Pro McClam

By Marv Goldberg

© 2024 by Marv Goldberg

Pro McClam is generally remembered today as having been backed up by the Spaniels on his Vee-Jay recording of "Boot-um". In fact, his show business career doesn't seem to be extensive (only six released songs in six years) and few appearances that I can find.

Clarence Lance "Pro" McClam was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi on August 28, 1919, the son of Winfred McClam and Ethel Matthews. The 1920 census (taken as of January 1 of that year), when they were still in Mississippi, shows Clarence to be four months old. He has a 2-year-old sister whose name is rendered as "Defolia", but it's actually his brother, Deforest! Soon after that, the family moved to Gary, Indiana. Two sisters were born there: Lula Belle (born in 1921, but died at the age of 2) and Martha (born in 1923). The 1923 Gary City Directory proudly lists "Wentforth" and Ethel McClam. I suppose there could have been other siblings, but the family doesn't show up in the 1930 census. In 1940, Deforest and Martha were living in Gary, with their father and his second wife, Astoria. Gary had a lot of trouble with names: the 1939 City Directory lists "DeForce" and "Winford", as well as Clarence. (Well, they got one right.)

The McClam family was part of the post-World War 1 northern migration and Winfred found a job in Gary's steel mills.

Clarence grew up in Gary, attending Roosevelt High School, from which he was graduated in June 1937. Since, in the 1950s, he was called "Professor Of The Blues", we've always assumed "Professor" got shortened to "Pro". However, he was nicknamed "Pro" as far back as 1936, when he was a Golden Gloves boxer while still in Roosevelt High. According to his son, Diamond, he got that nickname because, even as a novice boxer, he fought like a professional.

His name appeared in the February 22, 1936 Chicago Defender, because "Pro McClam" won a Golden Gloves Novice Division fight by default.

He was also in student government at Roosevelt High and his photo appeared in the December 12, 1936 Indianapolis Recorder. Another photo, in the February 12, 1938 Indianapolis Recorder showed the Gary Golden Gloves members, including Clarence McClam.

Later that year, on August 25, Clarence married Anna Jean Walker. Their daughter, Pauline, was born in February 1939. At the time, Clarence said he was unemployed.

When the 1940 census was taken (in April), his wife and daughter were living with her aunt, Jessie Johnson, in Gary. I don't know where Clarence was; he doesn't show up in the 1940 census at all.

But he must have been around somewhere, since his son, Clarence, Jr., was born in June of that year. The birth certificate says that he was working in a steel mill.

On October 16, 1940 (World War 2 Draft Registration day), he said he was working for the Carnegie Illinois Steel Company of Gary. He listed Anna Jean as his wife and the address he gave for both of them was the same one she'd been living at the time of the April census.

When Clarence was drafted in April 1943, he said he was "separated, with dependents" and living in Wayne County, Michigan (presumably Detroit). His occupation category was "conductors, bus and street railway".

Supposedly he was a sharpshooter in the army, from which he was discharged in 1945. One thing we know he did while in the service was copyright a song called "D-Day Blues" on September 25, 1944 (with a melody by James G. Morgan).

Nothing more is heard from Clarence until December 1947, when he recorded a couple of tunes for Chicago's Aristocrat Records. Backed up by Oett "Sax" Mallard's orchestra, they were "Rolling Tears" and "Insurance Man Blues". "Rolling Tears" is very well done, considering that he was never advertised as having been a singer before this. The "orchestra" was, according to Robert Campbell's Red Saunders Research Foundation site, something Mallard put together for the session:

Mallard assembled a band with a trumpet player, a second alto saxophonist who doubled on clarinet and tenor sax, a tenor player, and a rhythm section of piano, guitar, bass, and drums. We are hampered because we don't know the personnel of his working group at the time, but we know that Jimmy Bowman was the pianist on the date, and Mallard's regular drummer "Sleepy" Nelson may have been on hand. Likely candidates Johnny Morton on trumpet and Bill Casimir on tenor sax had been doing a lot of session work with Mallard.

