Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

DAVIS, Mac

(b Scott Davis, 21 January 1942, Lubbock TX; d 29 September 2020) One of the top country/pop singer/songwriters of '70s. He moved to Atlanta '57, attended Emory U, worked as ditch digger, pump jockey, probation officer etc, and wrote songs, playing in a band evenings. He was a regional manager for Vee-Jay records at the time they had the Beatles; recorded for Vee-Jay, Capitol. Wrote 'You're Good For Me' (Lou Rawls, '67), then Elvis Presley's 'In The Ghetto', 'Memories', 'Don't Cry Daddy'. He signed with Columbia '69: his breakthrough as a singer was 'Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me' '72 (no. 1 pop chart). He wrote 'Something's Burning' (Kenny Rogers), 'I Believe In Music' (Statler Brothers), 'Lonesomest Lonesome' (Ray Price), 'Everything A Man Could Ever Need' (Glen Campbell) etc. He had a total of 30 country hits '70-86, including top fives 'Hooked On Music' and 'You're My Bestest Friend' '81 on Casablanca. He became a top TV and cabaret performer; wrote and sang a duet with Dolly Parton on 'Wait 'Til I Get You Home' '89. He appeared in films including North Texas Forty '79, Cheaper To Keep Her '80, The Sting II '83, took title role in Broadway musical The Will Rogers Follies '92. There were compilations on Columbia and Mercury CDs.