Thomas McClary (born October 6, 1949) – Free (1975)
The Commodores co-founder and lead guitarist co-wrote this funky liberation anthem with Lionel Richie, from their third album Movin' On.
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Guitarist and songwriter Thomas McClary was a co-founder of the Commodores and its lead guitarist from 1968-84. He helped shape their early sound and wrote many of their songs including their first #1 R&B hit “Slippery When Wet.”
Born in Florida, McClary was one of the first Black students to integrate the Florida public school system. He began playing the ukulele as a child, and then learned guitar. McClary attended college at Tuskegee University in Alabama, where he immediately met Lionel Richie standing in line to register for their first year classes.
In 1968 they formed a group originally called The Mystics along with trumpeter and multi-instrumentalist William King. They merged with The Jays, another student group, adding additional members including keyboardist Milan Williams. King picked their new name The Commodores out of a dictionary at random. They signed with Motown in 1972 and embarked on their first national tour opening for the Jackson 5.
See our previous post on Milan Williams for more on the group’s history.
McClary wrote the lead single “Slippery When Wet” from their second album Caught In The Act (1975). The single was released on April 2, 1975 and soon went to #1 R&B and #19 on the Billboard Hot 100. They memorably performed it live on the Dinah Shore show.
For their third LP Movin On’, released in October, 1975, McClary wrote or co-wrote half of its eight songs. These included the funky opening cut “Hold On,” and the super funky liberation anthem “Free,” both of which he co-wrote with Richie.
McClary also co-wrote the superb jam “Time” with King, and solely wrote the album’s instrumental closing cut “Cebu.” The latter became a quiet storm classic, and was included as the B-side to their “Fancy Dancer” single the following year in 1976.
He and Richie co-wrote another masterpiece for their fourth album Hot On The Tracks (1976), the laid back jam ‘High On Sunshine,” with lyrics that spoke of a better world.
“All I want is to be stone free…free like the wind that blows. Shine on, you world of peace and freedom. I see the world through rainbow shades…but people make my colors such a hassle. Sometimes I wish they'd all just fade away.”
McClary left the group to go solo in 1984, and continues making music today. In 2017 he published his memoir Rock and Soul.
Further info:
“Thomas McClary: Story of a Legend,” ThomasMcClary.com
“Central Florida-born music legend tells all: Thomas McClary debuts new memoir 'Rock & Soul',” WESH, October 31, 2017.
#soul #funk #Commodores #ThomasMcClary