He became one of the first African-American students to integrate the Florida school system prior to the enforcement of Brown v. Board of Education.

[1] As a freshman student at Tuskegee University, McClary met Lionel Richie in the registration line.

"Brick House"," "Too Hot ta Trot", and "I Feel Sanctified" are among the many songs McClary contributed to, along with the Commodores.

He played on songs like "Flying High", "Come Inside", "High On Sunshine", "Girl, I Think the World About You", "Midnight Magic", "12:01 am", "Got To Be Together", "Wake Up Children", "Funny Feelings", "Heaven Knows", "Won't You Come Dance With Me", "Visions", "Hold On" and "Free", "Welcome Home" (with Bill Champlin), "You Don't Know That I Know", "Let's Get Started", "Time", "Captured", "Celebrate" (with Larry Davis and Harold Hudson), "Saturday Night" and "Keep On Taking Me Higher".

McClary co-wrote and produced multiple songs for the 1980s pop group Klique's album Try It Out (one of which was "Stop Dogging Me Around" which became the No.