Claire Finley

“Never say no to a new gig even if it’s scary.”

Originally from Davenport, Iowa, Claire started classical piano lessons at the age of four. Barb Davis, a piano teacher who lived across the street from Claire’s grandmother, agreed to give a test lesson to young Claire. She continued to study piano with Ms. Davis until the age of 18.

She started playing violin in the fourth grade and played in the elementary school orchestra. One day, the middle school jazz band visited and performed. Claire was intrigued by the bass player and by the fifth grade, she was playing bass in the middle school jazz band.

Claire’s parents supported her at every step — every lesson, every rehearsal and outfits for every performance. The musical director of a Lutheran church group where Claire performed suggested a five-week summer program at the Berklee School of Music in Boston. While at the summer camp, which she loved, Claire qualified for a Berklee World Scholarship that paid $7,000 toward the school’s estimated $170,000 undergraduate degree. She later qualified for an additional $7,000 and in her second year at Berklee, she qualified for the Wes Wehmiller Bass Scholarship. Between all the scholarships and her parents’ savings, she graduated in 2009 with degrees in Electric Bass Performance and Music Business Management — and without any student loans.

Claire stayed in the Boston area and played in a wedding band called Men In Black until 2014.

While in Boston, she substituted for one of her professors in a band called Entrain, where she met Jeff Clark of Key West. After returning to Key West, Jeff called Claire and offered her a wedding gig in Key West with the potential for a few others.

When she arrived, Claire was overwhelmed by the hardto-believe live music scene. But the clincher was the open and free vibe of Key West and the late-night bike rides, with the smell of night-blooming jasmine and other plants, many of which her father had grown in the basement of their Iowa home. It all made for a convincing combination and Claire decided to make Key West home.

Claire watched her Berklee classmates move to Los Angeles, Nashville and New York, but none of those places would provide the quality of life that Key West offered. Besides, Claire has always felt the core values that lead to success — a positive belief and a good inner compass — will do the same in Key West, New Orleans or Nashville.

Though she schedules a number of out-of-town gigs, she always comes home to Key West, home to steady music work on a beautiful tropical island. Nowhere else can a musician can work steadily and collaborate with so many other musicians. “I get to go downtown and play music with my friends at the amazing Green Parrot,” Claire said.

Key West is a music sandbox, where everyone brings their toys, all are welcome and good players show up all the time.

“I probably gained more music skills by playing for three years in Key West than 10 years in Boston,” she said. “I book my own band, play with other groups, play different styles of music and live in paradise.”

For many regular visitors, Key West is almost an addiction. Claire has followers who watch her performances on streaming cameras at various Key West venues, long after they have left the island and returned to the cold northen winters in Minnesota or Wisconsin. The Key West culture revolves around live music. It’s infectious and exciting and never gets stale.

Claire became best friends with Savannah Jane Buffett, the daughter of the late singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett, and performed at her wedding. The night before the nuptials, a group that was part of the international Playing For Change Foundation, which was established to promote peace through music, filmed Claire performing two songs that would be played around the world. Claire recorded the 50-year celebration of “Dock of the Bay” and “Soul Rebel” with Bunny Wailer. They then asked Claire to play with their 13-piece band.

Since 2018, Claire’s main focus has been Playing For Change. The worldwide organization was founded in 2007 by Mark Johnson and Whitney Kroenke Silverstein with the first song, “Stand By Me,” recorded by street musicians from around the world, proving music is a universal language that connects us all.

They’ve won the Polar Music Prize and their for-profit section currently supports 16 music schools that provide free music lessons in countries that really need them. Claire is currently recording all over the world — Brazil, India, Bahrain, Australia — playing all different styles of music with local musicians. It’s a dream come true. They record with music stars like Ringo Starr, Keith Richards and Bono.

Claire’s advice to new musicians? “Never say no to a new gig even if it’s scary. Not every situation is a perfect fit, but it may be a stepping stone. There are many components to becoming a good musician; it’s much more than hitting the right note at the right time.”