There was a second session with Mallard, this time for Columbia, as part of the Chicago All Stars: Oett "Sax" Mallard (alto sax); Johnny Morton (trumpet); Eddie "Sugarman" Penigar (tenor sax); Bill Owens (piano); Elmer Ewing (guitar); Roscoe "Bali" Beach (bass); and Armand "Jump" Jackson (drums). The session featured vocals by three different singers: Joseph "Cool Breeze" Bell (usually a bassist); Cyril "Cozy" Eggleston (usually a tenor saxophonist); and Clarence "Pro" McClam.

This session took place at Columbia's Chicago studio, on December 26, 1947. (Remember, the musicians' ban was due to go into effect on January 1, 1948 and record companies were stockpiling as many masters as possible since union musicians wouldn't be allowed to record for the duration of the strike.)

Of the six songs recorded, Clarence did the vocals on two of them: "Ice Man Blues" and "Strange Strange Lover" (written by Sax Mallard).

Columbia was first to release a Pro McClam record, although it took until July 1948 for them to crank out "Strange Strange Lover". The flip was one of the tunes led by Cozy Eggleston, "Are You Getting Married Brother" (a Louis Jordan sound). It was reviewed in the August 14 Billboard:

Strange Strange Lover (71): Chanter and ork weave a turn-out-the-lights blue mood, but lyric is too purple for airing. [Translation: the lyrics are too raunchy to be played on the radio (although I have trouble making out a lot of them).]

In October, Aristocrat released "Rolling Tears", backed with the Sax Mallard instrumental, "Summit Ridge Drive". The only small problem was the billing: "Pro McCram" [c'mon, they were close]. It got a mediocre review in the October 30, 1948 Billboard (but at least they liked his singing):

Rolling Tears (63): Warbler shows good blues feeling and style on an unremarkable jump blues.

The September 28, 1949 Munster, Indiana Times told us that "Pro" McClam was the head coach of the Gary All American Boys Club boxing team. There was a series of matches that night between them and their counterparts from South Bend, Indiana at the Gary Armory. In the audience would be heavyweight boxing champion, Joe Louis, who had recently retired from the ring.

But the team was to get involved in controversy in February of the following year, since they refused to be a part of the Golden Gloves competition over a monetary dispute. The Gary Post-Tribune sponsored the team, but they felt the paper wasn't sharing the profits from the matches properly.

In the April 1950 census, Clarence was a widower. (Anna Jean had died the prior month, on March 15. Since her death certificate shows them both at the same address, I thought that they might have reconciled - remember they were separated when he was drafted in 1943 - but his daughter, Pauline, says that they hadn't.) He gave his occupation as "sand blaster", although he was unemployed and looking for work. His daughter, Pauline, and son, Clarence, Jr., were still living with his recently-deceased wife's aunt and her husband in Gary, still at the same address he gave to the draft board in 1940.

I'm sure, by now, you're asking yourselves: "If Pro McClam is a singer, why doesn't he ever seem to appear anywhere?" Finally, he does! This was in the April 5, 1952 Indianapolis Recorder, which talked about the show at George's Bar in that city:

The famous Joe Turner and Count Fisher's combo are really packin' 'em in at George's Bar and Orchid Room, located in the heart of the main stem. The noted blues singer [Turner] closes at the spot this Saturday nite [April 5], and will be followed by Pro McClam, "Professor Of The Blues", and Eve Renee, "Lovely Song Stylist". [They'd open on Monday, April 7.]

Clarence McClam is now called "Professor Of The Blues", which could be an expansion of "Pro", rather than (what we all believed) "Pro" being a contraction of "Professor". I don't believe that he and Eve Renee were actually members of Fisher's combo; they just appeared together for a while.

But they were all very popular in Indianapolis. When the Indianapolis Recorder ran its 1952 talent poll, the winners included Pro McClam (best male vocalist), Eve Renee (best female vocalist), Count Fisher (best drummer), Montan Phillips (best pianist), Hat Alexander (best tenor sax), and Bill Lane (best bassist). In other words, Pro, Eve, and the entire Count Fisher combo from George's Bar. (In that poll, Pro McClam got 3000 votes; Bobby Lewis, of future "Tossin' And Turnin'" fame, got 10.) Ever wonder why I don't trust those polls?

