Newport Jazz Hero
Mention Carolyn McClair, publicist extraordinaire, to anyone in the jazz community and you’ll get a big smile and a story about how she did something amazing that made a difference in their life. The introduction that led to the job of their dreams or the tickets to a concert or event that they will remember forever.
A daughter of Missouri, Carolyn moved to Pittsburgh after college, and as public relations manager became the first African-American woman on the management staff at the Alcoa Corporation. Next, as public relations director for KDKA-TV Pittsburgh, she began raising public awareness for cultural events including the Pittsburgh Jazz Festival, which is where she first met the Newport Jazz and Folk Festivals producer George Wein, with whom she would form a strong, productive and enduring professional relationship.
In 1988, she formed Carolyn McClair Public Relations and moved to New York. Her clients included music and arts festivals, production companies, radio stations and programs, record labels, non-profit organizations, conference producers and churches as well as entertainers, authors, artists and lecturers. Wein hired her to work on the 1989 JVC Jazz Festival (that year held in New York City and multiple other locations), and she joined his trusted team. McClair became public relations director of the Newport Jazz and Newport Folk Festivals in 2009, a position she’s held until recently.
Carolyn has worked with legendary legacy artists Sarah Vaughan, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Nina Simone, as well as many current headliners. Performers under pressure may not always be easy to get along with, but she has a sterling reputation for being able to smooth anything out.
Insiders recognize McClair as a generous mentor, frequently guiding young people emerging into jazz careers in gentle but effective ways. You can spot those she’s influenced immediately by their professionalism, courtesy and ability to do things correctly, without shortcuts.
For more than a dozen years Carolyn has served on the board of directors of the JJA, volunteering her time and talent to tasks with kindness, patience and good cheer. She elevates every situation she’s involved in, making preparations and tasks seem effortless. Her welcoming presence has set the tone at many industry events including Jazz Awards galas and Jazz Connect conferences.
As she has said, “I urge everyone, no matter how old, to dream, claim and pray for what you want in life. Know that you can’t do everything by yourself. Along with the Higher Power, find a mentor. Also, be a mentor. The mystery, the curiosity and the knowledge within build us today and shape us for tomorrow. Everyone is intrigued by something. You just have to recognize it, realize it and reach for it.” Take that as gospel, from Jazz Hero Carolyn McClair. — Susan Brink
