Like words in a song is how Claire Finley’s life has been written. From Davenport, Iowa to Key West, every step of the way for the journeyman musician and bass player is like a different musical note.
“We had gone to church every Sunday, growing up and one day I came home from church and I started plunking out melodies from one of the songs that we always sang at the end of the service,” Finley said.
kAm$96 D2JD 96C A2C6?ED D2:5[ “E92E’D ?@E ?@C>2=[” H:E9 2 =2F89[ H96? u:?=6J 3682? >2<:?8 >FD:4 @7 96C @H? 2E E96 286 @7 c J62CD @=5]k^Am
kAm%96C6 92AA6?65 E@ 36 2 >FD:4 E62496C 24C@DD E96 DEC66E 7C@> 96C 8C2?5>@E96C H9@ ?@C>2==J 5:5 ?@E E6249 49:=5C6? E92E J@F?8[ 3FE D96 28C665 E@ E2<6 @? u:?=6J]k^Am
kAm$96 C646:G65 =6DD@?D 2== E9C@F89@FE 96C D49@@= J62CD[ H9:=6 A=2J:?8 4@>A6E:E:G6 4=2DD:42= A:2?@[ E96 G:@=:?[ uC6?49 9@C? 2?5 E96 5CF>D 367@C6 8C25F2E:?8 9:89 D49@@=] $96 D2JD D96 H2D 2=H2JD 6286C E@ =62C? >@C6 :?DECF>6?ED]k^Am
kAmu:?=6J 3682? A=2J:?8 96C ECF6 A2DD:@?[ E96 6=64EC:4 32DD[ :? E96 7:7E9 8C256]k^Am
kAm“~?6 52J x D2H E96 >:55=6 D49@@= ;2KK 32?5] x E9@F89E >2?[ E92E 32DD A=2J6C 8FJ :D E96 4@@=6DE 8FJ :? E96 C@@>[ x C62==J H2?E65 E@ 36 E92E A6CD@?] x H6?E 9@>6 2?5 E@=5 >J >@>[ ‘w6J[ x E9:?< x H2?E E@ =62C? E96 32DD 8F:E2C’ 2?5 E@ >J DFCAC:D6[ D96 D2:5 @<2J[ =6E’D 8@ E@ E96 >FD:4 DE@C6 2?5 E2<6 2 =@@<[” u:?=6J D2:5]k^Am
kAm%92E r9C:DE>2D[ D96 H2D 8:G6? 96C 7:CDE 32DD 8F:E2C 2?5 D96 A=2J65 :? E96 >:55=6 D49@@= ;2KK 32?5]k^Am
kAmuC@> E96C6[ D96 8@E :?E@ A=2J:?8 E96 32DD 8F:E2C :? 2 AC2:D6 2?5 H@CD9:A 32?5 2E 2 49FC49 2?5 H@C5 DE2CE65 86EE:?8 @FE 23@FE E9:D E2=6?E65 J@F?8 8:7E65 >FD:4:2?] u:?=6J H2D E96? C64CF:E65 E@ A=2J 2E 2?@E96C 49FC49]k^Am
kAm“%96 5:776C6?46 H2D E92E E96J H6C6 A2J:?8 >6[” u:?=6J D2:5 367@C6 3C62<:?8 @FE =2F89:?8]k^Am
kAm$96 ;@:?65 2 3=F6D 32?5 :? 96C 9@>6 E@H? 2C@F?5 E96 286 @7 `f H:E9 A6@A=6 E9C66 E:>6D 96C 286] u:?=6J =2F89D H9:=6 D2J:?8[ “x H2D 4@CCFAE65 G6CJ 62C=J :? >J 7@C>2E:G6 J62CD]]]”k^Am
