Deceased July 28, 2022
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in memory
Born in Providence, R.I., on July 1, 1936, Henry Clay Hart III attended Moses Brown School before matriculating in 1954 at Amherst, where he majored in dramatic arts; pledged Beta Theta Pi; competed in freshman football, baseball and track; and joined the Glee Club and Zumbyes.
Although Clay started out as a foreign credit analyst at Irving Trust Co., he quickly moved to what would become his real love, the music business. Handsome, pleasant and gifted with a smooth singing voice, Clay was destined to be a performer.
In 1960, he married Smith alumna Libby Thompson. A year later, they moved to Clearwater, Fla., where Clay worked in a recording studio by day and sang in local clubs at night. They had two children, Hank and Lizzie.
Moving to New Jersey, Clay performed at clubs throughout the Northeast. After hearing Clay in 1969, bandleader Lawrence Welk recruited him as the Welk show’s featured country singer. Clay recorded albums and was nominated for a Grammy Award for best country vocal performance for his 1969 single “Spring,” losing to Johnny Cash. These years “fulfilled a lifelong musical dream.”
In 1974, Clay married fellow Welk performer Sally Flynn. Clay wrote, “She has been my singing partner, business partner, best friend, wife and soulmate ever since.” In 1975, they left Welk and created their own band, performing around the world for the next 15 years, including at our 25th class reunion.
In 1980, they moved to Nashville for 20 years. They founded KeepSack, Inc., a “moderately successful” manufacturing company that produced tote bags for Walt Disney and Warner Bros. / Looney Tunes. In 2000, they moved to Cocoa Beach, Fla., for “fun in the sun.” For the last 13 years, Clay increasingly struggled with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. He died July 28, 2022, in Cocoa Beach.
Allen Clark ’58