Mack Magaha (August 1, 1929 – August 15, 2003) was an American bluegrass

fiddle A fiddle is a bowed string musical instrument, most often a violin. It is a colloquial term for the violin, used by players in all genres, including classical music. Although in many cases violins and fiddles are essentially synonymous, th ...

r best known as a member of

Porter Wagoner Porter Wayne Wagoner (August 12, 1927 – October 28, 2007) was an American country music singer known for his flashy Nudie and Manuel suits and blond pompadour. In 1967, he introduced singer Dolly Parton on his television show, ''The Po ...

's band, and a long-time backup player in the pioneering bluegrass band, Reno and Smiley.

Music career

In 1955, Magaha joined Reno and Smiley as a member of the Tennessee Cutups.Tribe 2006, p. 245. Together with

Don Reno Donald Wesley Reno (February 21, 1926Trischka, Tony, "Don Reno", ''Banjo Song Book'', Oak Publications, 1977, – October 16, 1984) was an American bluegrass and country musician, best known as a pioneering banjo and guitar player who pa ...

he wrote the popular song "''I know You're Married But I Love You Still''" which was recorded by Reno & Smiley. It was later covered by artists such as Bill Anderson,

Rodney Crowell Rodney Crowell (born August 7, 1950) is an American musician, known primarily for his work as a singer and songwriter in country music. Crowell has had five number one singles on Hot Country Songs, all from his 1988 album '' Diamonds & Dirt''. ...

Jan Howard Jan Howard (born Lula Grace Johnson; March 13, 1929 – March 28, 2020) was an American country music singer and songwriter. As a singer, she placed 30 singles on the ''Billboard'' country songs chart, was a Grand Ole Opry member and was nomin ...

Patty Loveless Patty Loveless (born Patricia Lee Ramey, January 4, 1957) is an American country music singer. She began performing in her teenaged years before signing her first recording contract with MCA Records' Nashville division in 1985. While her first ...

Jimmy Martin James Henry Martin (August 10, 1927 – May 14, 2005) was an American bluegrass musician, known as the "King of Bluegrass". Early years Martin was born in Sneedville, Tennessee, United States, and was raised in the hard farming life of rural ...

Red Sovine Woodrow Wilson "Red" Sovine (July 7, 1917 – April 4, 1980) was an American country music singer and songwriter associated with truck driving songs, particularly those recited as narratives but set to music. His most noted examples are "Giddyu ...

, and

Travis Tritt James Travis Tritt (born February 9, 1963) is an American country music singer and songwriter. He signed to Warner Bros. Records in 1989, releasing seven studio albums and a greatest hits package for the label between then and 1999. In the 20 ...

.Black 2005, p. 171. In 1964, he joined Porter Wagoner's Wagonmasters.cmt.com - Retrieved on October 22, 2009
/ref> During the 1960s, he worked as an old-time fiddler on The Porter Wagoner ShowMalone 2002, p. 271. and later worked with the aspiring female star on the show,

Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album d ...

. Among the later songs Magaha wrote, "We'll Get Ahead Someday" provided a top-ten country single for Wagoner and Parton in 1968, one of their first duet hits. He became a regular performer at the theme park

Opryland USA Opryland USA (later called Opryland Themepark and colloquially "Opryland") was a theme park in suburban Nashville, Tennessee. It operated seasonally (generally March to October) from 1972 to 1997, and for a special Christmas-themed engagement eve ...

in the 1970s. He died at age 74 at Nashville's Veterans Hospital. Magaha was known as Nashville's Dancing Fiddle Man. Magaha, like

Curly Ray Cline Curly Ray Cline (January 10, 1923 – August 19, 1997) was an American bluegrass fiddler from West Virginia known for his work with the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers and Ralph Stanley. Biography Cline was born in Mingo County, West Virginia. He learne ...

, had a fiery stage presence doing his dancelike movements while he was fiddling.Ledgin 2004, p. 59.

Notes

References

* Black, Bob (2005), ''Come Hither To Go Yonder: Playing Bluegrass With Bill Monroe'', University of Illinois Press * Ledgin, Stephanie P. (2004), ''Homegrown Music: Discovering Bluegrass'', Greenwood Publishing Group * Malone, Bill C. (2002), ''Country Music U.S.A.'', University of Texas Press * Tribe, Ivan M. (2006), ''Country: A Regional Exploration'', Greenwood Publishing Group

External links

* http://www.cmt.com/news/news-in-brief/1476968/funeral-services-held-for-fiddler-mack-magaha.jhtml {{DEFAULTSORT:Magaha, Mack 1929 births 2003 deaths American bluegrass fiddlers 20th-century American musicians