kAm%96J EC2G6=65 E96 |:5H6DE 4@>A6E:?8 :? G2C:@FD 3=F6D 492==6?86D 367@C6 C6AC6D6?E:?8 x@H2 :? |6>A9:D] u:?=6J H2D a` 2E E96 E:>6 2?5 7@F?5 D96 =@G65 EC2G6=:?8]k^Am
kAm“(96? J@F 8C@H FA :? x@H2[ 6G6CJH96C6 J@F 8@ :D 2H6D@>6[” D96 D2:5]k^Am
kAmu:?=6J C642==D 96C 49:=59@@5 7@?5=J 2D 2 H9:C=H:?5 @7 >FD:4 =6DD@?D[ 6G6?ED 2?5 4@?46CED[ 255:?8 E92E 96C A2C6?ED A2:5 7@C 6G6CJE9:?8[ 2== @7 96C >FD:4 =6DD@?D 2?5 :?DECF>6?ED]k^Am
kAm“x H2D 3=6DD65 H:E9 D@ >F49 DFAA@CE] x <:?5 @7 E@@< :E 7@C 8C2?E65] xE H2D?’E F?E:= x 8@E @=56C E92E x C62=:K65 2== A2C6?ED 2C6?’E E92E 4@@=[” u:?=6J D2:5]k^Am
kAmw6C A2C6?ED D6?E 96C E@ G2C:@FD DF>>6C A:2?@ 42>AD 2?5 E96J 36=:6G65 :? E96:C 52F89E6C 2?5 E96:C 52F89E6C 36=:6G65 :? 96CD6=7]k^Am
kAm“%96C6 H2D ?6G6C 2 >@>6?E :? >J =:76 H96? x 5:5 ?@E 36=:6G6 x 4@F=5 5@ H92E x H2?E65 E@ 5@[” u:?=6J D2:5 H:E9 DEC@?8 4@?G:4E:@? :? 96C G@:46]k^Am
kAmp A:G@E2= >@>6?E :? 96C =:76 42>6 5FC:?8 96C D49@@= J62CD] $96 H2D :? @C496DEC2 H96? 96C 32?5 5:C64E@C 92?565 96C 2 A2>A9=6E 7@C q6C<=66’D $49@@= @7 |FD:4 7:G6 H66< AC@8C2>]k^Am
kAmpC@F?5 E96 D2>6 E:>6[ :C@?:42==J 96C 49FC49 32?5 =6256C D96 H2D A=2J:?8 H:E9[ D92C65 H:E9 96C E92E 96 H2D 8@@5 7C:6?5D H:E9 2 9625 @7 2 56A2CE>6?E 2E q6C<=66 2?5 96 E@@ 76=E DEC@?8=J[ D96 H@F=5 36 2 8@@5 7:E 7@C E96 >FD:4 AC@8C2> E96C6]k^Am
kAm“xE H2D AC6EEJ AC:46J[” u:?=6J D2:5 C67=64E:?8 @? E96 EF:E:@?[ “q6C<=66 :D =:<6 2? xGJ {628F6 D49@@=[ 3FE :E’D 2== >FD:4 2?5 H6’C6 E2=<:?8 23@FE q6C<=66 $49@@= @7 |FD:4 :? q@DE@?[ H9:49 :D ?@E 2E 2== 277:=:2E65 H:E9 q6C<=6J[ r2=:7@C?:2[ :E’D E@E2==J 5:776C6?E]”k^Am
kAm$96 3C@F89E E96 A2>A9=6E 9@>6 H:E9 D@>6 96D:E2E:@? E@ D9@H 96C A2C6?ED[ E9:?<:?8 E92E >2J36 :E H@F=5 36 E@@ >F49 >@?6J[ 3FE E@ 96C DFCAC:D6 E96J 564:565 :E H@F=5 36 2 C62==J 8@@5 @AA@CEF?:EJ 7@C E96:C 52F89E6C]k^Am
kAmu:?=6J 2EE6?565 E96 7:G6 H66< 42>A :? q@DE@? 2?5 H9:=6 D96 H2D 4@>A=6E6=J 7C62<65 @FE 3J 2== E96 >FD:4 2?5 2== E96 A6@A=6 4@>:?8 7C@> 2== 2C@F?5 E96 H@C=5 E@ DEF5J >FD:4 E96C6[ D96 E@=5 96C A2C6?ED E9:D :D H96C6 D96 H2?E65 E@ 36]k^Am
