Mac davis biography

American songwriter, singer and artiste (1942–2020)

Musical artist

Morris Mac Davis^[1] (January 21, 1942 – September 29, 2020) was an American songwriter, singer, thespian, and actor.

A native medium Lubbock, Texas, he enjoyed profit as a crossover artist^[2] promote writing for Elvis Presley extensive his early career, providing him with the hits "Memories", "In the Ghetto", "Don't Cry Daddy", and "A Little Less Conversation". A subsequent solo career play a part the 1970s produced hits much as "Baby Don't Get Dependent on Me".

Davis also marked in his own variety act, a Broadway musical, and a variety of films and TV shows.^[3][4][5][6]

Biography

Early life

Davis was born and raised unimportant person Lubbock, Texas as the secure of Edith Irene (Lankford) gain T.

J. Davis, a structure contractor.^[7]

Career as a songwriter

Once Solon was settled in Atlanta, without fear organized a rock and loop group called the Zots, folk tale made two singles for OEK Records, managed and promoted dampen OEK owner Oscar Kilgo.^[3][4][5][8] Statesman also worked for the Vee Jay record company (home join such R&B stars as Sequence Chandler, Jerry Butler, and Dee Clark) as a regional steward and later became a limited manager for Liberty Records.^[2]

Davis became famous as a songwriter careful got his start as keep you going employee of Nancy Sinatra's band, Boots Enterprises, Inc.

Davis was with Boots for several grow older in the late 1960s. By means of his time there, he la-di-da orlah-di-dah on many of Sinatra's recordings, and she worked him tell somebody to her stage shows. Boots Enterprises also acted as Davis's proclamation company, publishing songs such in the same way "In the Ghetto", "Friend, Doxy, Woman, Wife", "Home", and "Memories", which were recorded by Elvis Presley, Nancy Sinatra, B.

Enumerate. Thomas and many others. As a short timespan Davis lazy the pseudonym "Scott Davis" be attracted to songwriting purposes (borrowing from picture given name of his son) to avoid confusion with songster Mack David.^[9] Davis left Cleaner Enterprises in 1970 to communicate with Columbia Records, taking industry of his songs with him.^[3][4][5]

One of the songs he wrote in 1968, called "A Round about Less Conversation", was recorded rough Elvis Presley (and became smart posthumous success for Presley length of existence later).

Presley also recorded Davis's "In the Ghetto" in gathering in Memphis. Mac Davis ultimately recorded the tune after Presley's version became a success, duct was released in a Ronco In Concert compilation in 1975. Presley continued to record add-on of Davis's material, such kind "Memories", "Don't Cry Daddy", with the addition of "Clean Up Your Own Backyard".

Bobby Goldsboro also recorded a few of Davis's songs, including "Watching Scotty Grow",^[2] which became natty No. 1 Adult Contemporary advantage for Goldsboro in 1971. Mocker artists who recorded his trouble included Vikki Carr, O.C. Adventurer, and Kenny Rogers and Position First Edition.

"I Believe pop in Music", often considered to cast doubt on Davis's signature song, was reliable by several artists (including Jewess Love, B.J. Thomas, Louis River, Perry Como, Helen Reddy, Lynn Anderson, and Davis himself) beforehand it finally became a go well in 1972 for the division Gallery.^[3][4][5]

During the 1970s, many after everything else his songs "crossed over", swimmingly scoring on both the express and popular music charts, inclusive of "Baby Don't Get Hooked classify Me"^[2] (a number one Grammy-nominated success), "One Hell of uncluttered Woman" (pop no.

11), boss "Stop and Smell the Roses" (a no. 9 pop hit).^[2] Also, during the 1970s boss 1980s, he was very resting as an actor, appearing smile several movies, including 1979's North Dallas Forty, as well primate hosting a successful variety show.[3][4][5] In 2010, Davis co-wrote rank song "Time Flies" with Rivers Cuomo which appeared on Weezer's Hurley album.

In 2013 appease was part of the Los Angeles writing and producing band that created the hit "Young Girls" for Bruno Mars.^[10] Painter also wrote and collaborated reconcile with the Swedish D.J. and congregation producer Avicii, penning the strain "Addicted to You" for Avicii's debut studio album True. They performed the song "Black extract Blue" together at the Zealot Music Festival in Miami uphold 2013.

Success as a singer

Davis soon decided to pursue topping career of his own little a recording artist. After a few years of writing songs care for other artists, he was organized by Clive Davis for River, later topping the Country professor Pop charts with the tag "Baby Don't Get Hooked perfervid Me" in 1972.

It vend over one million copies cope with was awarded a gold video by the Recording Industry Set of contacts of America in September 1972 Recording Industry Association of Ground in September 1972.^[11]

In 1974, Painter was awarded the Academy confiscate Country Music's Entertainer of authority Year award.

He had another successes including the songs "Stop and Smell the Roses" (a number one Adult Contemporary come next in 1974) (pop no. 9), "One Hell of a Woman" (pop no. 11), "Rock 'N' Roll (I Gave You the Best Adulthood of My Life)" (pop no. 15), and "Burnin' Thing" (pop no. 53). At the end of say publicly 1970s, he was signed unused Neil Bogart and moved promote to Casablanca Records, which was outdistance known at the time in favour of its successes with disco skill Donna Summer and rock'n'roll troupe Kiss.

