{"id":25977,"date":"2021-08-20T13:45:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-20T20:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/?p=25977"},"modified":"2021-08-25T10:18:47","modified_gmt":"2021-08-25T17:18:47","slug":"lonnie-mack","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/lonnie-mack\/","title":{"rendered":"Lonnie Mack"},"content":{"rendered":"\n


Lonnie McIntosh was a country boy, born and raised in Southern Indiana. Growing up just an hour west of Cincinnati, Lonnie was drawn toward the guitar very early in life and was musically influenced by every genre in the region. Country music, gospel and bluegrass reigned supreme, but there was a mix of R&B, jazz, blues and Rock & Roll emanating from the Ohio side of the state line. As a teenager in the 50s, he absorbed it all. Lonnie Mack would leave school to focus on ‘hard work and practice’ which he did while cutting a path through every roadhouse, dive bar, and juke joint in the tri-state area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lonnie Mack’s influence can be gauged by the artists who sought his company. Here he jams with Keith Richards and Ron Wood, with Wood emulating Mack’s beloved Flying V No. 7 with his own Gibson. <\/em>Photography courtesy: LonnieMack.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Persistence and word of mouth led to studio session work with two different Queen City record labels; King and Fraternity. And it would change everything for Lonnie Mack. Musical associations through the 60s, 70s and 80s with James Brown, Freddie King, the Doors and Stevie Ray Vaughan to name a few, just added to Mack’s legend. When we spoke at the Long Beach Blues Festival in September 1990, I asked him about playing in one of the most prestigious concert venues in America.
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“I play too simple, maybe. Simplicity works.” <\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Tell us about Carnegie Hall and playing with Roy Buchanan and Albert Collins? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“It was through Alligator records and it seemed like a good thing to do because we were all friends. Roy was like the real psychedelic blues and Albert was sort of the roots kinda’ blues\u2026and I was right in between all that. So it seemed like all three was a good combination so we put it together and did it\u2026 and it worked.” <\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

In 1963 your first big hit reached No.#5 on the Billboard charts and peaked at No#4 on the R&B charts. Talk a little about recording Chuck Berry’s ‘Memphis’? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Well, it really wasn’t my decision. It was just one of the songs I was doing at the time. A friend, Carl Edmonson that produced the first album was actually the one that wanted me to do that. So, I went into Fraternity and played a little for the guy and he said, ‘let’s do it.’ And I said, ‘Alright!’ And we cut it and went on the road with somebody else and it became a hit, and I didn’t even know it.”
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Lonnie Mack in Chicago, circa 1985.<\/em> Photography courtesy: LonnieMack.com<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

A lot of people credit you with reshaping the sound of the 60s. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Well, it makes me feel good. Sometimes I have lot of trouble figuring out how I was supposed to do that!” (laughing) “But if I did, that’s what it’s all about, trying to give, you know? It’s just from a lot of hard work and practice.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You have influenced so many guitarists; I’ve seen quotes from Clapton, Duane Allman, Dickie Betts and Keith Richards crediting you and your style of play with being an influence on their playing. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I have no idea! I didn’t know it was?”(laughing) “I play too simple, maybe. Simplicity works.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You credit George Jones and Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland as influences. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Yeah, take a listen to them. I can hear those guys doing a show together, for sure.”
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You have background in promotion? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I did a little of that, just local stuff at home\u2026nothing big time.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You worked in L.A. for a record company for awhile, didn’t you? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Electra, yeah. I worked in A&R.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n