02/23/2011

McAnally to play Decatur's Princess

Mac Mcanally
Shoals recording artist and Red Bay native Mac McAnally will help celebrate The Year of Alabama Music with an acoustic concert Friday at the Princess Theatre Center for the Performing Arts in Decatur.
The concert celebrates the rich history of Alabama music. To promote the Year of Alabama Music, the state tourism department, with the help of Gibson's Custom Shop, conceived an idea to spread the word.
The idea is the Alabama Jammer, a one-of-a-kind guitar that will be in the hands of many great musicians who'll have the chance to play her on stage in venues across the state. The guitar, in the shape of the state, is an icon for the year of music.
McAnally will play the Alabama Jammer during his concert at the historic Princess Theatre.
A celebrated songwriter, guitarist, vocalist and producers, McAnally splits his time between Mississippi and the Shoals, where he continues to operate his recording studio. He has been recognized as CMA's Musician of the Year for three consecutive years and has recorded 10 albums, all for major labels.
A member of Jimmy Buffet's touring Coral reefer band, McAnally has produced several of Buffet's albums, including the No. 1 “License to Chill,” and has written many songs for Buffet.
In 2007, McAnally received the was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and in 2010, the Alabama Music Hall of Fame presented him the Arthur Alexander Songwriter's Award.
In addition to Buffet, Hank Williams Jr. recorded one of McAnally's songs, and the group Alabama tooks his “Old Flame” to No. 1 in 1981. Other artists who have cut McAnally's songs include Reba McEntire, T.G. Shephard, David Allan Coe, Shenandoah, Ricky Van Shelton, Charley Pride, Randy Travis and Steve Wariner.
As a producer, he has worked with Ricky Skaggs, Restless Heart, Chris LeDoux and Little Feat, among others. He produced the band Sawyer Brown through one of their biggest successes and penned their signature hits, including “The Cafe on the Corner,” The Boys and Me” and “Thank God for You.”
Most recently, McAnally's has a new self-penned album, “Down by the River,” and had a No. 1 single — as a writer and an artist.
He has signed with Show Dog Nashville, an independent label owned and operated by Toby Keith.
To see the full article visit the TimesDaily.com.

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