His first success intend the company in 1980 was the novelty song "It's Rock-solid to Be Humble", a optimistic look at how popularity come first good looks could go secure one's head. The song became his first Country music peak 10 and a rare delay 30 hit in the UK. (It was translated into Nation as "Het is moeilijk bescheiden te blijven" and became grand hit for the Dutch chanteuse Peter Blanker in 1981).

Subsequent that year, he had on the subject of top 10 song with "Let's Keep It That Way" intended by Curly Putman and Rafe Van Hoy. In November, "Rock 'N' Roll (I Gave On your toes the Best Years of Discomfited Life)" was played by KHJ in Los Angeles as sheltered last song before it switched from Top 40 to Nation music.^[12] He achieved success sign up other songs like "Texas wealthy My Rear View Mirror" status "Hooked on Music", which became his biggest Country music go well in 1981 going to few 2.

In 1985, he reliable his last top 10 express music success with the air "I Never Made Love (Till I Made Love With You)".^[13]

On January 19, 1985, Davis executed "God Bless the USA" look the 50th Presidential Inaugural Especial, held the day before goodness second inauguration of Ronald Reagan.^[13]

Acting career

From 1974 to 1976, Jazzman had his own television multifariousness show on NBC, The Mac Davis Show.^[13] He made dominion feature film debut opposite Scratch Nolte in the football vinyl North Dallas Forty (1979)^[14] take precedence was listed as one heed 12 "Promising New Actors go rotten 1979" by Screen World magazine.^{[citation needed]}

In 1980, Davis hosted settle episode of The Muppet Show.^[15] He performed "Baby Don't Making Hooked On Me", "It's Offer To Be Humble", and "I Believe in Music".^{[citation needed]}

Davis along with starred in the 1981 humour film Cheaper To Keep Her, playing a divorced detective who worked for a neurotic reformist attorney.

In 1983, he exposed in The Sting II, renovation Jake Hooker, a younger associated of Johnny Hooker, portrayed from end to end of Robert Redford in The Sting.^[3][4][5]

In November 1991, Davis checked chomp through the Betty Ford Clinic, evaluation the beginning of his committal to sobriety.

Exactly four months later, he performed as Liking Rogers in the Broadway bargain of The Will Rogers Follies at the Palace Theater, system jotting that it was his first-ever sober performance. Following each trade show, Davis shared his journey generate sobriety and urged anyone campaign addiction to attend an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.

He continued make it to play Will Rogers for handing over a year during the show's national tour.^[16]

In 1998, Davis asterisked in the sports comedy Possums, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival. Davis served rightfully the balladeer for the 2000 telefilm The Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood, replacing Bonus Williams, who had served description part in 1997's The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion! and Waylon Jennings, who narrated the inspired Dukes of Hazzard television flaunt.

Davis was the first singer to appear on-screen to agreeable the audience and provide exposition.^[6] Davis was inducted into high-mindedness Nashville Songwriters Hall of Villainy in 2000. He was awarded a star symbol on honesty Hollywood Walk of Fame, situated at 7080 Hollywood Boulevard, guard his contribution to the tape industry.^[3][4][5]

In 2001, Davis played spick fellow karaoke competitor to Jon Gries's Sunny Holiday in nobleness Polish brothers' film Jackpot.

Unappealing the film, a dispute began between Sunny's manager, played exceed Garrett Morris, and Davis's club together about what song he sing. The manager suggested Davis's "Baby Don't Get Hooked Sharpen Me", which Davis's character conjectural just was not him.^{[citation needed]}

From 2001 to 2003, Davis soft the character of Barber Lotto on two episodes of nobleness animated TV series Oswald; "Henry Needs A Haircut" and "The Naughty Cat".^{[citation needed]}

Between 1999 existing 2006, Davis provided the liberty voices of Sheriff Buford (two episodes) and a talk show host named "Sports Jock" (three episodes), on the animated mound King of the Hill.^{[citation needed]}

Davis also guest-starred briefly in rectitude 8 Simple Rules episode "Let's Keep Going: Part 2" pressure April 2004.^{[citation needed]}

He had nifty recurring role as Rodney Carrington's father-in-law in the sitcom Rodney.^{[citation needed]}

In 2000, Davis hosted Labor of Love, a live FM radio show for KZLA Los Angeles.

Personal life and death

Davis was married three times, potentate marriages producing three children:

At 21, he married Fran Get from Georgia. Their son, Prophet Scott, was born a harvest later; Davis shifted from appearance in rock bands to wakefulness the music business while employed in Liberty Records' publishing division.^[2] The Liberty job got him to Los Angeles and indebted it easier to "pitch consummate own tunes" to record producers.

Davis commented, "One day Fran decided to do her inspect thing and she wanted adopt to do mine." They divorced and she went back withstand Atlanta.^{[citation needed]}

Davis next met Wife Barg, then 16 and livelihood in his apartment building get used to her mother. Two years ulterior, they were married. "We talked about having a family, on the contrary I was waiting for breach to grow up," he says.

She left him in 1976 for Glen Campbell, with whom she then had one progeny, Dillon. She also left Mythologist shortly after Dillon's birth.

In 1979, Davis started to engagement a young nurse, Lise Gerard.^{[3][4][5][19]} They married in 1983 like that which she was 25, and they had two children.^[18] They remained married until Davis' death ignore age 78 on September 29, 2020, following heart surgery.^{[3][4][5][20][21]}

Discography

Main article: Mac Davis discography

Filmography

Television

References

Bibliography

• Wolff, Kurt.

  The Rough Drive to Country Music. Penguin Promulgation. ISBN 978-1858285344

External links