My new CD is here! 

Hey folks,

Just wanted to announce my new CD, TEN HYMNS is done and it will soon be available at CD Baby.com and popular music download sites.

It was a joy and a blessing to put together and as the title says, it features ten hymns and anthems I've done at churches all over the area.

I'm so pleased to have one of my sons, Joey, singing "In The Garden" and another singing buddy, Bill Humphries, singing "It Is Well". They did a great job! So, if you like to take a little spiritual break now and then from this crazy world, check it out. 

Blessings,

Mac 

Just got the demo back from Nashville 

Hey guys and gals!

Just wanted to let you know that we go a new song we had demoed in Nashville back yesterday. It's called A BEAUTIFUL KIND OF CRAZY and I'll pass it on through new music in Reverbnation. The next step is to see if we can find a home for it.

Thanks again for all ya'lls support!!

Mac 

It's been a while, but here's some news!! 

Hey Ya'll!!

Just wanted to catch up, Becky and I just got back from Savannah, Ga yesterday. I had a gig last night in Denmark at the Jim Harrison Gallery for an art show that was linked with the annual Dogwood Festival. In Savannah, we caught the Earls of Leicester. This is an amazing blue grass group that does the music of Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. It's highlighted by Jerry Douglas, probably the best lap steel player in the world. Got a chance to talk with them after the show at the Lucas Theater. We were there with our reformed (but not named yet) blue grass group.   More on this later, it's Steve Bennett on vocals, banjo, guitar, Mike Myer, vocals, mandolin,guitar, Dwight (Dweezil) Causey, vocals, upright bass and me.

Last week, I started the ball rolling on getting a demo done in Nashville for a new song of mine, A BEAUTIFUL KIND OF CRAZY. Both of my evaluation services really liked it and it's commercial viability, so I'm now at the point of getting demos made, so we'll see what happens. The reason writers get demos made is for song presentation to publishers, artist, record companies, etc. for possible deals.

So we'll see.

NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Assn. International) listed me on their "one to watch" list of writers. I've done that a couple of times before, so that's always cool!!

Ok, got to go,

Take care and THANKS FOR LISTENING!

Mac 

My biggest news to date!!!!! 

Our biggest news yet,

Our grand daughter Riley Jane Davis was born April 15, 2016 in California!!!!

She was 7 lbs. 10 0unces. She is the daughter of Jonathan and Anna Leigh Davis.

WELCOME RILEY!!! 

My 2nd CD is now available!!!! 

Hey everybody!! 

I 'm excited to announce the release of my 2nd CD, "A FEW CONFESSIONS".

It contains eleven brand new songs that I hope you'll enjoy. It was recorded right here at Sillyacres Music studio and I played and sang all the parts. I did have some very special help on two of the songs, BAR BQ FOOL and HE BLAMES IT ON THE BEATLES. My brother George came down from Virginia and added some very nice lead guitar parts to those songs. A BIG THANK YOU!!! to George!! My wife Becky did the photography. Disc Makers in New Jersey, produced the CD. The Design Dept. did the album concept art design. The Sound Lab at Disc Makers did the re-mastering. 

CD Baby (CD Baby.com) again is handling the distribution for this CD. That means it's available as a physical CD or a download from them. Also it is available at places like iTunes, Amazon, Spotify and many more download music sites. Becky, as of this writing, has it at Brookers in Denmark,SC, Evelyn's Gift Shop in Barnwell, SC and The Cafe in Springfield, SC.

Special thanks to Jeff Diebel, Bob Smoak, and the gang at radio station WBSC 102.3 FM in Bamberg, SC for playing cuts from this CD. Their support for my music means a lot.

Here's a list and a little back round info. on the songs:

1. I AIN'T LYING THIS TIME- I got this title idea from a commercial I use to hear on a local radio station. I thought it was catchy, so I wrote a song around it.

2. PLAYIN' WITH A PHONE- That's what we ALL do these days. I just thought I'd comment on it.

3. NEXT TIME THE NEXT LOVE COMES AROUND- This is an old tune I've had for a long time, so I thought I'd give it another chance. It was originally called, THE NEXT TIME THE NEXT TIME COMES AROUND. Nashville thought that was somewhat vague, I agreed so this is what I came up with. It's about hoping for a second chance.

4. MY CARMALINA- This is another old tune of mine. I changed the groove and wrote a story to match the New Orleans feel.

5. BAR BQ FOOL- I have been wanting to write a tune using Bar BQ as a subject, so here it is! George is playing the guitar lead on this. He came up with lead guitar licks that matched the lyrics of the tune. For example, where you hear, "Eating snails ain't something I do" (A French food reference) George plays "Frere Jacques" in his lead part. Pretty cool, hunh?

6. A MISSING MAN- This is a social comment from me about the sad state of fatherhood in our society. We will answer one day for what kind of father's we were.

7. SOMEBODY ELSE'S DREAM- This was personally, a tough tune to write but I've known several people through the years in this situation. Ye, it's a confession.

8. A WISER FOOL- This is another re-write of an old song with this title. I changed the story up too.

9. TEMPTED IN TEMPE- This is a title that came up during a phone conversation with our son Jonathan when he had stopped in Tempe, Arizona on his way to report to his duty assignment in California with the Navy. Yeah, Tempted in Tempe, and I know some guys that travel around on business so I just put the two ideas together.

