"ROCKABILLY LEGEND"!
Born Wesley Erwin Curtis in Fort Worth, Texas January 16, 1939, Mac spent his formative years under the guardianship of his grandparents near the farming community of Olney, Texas. From these humble roots, Mac would one day realize his childhood dreams of becoming a nationally known performer. It was far beyond his dreams, however, that the music he made during those early years would even- tually be recognized world-wide as a truly stylistic innovation. An American Original.
In the spring of 1956 Mac and the band stepped into the Jim Beck studio in Dallas for the first of several King Records sessions. As a result, the classic "If I Had Me A Woman" was issued as Mac's first single.
The singles "Grandaddy's Rockin" and "You Ain't Treatin Me Right" followed in rapid succession. The records caught the ear of the famous Alan Freed in New York. Freed booked Mac on his 1956 Christmas Rock 'n' Roll Revue at the prestigious Brooklyn Paramount Theater. Mac shared the bill with numerous stars including the Moonglows; Shirley and Lee; Cadillacs; Screamin Jay Hawkins; Jessie Belvin; Teddy Randazzo and George Hamilton IV. It would become one of the biggest highlights of Mac's career.
Throughout the 1960's, Mac's broadcast career took center state. He became a nationally known and respected figure in the Country Radio Industry. He served at stations in Dallas, Atlanta, Nashville and los Angeles. Simultaneously, he performed and recorded Country music. Stints with Epic Records and the GRT label produced a string of chart - placing singles and two albums. Along the way he developed his talent for song writing and succeeded in placing tunes with several other artists including his friend Bob Luman, Lynn Anderson and George Morgan.
Thus, the Rockabilly sound of Mac Curtis is available in various formats and compilations world-wide. A title highly regarded by Mac Curtis, especially since it was bestowed upon him by the True Rockabilly fans of Europe. They are the fans who are responsible for reviving his 1950's musical art form. A revival that began in earnest in the early Seventies and has kept the sound alive and well to this date.
The following is excerpted from the Mac Curtis site at the Rockabilly Hall Of Fame:http://www.rockabillyhall.com/MacCurtis1.html
By 1971 Mac was on the air in Los Angeles where a major milestone came about. Ronny Weiser approached Mac for an interview with his magazine. From these interview sessions Mac learned first hand of the popularity of his early Rockabilly recordings among a growing number of fans in Europe and the United Kingdom.
Ronny introduced Mac to fellow Texas Rockabilly Ray Campi. It was only a short time until Ronny convinced the two to record some songs for his newly-imagined Rollin Rock Records. Music Industry moguls looked askance at the concept. "These guys are crazy. You can't sell stuff that's been recorded in a living room. This stuff will never see the light of day. There's just no market for it!"
Undaunted, Ronny began to release his Rollin Rock records in Europe. By 1973 the Rockabilly revival was on!
For the next five years Ronny Weiser churned out a steady stream of releases by Mac Curtis, Ray Campi and several other artists. In 1977 the first personal appearance tour was organized to visit England. Mac, Ray and his band shared the bill. It would become known as "The original Rollin Rock Tour". Avid Rockabilly fans throughout England, Europe and Scandinavia turned out in force. And, they were by no means disappointed. The tour established a benchmark for every Rockabilly act to follow. It was the first of many Mac Curtis trips to follow.
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Ronny Weiser adds:
The legendary "Rollin' Rock Tour" of 1977 set off in motion a new craze amongst European teenagers who now started to call themselves "Rockabilly Rebels" and "Hep Cats", wore rayon Western shirts and their bluejeans cuffed, and idolized artists such as Mac Curtis, Ray Campi & His Rockabilly Rebels, Johnny Carroll, Charlie Feathers, Gene Vincent, etc.
Some amusing trivia:
When I recorded Mac Curtis' first LP in 1973 (Ruffabilly, Rollin' Rock LP002) I did not even own a microphone stand, indeed I swang the microphone over a door!
Back then I thought microphones were something you saw in movies, but for a private person to actually buy one.......
I think I may have been the first cat in the world to use a drum machine on a record, in 1973, before Disco got on it years later. The song was Mac Curtis' bopper "For Your Love", which incidentally was used in the movie "Finding Graceland" with Harvey Keitel and Bridget Fonda, released in 1998 some 25 years after the original release of "For Your Love" ( Ruffabilly, Rollin' Rock LP002). I still have the toy drum machine used on this song!
It's been now 34 years I have known MAC CURTIS, who not only is a Rockabilly Legend, but also one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. A real Texas gentleman!
Thanks to Rolling Rock Records for help with the bio!