NDNBOY (Mack MacKenzie)
Theatre Corona - June 20, 2004
Kelly Backs (drums), Rich Katynski (bass) and Dan
Small (electric guitar) help round out the sound of
Mack’s latest group effort « NDNDBOY »,
which features plenty of new material. The group is
already planning a live concert for television, as
well, as a DVD of the film and a live CD to be released
this coming fall.
Born in Lincoln, Maine, Mack MacKenzie is of native
Micmac, Scottish, Irish, Dutch and French ancestry.
Shortly after his family moved to Montreal in the early
1970s, Mack took an interest in music, starting with
the guitar at age eight. By the time he reached fourteen,
he was playing in his first band and writing songs.
It was in 1985 that Mack's best-known band, Three
O'Clock Train, first recorded their "Wigwam Beach" EP,
which was followed the next year by the album "Muscle
In." Fans and critics alike acclaimed both recordings.
John Griffin, writing in the Montreal Gazette, wrote, "What
makes Three O'Clock Train different is that Mack MacKenzie
writes songs like he has to." The Montreal Mirror's
Chris Yurkiw recently referred to Mack as, "perhaps
the best songwriter this city has produced in the past
ten years."
To this day, many cite Three O'Clock Train's influence
on such successful Canadian bands as Blue Rodeo and
Cowboy Junkies. The group's recordings have shown up
on countless "best of" lists, and past performances
are remembered fondly. Three O'Clock Train performed
throughout Canada to enthusiastic acclaim, always leaving
an indelible impression on those fortunate enough to
have witnessed their impassioned live performances.
As a solo acoustic performer, Mack has performed at
the Mariposa and Winnipeg Folk Festivals and was a
featured artist for a showcase at the SxSW Music & Media
Conference in Austin, Texas, and at the Bluebird Cafe
in Nashville. Mack has also opened shows for such luminaries
as Billy Bragg, Rick Danko, Cowboy Junkies and John
Hiatt. He has performed on stage with John Prine, Jimmie
Dale Gilmore, John Gorka, Los Lobos, The Leslie Spit
Tree-O and Men Without Hats.
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