All the winners appeared at the local Sunset Terrace on June 1 to give a concert. The Combo was still at George's Bar in mid-June.

Pro remained at George's Bar until Sept 14. However, he was now advertised as the M.C. with the Jimmy Colvin Combo, which had started on August 18.

On December 20, 1952, Pro was one of those who entertained at the Recorder's Christmas Cheer Fund benefit at Tomlinson Hall in Indianapolis.

Nothing more about Pro until September 23, 1953, when he recorded a couple of sides for Vee-Jay: "Boot-um" and "Policy Blues". Some sources say "Boot-um" was recorded live in a bar, but, while that could have been true, the released version was done in a studio, with Pro being backed by the Spaniels. ("Boot-um" is the next master number after "The Bells Ring Out," "Housecleaning", and "Goodnite, Sweetheart, Goodnite". Spaniels' lead singer, Pookie Hudson, confirmed to me that they did the backup.)

The session band consisted of John Goosby (piano and organ), Floyd Dungy (bass), and Delbert Scott (drums). There's also a tenor saxophonist and an electric guitarist.

Pro, along with Bernard Roth, had copyrighted "Policy Blues" on September 8, 1953. Then came "Boot 'Em Up, Baby" (written with Lawrence McIntosh, whose name never made it to the label) on September 25. On October 30, Pro and Bernard Roth copyrighted two more songs: "I'm A Gambling Man" and "Please Leave Her Alone".

Vee-Jay released Pro's first record in early December 1953 (they were listed in Billboard's "Other Records Released This Week" column on December 12). Billboard never reviewed them, but Cash Box did, also on December 12:

Policy Blues (C): McClam sings a middle tempo blues telling how gambling keeps him broke all the time even though he works every day. McClam's vocal is good, although riff is routine.

Boot-um (B): Flipover is a quick tempo tune that moves energetically with the ork providing a wildish backing. McClam sings it out excitingly.

[As an aside, when I was looking through that issue, I came across the lowest ratings I've ever seen in Billboard: Mel Allen (not the sportscaster) got a 35 and a 30, but even that outshone Dick Glasser, who received a 30 and a 25.]

Pro went back to Vee-Jay on June 30, 1954, this time, to do a complete four-song session: "All Righty", "Please Leave Her Alone", "Why Don't You Pretty Baby", and "Cinemascope Baby" (a tune he copyrighted, as "Pro McClam", on August 23).

Of this last tune, the Red Saunders Research Foundation says:

Pro McClam recorded his best known number at the June 30 session, "Cinemascope Baby." This could not have been more topical in 1954, when Hollywood was desperately trying to fight the inroads of television with large screen presentations. It served as the perfect answer to Big Joe Turner's "TV Mama," which had been a hit a few months earlier. (Both women were praised for having a "big wide screen.") Pro McClam acquits himself well on this 12-bar blues with a gentle swinging lope. The tenor saxophonist gets a nice long swinging solo on the break. McClam probably used the same accompaniment as Floyd Valentine on his two numbers recorded the same day [the next two masters after Pro's], which would make John Gooseby the tenor soloist.

Therefore, the band probably consisted of Floyd Valentine (trumpet), John Gooseby (tenor sax), Leroy Harrison (piano), Dresden Thomas (guitar), Floyd Dungy (bass), and Delbert Scott (drums).

Vee-Jay released "Cinemascope Baby", backed with "Please Leave Her Alone" in August. Both Billboard and Cash Box reviewed the disc in their October 23, 1954 editions:

Cinemascope Baby (BB; 71): The chanter sings about his 200-pould baby, and explains that he loves all of her. Not as good or as funny as the title implies, although McClam sings it well on his debut for the label. [The reviewer seems blissfully unaware of "Boot-um".]

Please Leave Her Alone (BB: 71): On this side the chanter comes thru with a real blues vocal on an old-fashioned ballad. McClam can sing, but he could use stronger material.