10. HE BLAMES IT ON THE BEATLES- This is another song based off of a conversation I had with an old friend that I had played music with. It's basically his story but we must CONFESS, the reason a lot of us got into music was because of the Beatles.

11. A LIFETIME AIN'T THAT LONG- Those are events that actually happened and the thoughts going through me at the time. I'm making a confession again!

So that's the tunes for A FEW CONFESSIONS, I hope you get a chance to check them out and as always,  THANKS FOR LISTENING!!!!!   

Merry Christmas!! 

Hey Just wanted to say hope you have a Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!! I played last weekend in Blacksburg, Va with my brother George and sister in law Mellie at a concert at their church. It was indeed a blessing. 

Also. all the songs for the 2nd CD are done and we have begun the production process, so stay tuned!

I also had a new song, PLAYIN' WITH A PHONE listed as ONES TO WATCH over at Nashville Songwriters last week. That's happened a couple of times since I've been writing so that's always exciting!

As always, thanks for listening!!

Mac 

Hey Guys and Gals! 

Hey Ya'll,

Well, the summer of 2015 is starting to feel like it's winding down. I can always tell this when I have a gig coming up in two weeks with the Larry Watt Cove Band. We'll be playing a little gig on Labor Day weekend out at the Denmark country Club. I'll get to play my acoustic drums, which is a rarity because I'm usually playing a guitar. My good buddy and hell of a guitarist, Dave Horne, will be joining us, so we're really looking forward to it.

I had a chance several weeks ago to catch up with my fellow songwriting buddy and old band mate, David Cooler at one of his video shoots. We are planning on doing some songwriting together as soon as our schedules allow it. David has signed with a record label i the UK so he is now INTERNATIONAL, very cool and well deserved. He is a gifted and talented songwriter and musician.

I am, at this writing, 1 song away from finishing my next set of tunes for the next CD. I just finished a song called "A LIFETIME AIN'T THAT LONG". It got a favorable review from both NSAI and SongU in Nashville. I re worked it and sent it back to them and I'm waiting to hear any day from them to see if it is done. It feels done, I'll say that much. That's my procedure, get a song idea, write the song, record the song, send the song off for evaluations, re-write the tune based on suggestions (if I decide to use the suggestion)re-record the tracks that need a little fixing, re-submit for evaluation, if "done", song is "studio mixed" and ready to be added to the list of songs on the next cd. That's why it takes a while to produce a new CD.

Becky and I were out in Oregon for our son Jonathan's wedding back on June 13 and we had a GREAT time. It has been a pleasure getting to know Anna Leigh's family, we feel like we've known them forever. They honored me by letting me sing a song in the wedding. What a treat to be singing and playing for them and family and friends on a hill overlooking the Pacific!! It was fantastic.  Brother George and I had some jam sessions and did a little house concert one night, it was a blast!!

Well, I've got some gigs coming up soon, actually several between now and December. The college football starts next week, Go Tigers!! It's my favorite time of year.

I'll close with this thought, PLEASE pray for our country and the world for peace and for all people. We have turned our backs on God and we wonder WHY things are like they are. We need to be better and it starts with each one of us.  For my third CD project, I'm thinking of doing 10 hymns. If you by chance read this, let me know what your favorite hymn is. I'm at sillyacres@yahoo.com

That's it for now, hope you are well and as always, THANKS FOR LISTENING!!

Blessings,

Mac       

New news 5/5/15 

Hope you all are doing well!! Summer is around the corner and I'm busy trying to find the last couple of songs on the new upcoming CD. I really appreciate some of you asking about it. That means a lot!

Also, WBSC,(102.3 FM) the new radio station in Bamberg, SC is featuring local artist EVERY 15 mins past the hour. That is fantastic support. Right now David Cooler and I are being featured. David is a former band mate and collaborator. He has a record deal with a label in England. We are planning on doing some more tunes as soon as our schedules permit. You can hear WBSC on line, just Google it.

That's some quick news for now, hopefully I'll see you on the road!

Mac   

Our trip to England 

Becky and I just returned from an amazing trip over to England to visit my brother George, his wife Mellie and their daughter, Olivia. He is over there for a sabbatical from Va. Tech. We left Columbia on Nov. 12 and flew to London then on to Manchester to meet them. Our first stop was a B&B in Wales. We then worked our way to Liverpool and saw John Lennon's childhood home and Paul McCartney's as well. I was standing in the room where they wrote their first big hits. These songs got me interested in music. We also visited Penny Lane, Strawberry Field and the Cavern Club. WE went back to the Cavern Club for a show later that night.

Then we headed over to the Oxford area and heard their orchestra play Beethoven's 9th symphony two nights later. We also visited the town of Witney and I had a chance to do my song,  A LONG GOODBYE for the folks. Then George and I did a few more tunes. Thanks to Henry Wo for letting us use his guitar!!

Finally, Becky and I headed to London on Friday and walked and tubed all over the place. We had a chance to hear the choir at Westminster Abbey for their Evensong service. That's the best choral group I've ever heard, especially as their voices reverberated through out the cathedral.

Thanks again George Mellie and Olivia!! We had a BLAST 

Today is a really sad day 

Just wanted to tell every body, today Heaven gained a new singer guitar player. My good friend and Bill Humphries Band bandmate, Jake Green passed away. I only got to play with him a few years but, we had a GREAT time.

Jake, we will miss you. Tell Gus I said hello and we will see you again on that Happy Day.

Let's stay in touch!

Let's stay in touch!