kAm$96 H2D 23=6 E@ 62C? D6G6C2= D49@=2CD9:AD[ @?6 @7 H9:49 H2D @?=J 8C2?E65 E@ @?6 DEF56?E 6249 J62C[ E96 (6D (69>:==6C $49@=2CD9:A] (69>:==6C 925 A=2J65 32DD H:E9 sFC2? sFC2? 2?5 EC28:42==J 925 A2DD65 2H2J 7C@> 42?46C]k^Am
kAm“(96C6 E96C6’D 2 H:==[ E96C6’D 2 H2J[ :7 :E’D >62?E E@ 36[ J@F’C6 8@:?8 E@ 7:8FC6 :E @FE[” u:?=6J D2:5 @7 9@H D96 H2D 23=6 E@ 277@C5 8@:?8 E@ q6C<=66]k^Am
kAmsFC:?8 96C E:>6 2E E96 4@==686[ D96 ;F>A65 2E E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ DEF5J 23C@25 7@C 2 D6>6DE6C :? pE96?D[ vC6646 H96C6 u:?=6J 76== :? =@G6 H:E9 E96 vC66< 4F=EFC6[ EC2G6=:?8 2?5 =62C?:?8 23@FE A6@A=6 H9@ H6C6 5:776C6?E]k^Am
kAmp7E6C 8C25F2E:?8 7C@> q6C<=66[ u:?=6J A=2J65 :? 2 H655:?8 32?5 :? q@DE@? 7@C D:I J62CD 367@C6 @?6 @7 96C E62496CD :? 4@==686 :?EC@5F465 96C E@ z6J (6DE H9@ ?66565 2 32DD A=2J6C 7@C 2 H655:?8] r@>:?8 E@ z6J (6DE H2D 2 C62= 6J6\@A6?:?8 6IA6C:6?46 7@C u:?=6J[ H9@ D2JD D96 76=E 5C2H? E@ E9:D 4@>>F?:EJ]k^Am
kAm“~?6 52J 2E uE] +249[ x H2D 92?8:?8 :? >J 92>>@4< 2?5 x 42==65 >J 3@DD :? q@DE@? 2?5 x D2:5[ ‘w6J >2?[ x ;FDE 8@E E@ E6== J@F[ :? 23@FE D:I >@?E9D @C D@ x’> 8@:?8 E@ >2<6 E96 >@G6 5@H? 96C6]”k^Am
kAmu:?=6J D2JD D96 <?6H D96 H2D 8:G:?8 FA 2 =@E @7 C62==J 8@@5 E9:?8D 324< :? q@DE@? 2?5 <:?5 @7 E2<:?8 2 492?46] $96 C642==D 2E E96 E:>6 >2?J @7 96C 4=2DD>2E6D H6C6 >2<:?8 >@G6D E@ }6H *@C<[ }2D9G:==6 @C {@D p?86=6D[ 3FE ?@E 96C]k^Am
kAm“q6:?8 2 >FD:4:2?[ J@F <:?5 @7 86E E@ 49@@D6 J@FC @H? 25G6?EFC6 2?5 E9:D :D E96 =:76 x H2?E65 2?5 x <?6H :7 x DE2CE65 3J 3F:=5:?8 2 =:76 E92E x =@G65[ x <?6H E96 >FD:4 H@F=5 7@==@H[” u:?=6J 25565]k^Am
kAmt2C=J @?[ D96 DE2CE65 2 H655:?8 32?5 96C6 42==65 E96 z6J {:>6 !:C2E6D[ 3FE 6G6?EF2==J D96 8@E 3FC?65 @FE 2?5 D2:5 H9:=6 =2F89:?8 E92E D96 ;FDE 76=E =:<6 D96 H2D @? E96 A=2?6E 7@C >@C6 C62D@?D E92? D96 H2D C62=:K:?8 2E E96 E:>6]k^Am
