Group with tenor was first to get paid (7)
I believe the answer is:
settled
'paid' is the definition.
(thesaurus)
'group with tenor was first' is the wordplay.
'group' becomes 'set' (set is a kind of group**).
'with' says to put letters next to each other.
'tenor' becomes 't'.
'was first' becomes 'led'.
'set'+'t'+'led'='SETTLED'
'to get' is the link.
(Other definitions for settled that I've seen before include "Sank or came to rest" , "Resolved (an argument)" , "Resolved; calm" , "no longer an issue" , "came to agreement" .)