned to his Christian roots by becoming music director of his church and starting a gospel record label , under which he released the 2008 album "A Revolution Not a Revival".
On September 18, 2017, McClary's memoir "Rock and Soul" was published.
Web links
- Thomas McClary at Discogs (English)
- Thomas McClary in the Internet Movie Database (English)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | McClary, Thomas |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American guitarist, singer, songwriter and record producer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | October 6, 1949 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Eustis , Florida |