Thomas Carey.

About Thomas Carey

Thomas Devore Carey was an African-American operatic baritone. Born in Bennettsville, South Carolina, Carey was educated at universities in New York City and in Germany. He had a major operatic career in Europe during the 1960s; singing leading roles in theaters throughout the continent. While he did not completely stop performing, his singing career was largely put aside after be accepted a position on the voice faculty of the University of Oklahoma (OU) in 1969. He and his wife, contralto Carol Brice, were among the first black people appointed to OU's faculty. In 1975 Carey and his wife co-founded the Cimarron Circuit Opera Company in Norman, Oklahoma. He continued to teach at OU until his death in 2002.