Cinemascope Baby (CB; C+): Pro McClam sings of his baby, describing her in cinemascope terms. A middle tempo rocker that comes out a fair side

Please Leave Her Alone (CB: B): A slow southern type blues adequately handled by the chanter. McClam comes through with strength on this deck. [The reason I'm not a reviewer: I can't tell the difference between "fair" in one review and "adequately" in a supposedly better one.]

On October 16, Pro was part of a Sam "Jam With Sam" Evans dance at Chicago's Madison Rink. Also on the show were Guitar Slim, Howling Wolf, the El Dorados, Willie Mabon, and the Mambo Kings. In mid-November, he appeared at the Club Schaeferee in South Bend, Indiana.

By the end of December, he was at the Hi-Hat Club, also in South Bend. The "Musicana Extravaganza" was called "A 'Pro' McClam Production"; he was advertised as "Recording Artist & M.C." He was still there in mid-January 1955. While he'd never record for them again, he was still listed as a Vee-Jay artist in the January 29, 1955 Billboard.

But that was the last we hear of Pro McClam until a small article in the May 15, 1957 South Bend Tribune detailed a motorcyclist being injured after slamming into Pro's car.

In late March 1958, Pro ("Nationally Known As The Professor Of The Blues") appeared, on weekends, with the Rupert Harris Combo at the Clowns Playhouse Cafe in Indianapolis. The ad listed all four of his years-old released Vee-Jay songs.

The only article I could find about Pro McClam appeared in the July 19, 1958 Indianapolis Recorder; it was #82 in the Know Your Entertainers series. Since it is the only one, I'll reproduce the entire thing:

This week, we give you the "Professor Of The Blues" - Pro McClam, native of Gary and an enterprising delineator of songs. This popular artist needs no introduction to Naptown [Indianapolis] pleasure lovers, having sung at George's Bar for more than a year with Count Fisher's combo, and later with the same combo at the Hotel Ferguson and in bistros in other Indiana cities. He was also a favorite at the nite spots in Flint [Michigan] and Detroit after leaving this city.

Having also played at the Club DeLisa and Club Algiers in Chicago for six months each, plus dates at the Hurricane, Stairways to Stars, Ada's Lounge, and the McCombo Club [sic; should be Macomba, owned by Leonard Chess] in the Windy City; Brood's Club Zombie and Elvito for three months in Detroit; Michie's Bar in Flint, Mich. for six months, and the Golden Leaf Club, Unique Club, and the Royal Garden Club in Flint. Recorded for Aristocrat Label, Vee Jay, Columbia, and MGM [if true, nothing is known about this]. His son, Clarence, Jr., is leader of the Golden Rods [sic; see below] singing group in Gary.

Mr. McClam is one of the top recording artists on Vee Jay Records, and his most outstanding numbers include such hits as "Boot Up Blues" [sic], "Cinemascope Baby", "Leave Her Alone" [sic] and may [sic] others.

The well-known blues singer has appeared on Recorder [annual benefit] Christmas shows and won the singing award in The Recorder Band Poll in 1952-53. He opens an engagement at the ritzy P and P Club on the main stem this Friday nite with a rollickin' good floor show. [Unfortunately, P and P Club ads didn't mention performers.]

As I've said before, lengths of engagements in articles like this should be taken with many grains of salt. I can't find any ads for Count Fisher at the Hotel Ferguson after George's Bar. When the combo was at the Ferguson in early 1952, Curley Williams was their vocalist. There are no known ads for any of the other appearances in the article, although I'm not doubting them.

Since the article mentioned it, Clarence, Jr was a member of the Goldenrods, but had left prior to their December 1958 recording. Actually, according to lead singer Hiawatha Burnett, he was gone months before the above article was printed. This is from my Goldenrods article:

There were many groups from Gary, Indiana (a scant 30 miles from Chicago), and most of them owed their existence to the success of the .

The Goldenrods were no exception to this rule: the Spaniels were their idols. As the Spaniels had, the Goldenrods attended Roosevelt High School. Around 1955, when "there were numerous groups on the street corners" of Gary, a new group began to form. And form. And form. Actually, by the time they'd finished forming, there were eight of them.

