It’s So Hard To Be Humble

Mac Davis was the Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year in 1974, and did it without his own radio hit as a singer. He was a national star as a songwriter, and then for his hit NBC variety show. Mac was Blake Shelton before there was a Blake Shelton.

The Nashville music community poured out their feelings this week for this charming, talented man who died on September 29th. He was funny, witty and a song painter. He was, in fact, a Nashville and national Hall of Fame songwriter, writing for Elvis Presley first then so many others.

Country radio was just in a different zone back then. Country stars sure knew Mac, but radio was just different in those days. Mac was way ahead of his time!

Bobby Braddock wrote this on Facebook: “Mac and I did several writers shows together over … 20 years, usually at the Bluebird Cafe. He was the best storyteller I ever knew. I remember one night at the Bluebird he had people almost rolling around on the floor with his funny stories about Elvis, having Elvis’s speaking voice down hilariously perfect. At the end of one of his Elvis stories, he said he owed a lot to Elvis for recording his songs and sort of taking him under his wing and being a mentor. He said, ‘If somebody held a gun at my head and told me I had to French kiss a man, it would probably be Elvis.’ Legendary songwriter Sonny Curtis, also singing in our round that night, asked, ‘You mean they’d have to hold a gun to your head?’”

From Kenny Chesney, to Reba McEntire to Larry Gatlin, they all had something to say about Davis. Larry said, “You beat me at golf and you beat me to heaven. Rest in peace Mac.” He will be buried in his hometown of Lubbock, Texas, wearing his blue jeans.

October used to be Country Music Month. Remember that? It is still the Grand Ole Opry’s birthday month … its 95th. There are two October award shows in this weird 2020. The CMT Music Awards are October 21st and promise “epic” outdoor performances. Luke Combs and Garth Brooks go to L.A. for The Billboard Music Awards before that, on October 14th.

“The Voice” comes back this month, and have you noticed the concert dates starting to trickle in for mid 2021, including Topeka’s festival and a few others? Bonnaroo is not going up until September of 2021. Can anyone digest the fact that another nine months to a year could go by like the world we now live in?

The U.K. is spiking, Scotland especially. The Tennessee Titans have postponed their home stadium Steelers game due to team COVID-19 outbreak, the first in the NFL.

Politics are on the front burner with the first “dumpster fire” presidential debate. Music Row sometimes gets into the political sign mode, but this year the presidential race is coming to the top of Music Row on 16th and Wedgewood with the debate at Belmont University. How crazy is that going to be? How will the advance press work Country music into the mix? John Rich won’t be afraid to leave his house only blocks away.

Can 2020 get any wilder and more unpredictable? All bets are off!