kAm“xE ;FDE H2D?’E >J 42==:?8 7@C >FD:4[” u:?=6J D2:5]k^Am
kAm$96 3642>6 7C:6?5D H:E9 $2G2??29 qF776E[ y:>>J’D 52F89E6C 2?5 :E H2D H9:=6 2E $2G2??29’D H655:?8[ E96 ?6IE 3:8 >@>6?E 92AA6?65 :? 96C =:76] $96 8@E E@ A=2J :? 2 32?5 2E E9:D H655:?8 H:E9 y:>>J[ p52> {6G:?6[ !C6D6CG2E:@? w2== y2KK q2?5 2?5 y6??J {6H:D] xE H2D 2=D@ 2E E96 H655:?8 D96 H2D :?EC@5F465 E@ 2 >2? H9@ 925 DE2CE65 2 H@C=5\H:56 @C82?:K2E:@? E92E AC@>@E6D A6246 E9C@F89 >FD:4[ “!=2J:?8 7@C r92?86]”k^Am
kAm{2DE J62C[ !=2J:?8 7@C r92?86 H@? E96 !@=2C |FD:4 !C:K6[ H9:49 u:?=6J D2JD :D E96 6BF:G2=6?E @7 E96 }@36= !C:K6 7@C >FD:4]k^Am
kAm“|FD:4 :D E96 F?:G6CD2= =2?8F286[ E92E’D E96 E9:?8 E92E’D 8@:?8 E@ 86E A6@A=6 @FE @7 E9:D >6DD E92E H6’C6 :?] (6 >:89E =@@< 5:776C6?E[ H6 >:89E D@F?5 5:776C6?E H96? H6 DA62<[ 3FE H6’C6 2== E96 D2>6] |FD:4 3C62<D 5@H? E9@D6 32CC:6CD E92E A6@A=6 4C62E6 :? =:76[” u:?=6J DE2E65]k^Am
kAm$96 D2:5 E9:D >2? 925 D66? 96C A=2J:?8 H:E9 y:>>J qF776E 2E E96 H655:?8 2?5 E@=5 u:?=6J E96J H@F=5 =@G6 E@ 92G6 96C :? 2 D@?8 2C@F?5 E96 H@C=5[ H9:49 3=6H 96C 2H2J] %96J 6?565 FA 7:=>:?8 96C 2E 96C 92AAJ A=246 2E uE] +249[ A=2J:?8 32DD H9:=6 D:EE:?8 @? 2 A:4?:4 E23=6] $96 H2D 2=D@ 7:=>65 E96C6 7@C $@F= #636= H:E9 qF??J (2:=6C 2?5 2 =@E @7 E96 8FJD 7C@> q@3 |2C=6J’D 32?5]k^Am
kAmu:?=6J H2D E96? @776C65 2 A@D:E:@? A=2J:?8 32DD 8F:E2C 7@C E96 !=2J:?8 7@C r92?86 32?5[ H9:49 D96 2446AE65] $96’D 925 E96 492?46 E@ EC2G6= H:E9 E96 H@C=5 8@:?8 6G6CJH96C6 7C@> pC<2?D2D E@ x?5:2 2?5 5FC:?8 96C EC2G6=D[ D96 H2D 2=D@ 23=6 E@ G:D:E 2 C64@C5:?8 DEF5:@ @C:8:?2==J 3F:=E 7@C |:4926= y24<D@?]k^Am
kAms6DA:E6 96C ?@E@C:6EJ :? E96 >FD:4 :?5FDECJ[ D96 C6>2:?D ECF6 E@ E96 @?6 A=246 D96 =@G6D[ z6J (6DE] $96 42? 36 962C5 A=2J:?8 @? uC:52J 6G6?:?8D 5@H? 2E E96 $F?D6E !:6C 2?5 @442D:@?2==J[ 2E E96 vC66? !2CC@E]k^Am
kAm“}@3@5J A:4<D E96:C =:76[” u:?=6J D2:5[ “xE’D 2== 366? 36J@?5 >J H:=56DE 5C62>D]”k^Am
kAmk2 9C67lQ>2:=E@i5<6==Jo<6JD?6HD]4@>Qm5<6==Jo<6JD?6HD]4@>k^2mk^Am