About Jim Clancy

In his tenure as director of The Vocal Majority®, Jim Clancy has built an international reputation as composer, arranger, conductor, clinician and vocalist. Jim has conducted the Chorus in performances throughout the United States, Canada, England, Scotland and Wales, and before three United States Presidents, at national athletic events, with major symphony orchestras, and before tens of thousands at national conventions. As the record setting twelve-time Gold Medal International Chorus Champions of the Barbershop Harmony Society, the reputation of Vocal Majority is a sharp reflection of the man who has served as its primary director for more than 40 years. Jim Clancy is often called upon as a coach with national and international choral groups, having directed multiple concerts for the American Choral Directors Association and Music Educators National Conference. He has understudied American greats such as Fred Waring, Madeleine Marshall, Paris Rutherford, Martha Moore Clancy, and B.B. McKinney in addition to pursuing academic work at Baylor University, Centenary College, and the University of North Texas.

Jim is known throughout the recording industry as America’s most recorded bass singer in jingles and commercials on radio and television. He has sung on recordings as back up singer with many famous artists, including The Carpenters, Helen Reddy, and George Beverly Shea. He has also performed on stage with many artists including Jimmy Dean, The Four Freshmen, John Gary, Lee Greenwood, Jack Jones, The Lettermen, Johnny Mann, The Oak Ridge Boys, and the Suntones. Jim can be heard singing bass on his five-part acapella group, called The Collection on YouTube.

Jim’s style of arranging has been directly influenced by his favorite musical groups, The Four Freshmen, The Suntones, Gene Puerling of The Hi-Los, and Singer's Unlimited. His distinctive arrangements have been performed by many Barbershop Harmony Society and Sweet Adeline International quartet and chorus champions, international men's choirs, glee clubs, high school quartets and choruses, and church choirs and quartets.

In October 2000, Clancy was honored by the Barbershop Harmony Society Southwestern District when a new Chorus Champion trophy was unveiled and named in his honor as the Jim Clancy Chorus Champion Award. In 2005, Jim Clancy was inducted into the Barbershop Harmony Society Hall of Fame, and was one of the first recipients of the prestigious Joe Liles Lifetime Achievement Award for Directing. Jim's arrangements have been praised by choral directors such as Gerold Ottley and Craig Jessop of The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Johnny Mann of The Johnny Mann Singers, Arranger David Wright, Director Dr. Jim Henry, and Dr. Greg Lyne. In 2009, he received special recognition by the American Choral Directors Association at their 50th anniversary National Convention.

As primary arranger for Vocal Majority, Jim Clancy has shaped its rich harmonies and distinctively elegant sounds in his years as its director. Jim’s extraordinary arrangements are featured in and 8-CD set, The Jim Clancy Collection. It features over 150 of his arrangements performed by the Vocal Majority and 13 additional musical groups.

Jim is proud of his two sons, Dave and Greg, who are talented musicians in their own right. Dave Clancy wrote the orchestration for “God Bless the USA” on the Vocal Majority's Freedom's Song CD. Greg joined the Vocal Majority at age 12 and has been a major contributor toward its development as the world championship chorus it is today. He is now the Director of VM, as well as GM/VP Creative Director at TM Studios.

Jim and the love of his life met through music—barbershop music, to be specific. Judy is an International Queen of Harmony, which means she won the quartet gold medal championship singing bass with her quartet, Ginger ’n Jazz. It was one of Jim’s arrangements that brought the two of them together! Judy has been a member of the OKCity Chorus and the Sweet Adelines International Champions, Rich-Tone Chorus. Together, Jim and Judy make a formidable team in all endeavors. She is his greatest supporter and, together, they look forward to helping you with your arrangement needs.