The original members were: Crosby Harris (tenor, lead on ballads), Hiawatha Burnett (tenor, lead on uptempo and novelty tunes), Robert Garth (tenor), Cleve Denham (tenor), Sylvester Armont (baritone), Jerome Armont (his brother; baritone), Jesse Rodgers (baritone), and Clarence McClam, Junior (bass). There were so many of them that they found themselves doubling or tripling up on parts. While selecting school supplies at a local five and dime one day, Hiawatha purchased a Goldenrod writing tablet; this became the basis for the group's name.

This singing mob practiced, but were all too young for the club scene; their only appearances were at school talent shows. They had a "secret weapon" in Clarence McClam, who was so short that it amazed everyone that he could hit bass notes (he also emulated Eddie Cantor's "banjo eyes"). Note that Clarence was both Hiawatha's cousin and the son of Clarence "Pro" McClam, a local blues singer whom the Spaniels backed up on "Boot Um." [I tried, I really tried, to figure out how Hiawatha and Clarence were related, but the names of Hiawatha's parents kept changing and I gave up.]

But it couldn't go on. There were just too many of them. By 1957, says Hiawatha, "we downsized." When the dust had settled, the Goldenrods were Crosby Harris (tenor), Hiawatha Burnett (tenor), Cleve Denham (tenor), Jesse Rodgers (baritone), and new bass Charles Colquitt.

In June 1959, Pro was at the Mid-Town Cafe in South Bend. The ad said that he was returning there, but there were never any prior ads.


Nothing more until August 1962, when he was at the Indiana Cafe in South Bend. This is the last appearance I can find for Pro McClam.

Somewhere along the way, Pro married again. She was a nurse named Delores Wise, who died in a car accident on May 14, 1972 (although by that time they were divorced).

In May 1975, Pro married for a third time, this time to Verdun Gay. On the marriage record, he gave his occupation as "Supt. Sanitation", presumably for the city of Gary. The marriage didn't last too long; she remarried in 1982.

His fourth marriage, to Rochelle Lang, took place on May 1, 1983. On the marriage record, he said he worked for the City of Gary, but wasn't more specific. Their son, Diamond, was born in January 1984. Another failed marriage; she would remarry in 2003.

Clarence Lance "Pro" McClam died on April 24, 2005. The death certificate said that he was divorced (although the informant was his fourth wife, Rochelle), he was in a nursing home, and his usual occupation was "General Inspector" for Gary. (However, since he was nearing 86, I imagine he had long since retired.)

There was an obituary in the April 30, 2005 Gary Post-Tribune:

It wasn't rare to hear Clarence L. "Pro" McClam Sr.'s name mentioned in the same breath as Fats Domino and Etta James.

Sometimes, the signature profile of extended family member Ray Charles would slide into the conversation.

Following the great names were the easy-to-remember songs such as "Moon River," "I Ain't Mad At You Pretty Baby," "I Did It My Way" and "Boot 'Em Up."

The self-proclaimed "Professor of the Blues," McClam is said to have recorded the first solo rhythm and blues record in Gary, "Live at Dobie's Bar" at the corner of 19th Avenue and Virginia Street. [Whatever that title means, it only seems to appear in this obituary. See my note under the September 23, 1953 Vee-Jay session.]

He also initialed the song "Deck of Cards" while performing in Las Vegas. The song would ultimately hit the one-night "chittlin' circuit" of the 1950s and 1960s.

Along the way, friends and family say, he touched the lives of thousands.

McClam, nicknamed "Pro," will be buried at noon today at Ridgelawn Funeral Home and Cemetery, 4201 W. Ridge Road. He died Sunday at the age of 85.

McClam's niece, DeLia M. McClam, recalled Friday a man who traveled across the United States but never lost touch with his Gary base. That base included gigs at the Old Barber's Playhouse on 25th and Broadway, and later at two outdoor concerts at Gilroy Stadium. The headliner at both events: Ray Charles.

"He had the personality to sell himself," DeLia McClam said. "Back in the day, who would have thought that a person would declare himself the professor of the blues?"

In a day and age when musicians had to work twice as hard for everything they got, DeLia McClam said her uncle's entourage was comprised of mostly family members and a few friends.

