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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZMACK, Lonnie(b Lonnie McIntosh, 18 July 1941, West Harrington IN; d 21 April 2016, Nashville TN) Blues/rock guitarist, singer, songwriter. Born in log cabin, learning guitar from age five; he played at local functions with his brothers, played country music in bars at 13, turned to rock'n'roll, already a seasoned performer in a music dominated by amateurs: he was always too early and too good. He worked as a sideman in the Troy Seals band in the early '60s, using up a recording session for the Fraternity label in '63 to cut instrumentals 'Memphis' (a cover of the Chuck Berry classic) and 'Wham', and forgot about it. The band went on tour backing Chubby Checker (one of the amateurs) while the single was released: 'Memphis' was a no. 5 hit '63, followed by lesser hits the same year; album The Wham Of That Memphis Man almost reached top 100 LPs, was soon forgotten but rediscovered and given a rave review in Rolling Stone '68: Mack was profoundly influential on a generation of guitarists in England and the USA who were inventing blues-rock; 'Wham' featured a vibrato bar which became known as trhe whammy bar. He was tracked down playing in a Florida dance hall. Elektra bought the Fraternity masters (reissued as For Collectors Only '70, as The Wham '73). Elektra signed Mack for albums Glad I'm In The Band '69 and Whoever's Right '70, but in '71 Mack announced his retirement: after nearly 20 years on the road he disliked the music business; he probably wanted more than a cult following, but admitted that he had a tendency to walk away whenever he seemed to be about the break through. In any case he didn't stay away. The Hills Of Indiana '72 was on Elektra; Home At Last '77 and Lonnie Mack With Pismo '78 on Capitol (the latter country-styled album included David Lindley in the backing; both albums were later on One Way CDs); Strike Like Lightning '85 on Alligator was made in Texas with Stevie Ray Vaughan, followed by Second Sight '86 and his first live album Live! Attack Of The Killer V '90 (referring to his guitar: he had bought one of the first Gibson Flying V guitars in 1958 and played it the rest of his life). Alligator also reissued The Wham Of That Memphis Man again '87. |