1982

MAC MCANALLY

I first came to know of Mac McAnally when I heard his first hit, “It’s a Crazy World,” on the radio around 1977. I officially met him soon after at the Exit/In in Nashville. Fast-forward two years and we’d become great friends and remain so to this day.

In 1979 I signed Mac to RCA Free Flight Records. After finishing and turning in his album, Free Flight folded and the album would never be released. I can’t believe we’re still friends after that experience.

After working with Mac as a session player for many years, in 1992 I signed him to MCA Records and we started to co-produce records.

Mac’s Live and Learn and Knots are two of my favorite albums I ever worked on. I respect Mac as a prolific writer, a great singer, and a fabulous musician. He has won CMA’s Musician of the Year Award for eight years in a row. Today he is a big part of Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer band. I consider him to be one of the best and most humble people I have ever met in my lifetime.

“It’s a crazy world we live in.”

Mac McAnally

Billy Joel and Mac singing at one of my famous house parties in Belle Meade.

The three “Macs”: Mac Davis, McAnally, and Terry McBride at my 70th birthday party.

I’VE GOT MAC ON A PEDESTAL, AND I’M KEEPING HIM UP THERE.