While music was his passion, she said "Pro" also dabbled in boxing while serving in the U.S. Army during World War II. [Actually, he was in Golden Gloves ten years before that.] His name is on the World War II Memorial at Roosevelt High School, where he graduated in [June] 1937.

Among the highlights of Pro McClam's life were the outdoor concerts, cabarets, and introducing Ray Charles to Gary.

With community support, she said, they were able to get a package together for two nights for the bargain price of $400.

"Back in the day, with the timing, he did make it big," she said. "He had the popularity, and his name was big in he Midwest. He had the gift of gab, that personality, that smile."

Pro McClam, once his music days were over, worked in the administration of former Gary Mayor Richard G. Hatcher. He retired in code enforcement. But it was through his life that his niece said she gained the most.

"Mentally," she said, "I traveled through his stories."

This was also in the Post-Tribune:

CLARENCE LANCE McCLAM, SR. "Pro" "Sgt. Dead-Eye" "The Professor of the Blues" Gary, Indiana August 28, 1919 - April 24, 2005. Clarence L. (Pro) McClam, Sr., the self-proclaimed "Professor of the Blues" and Gary's first solo recording artist died on Sunday, April 24, 2005 at 3:40 p.m. at Gary's Timberview Rehabilitation Center at the age of 85. McClam recorded Gary's first solo rhythm and blues record entitled "Boot 'em Up" live at Dobie's Bar formally [sic; should be "formerly"] located at the corner of 19th Avenue & Virginia St. [NO. It was recorded in a studio, right after the session in which the Spaniels recorded "Goodnite, Sweetheart, Goodnite" - it was the next master and they back him.] This legendary song performed, written and sang [sic] by McClam enabled his musical recording career to soar as a singer with well-known artists such as Fats Domino, Ruth Brown, Etta James and more. He toured across the United States. His special location was Las Vegas, Nevada where he initialed the song "Deck of Cards", which hit the charts among the one night 'chittlin' circuits' during the 1950's and 1960's. A graduate of Roosevelt High School Class of 1937. McClam was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. His name is inscribed on the World War II Memorial Wall on the lawn of his alma mater. As a teenager, McClam was a winning Lightweight Golden Gloves boxer. He was also a trainer for the Gary Golden Gloves organization. Along with his gift of song, McClam both read and wrote music. McClam was also nicknamed "Sgt. Dead-Eye" by the troops in Europe because he was a celebrated sharpshooter who received many medals and commendations. McClam was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi in 1919 to Winfred and Ethel Matthews McClam.

Surviving are: his three children, Pauline Patricia McClam-Jones, Gary, IN, Clarence Edward McClam Jr., Miami, FL, Joyce Stewart McClam Brown of California [Joyce was actually the ex-wife of Clarence, Jr.], and Diamond Dee McClam, a pre-med student at Indiana University - Bloomington; and his [Diamond's] mother, Rochelle L. McClam Melton, Gary, IN; [Pro's] step-mother, Astoria McClam Berry, Gary, IN....

I assume that both of those were written by the same person, because each uses the strange phrase "initialed the song Deck of Cards".

I really can't find out all that much about Pro McClam's singing career. It looks like he opted for a more stable work environment than the entertainment field. In spite of this, he left us with some good music.


Special thanks to Pro's son, Diamond McClam, and Robert Campbell of the Red Saunders Research Foundation.


COLUMBIA (Chicago All Stars)
30133 Strange Strange Lover / [Are You Getting Married Brother - voc by Cozy Eggleston] - 7/48

   UNRELEASED COLUMBIA
      Ice Man Blues [recorded December 26, 1947]

ARISTOCRAT (Sax Mallard & His Orchestra; label says "Pro McCram")
2002 Rolling Tears / [Summit Ridge Drive - instrumental] - 10/48

   UNRELEASED ARISTOCRAT
      Insurance Man Blues [recorded December 1947]

VEE-JAY
102 Boot-um / Policy Blues - 12/53
112 Cinemascope Baby / Please Leave Her Alone - 8/54

   UNRELEASED VEE-JAY
      All Righty [recorded June 30, 1954]
      Why Don't You, Pretty Baby [recorded June 30, 1954]