Mac Wiseman Interview

[Alex Orr]

This is a pretty cool podcast overall, but the Mac Wiseman interviews have been particularly nice. For those who don't know, Mac Wiseman is now somewhere in his nineties and is one of the last surviving performers from the first wave of bluegrass, spending time in both Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boys and Flatt and Scruggs, as well as recording hundreds of songs as a solo act. I've often joked that I'm probably the only person under sixty who even knows his name, much less counts himself as a fan. In any case, he's got some interesting stories, in particular his impressions of Monroe, and recollections of touring in package shows with Hank Williams.

https://soundcloud.com/otisgibbs/epi...ng-a-damn-with

[Timbofood]

Hey, Alex I AM UNDER 60! Smarty boots! But, I absolutely get what you mean. We are some of the last of the "B.Q." School, that's Before Quicksilver. Doyle kind of changed the way the "youngsters" hear this music, not that it's bad just, different. So many people that come to hear my band have no concept of the real roots of bluegrass were and how few are left! Sad in so many ways. They will never see or hear guys like Mr. Monroe,Charlie's, Moore, Waller, Keith Whitley with Ralph Stanley. So many have left the bluegrass scene, difficult litany to sing.
I am not terribly far under sixty but, not there yet, no harm no foul!
Not laying any kind of blame at Doyle's feet, the whole sound changed, it's all gotten smoother, slicker, less "raw", us old fellers know what I mean...

[ajh]

I just got turned on to Otis Gibbs music last week. Amazing songwriter and great singer...nothing weak on any of his recordings. Thinking a cross of Tim O'Brien, Hartford, Eaglesmith and Steeldrivers....with a strong dose of Woody Guthrie. He also has a whole bunch of podcasts of songwriters, musicians just talking...no music. Been a long time since I have been this enthused about someone.

[ralph johansson]

This is a pretty cool podcast overall, Mac Wiseman is now somewhere in his nineties

https://soundcloud.com/otisgibbs/epi...ng-a-damn-with

Mac Wiseman was born in 1925.

[re simmers]

At 55 I am very familiar with 'the voice with a heart.' Like other exceptional singers, once Mac did a song it became 'Mac's version' at every jam session. My Mac favorites are "You're the Best of All the Leading Brands" and "Did She Mention My Name." "Little Rosewood Casket" is a Mac classic, too.

Bob

[Willie Poole]

I won`t tell my age but as a teen ager back when records were of the 45RPM type every time Mac came out with a new recording I bought it and tried to learn all of his songs but as was stated above times and music change and Mac was no exception, he started doing pop songs and that's when I quit buying his recordings, the last festival I was at Mac played without a band of his own, he usually tries to follow a good picker suck as Eddie Adcock and he gets them to stay on stage and back him up, I did have the pleasure of doing it once many years ago, no pay, just a thank you, I only did that once, and I never try to make the same mistake twice... I`m sure there are others on here that have back Mac up, doing it once was a time I will never forget and I thanked him for the chance to pick with a super star, but as I said, never again, if he puts money in his pocket and I helped then I want some
also

Willie

[allenhopkins]

...the last festival I was at Mac played without a band of his own, he usually tries to follow a good picker suck as Eddie Adcock and he gets them to stay on stage and back him up, I did have the pleasure of doing it once many years ago, no pay, just a thank you, I only did that once, and I never try to make the same mistake twice... I`m sure there are others on here that have back Mac up, doing it once was a time I will never forget and I thanked him for the chance to pick with a super star, but as I said, never again, if he puts money in his pocket and I helped then I want some also...

Wiseman's done that forever; I saw him do it at Bluegrass Canada in 1974. So he gets paid for his set, and his "backup musicians" -- who are expected to play his songs without rehearsal, and to know his repertoire (though he usually sticks to his familiar "greatest hits") -- get, as you say, a "thank you" and nothing else. Guess they can tell their grandkids that they played with the great Mac Wiseman, to which the grandkids will reply, "Who?"

I've been trying to think who of the earliest cohort of bluegrass musicians are still playing. The ones I can think of are Ralph Stanley, Bobby Osborne, Jesse McReynolds (and Mac Wiseman) of the "front-liners," and quite a few others who played in their bands, like Paul Williams, Curly Seckler, Eddie Adcock, J D Crowe, "Little Roy" Lewis, Melvin Goins -- I'm sure I'm missing many. Del MccCoury and Larry Sparks were around pretty early; Roland White and Frank Wakefield played with some of the "masters" fifty years ago or so. So it's not impossible for younger folks to hear some of the "originals" live, though probably not much longer...

[Richard58]

I'v got pictures of Mac using Jim and Jessie's band to do his set right after their set. He did it everywhere he went that I know of.

[roberto]

Long time fan over here. What a voice!

[Timbofood]

Every time I saw Mac he used the best pickers he could find at the festival, never paid them from what I understand. They were to feel priveliged just to be playing with him. Some didn't like him I know but, hey, the opportunity to play with one of the last of the greats, not bad pay for the bragging rights!
I had a bass player who had Mac "like" quality in his voice for a few tunes, I told him I liked how he sounded like Mac and he hit the roof! He was not in the appreciation camp, shall we say.

[Richard58]

Oh he's one of the best voices of the old bluegrass groups. I enjoyed listening too and the times I talked with him. He was one of the nicest recording stars I'v ever met.

[allenhopkins]

Wiseman did make a neat little joke when I saw him 40 years ago. The album he did with Lester Flatt, Lester & Mac, had just come out, and he was selling them at his table. He encouraged us to buy a copy, said, "If you don't like it, see Lester and he'll give you your money back."

By the way, at that festival he didn't get the "best pickers" to back him up; he just asked the band who played the set before his, a local Canadian band, to stay onstage and accompany him. To their credit, they did a good job.

[Charley wild]

Good interview! I enjoy Mac and have a couple of his CD's. I'm a huge Josh Graves fan so I like the ones with Mac and Josh of course. I have mixed feelings about the pickup band routine. He and Chuck Berry must be in some sort of competition for the record for using pickup bands. But none the less, when I want to listen to Mac Wiseman I want to listen to Mac Wiseman!

[Willie Poole]

At quite a few festivals Mac was booked to go on right after Eddie Adcock`s group and Mac just used them as his band, that have been pre arranged with Eddie but they seemed to always make a joke about him not paying them.

Mac was billed as "The voice with a heart" and he is one of the best sounding bluegrass singers out there and still going strong from what I hear

[Alex Orr]

Long-time DC area bluegrass DJ Ray Davis used to play a LOT of Mac Wiseman, which is how i was introduced to his music. I vaguely recall reading an interview with Bill Monroe many years ago in which he said that vocally, his favorite Bluegrass Boys line-up was the brief period in 1949 in which Mac Wiseman was singing and playing guitar. "Traveling This Lonesome Road" is as classic a bluegrass tune as any ever recorded IMO and that line-up also turned out the first version of "Can't You Hear Me Calling", which is one of the most definitive bluegrass numbers in the canon.

Again though, it's funny how many times I've been playing with guys my age or younger (thirties and below) and if I mention how much I like Mac Wiseman I either get a puzzled look or a response of, "I can't stand that guy!" I guess not everyone gets "The Voice With a Heart from Crimora, Virginia"

It was interesting to hear Mac say that in his opinion Bill's career really suffered early on from his stubborness and self-centeredness. I sort've got a simialr impression at times when reading the Richard Smith bio.