Odell McLeod 1916–2003 (known by his stage name Mac Odell) was an American country-gospel singer, radio entertainer, and songwriter.

Early life

McLeod was born May 31, 1916, in

Roanoke, Alabama Roanoke is a city in Randolph County, Alabama, Randolph County, which is in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region of eastern Alabama, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 5,311, down from 6,074 in 2010 and 6 ...

. He grew up on

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

, listening to artists such as the

Skillet Lickers The Skillet Lickers were an old-time band from Georgia, United States. When Gid Tanner teamed up with blind guitarist Riley Puckett and signed to Columbia in 1924, they created the label's earliest so-called "hillbilly" recording. Gid Tanner f ...

Deford Bailey DeFord Bailey (December 14, 1899 – July 2, 1982) was an American country music and blues star from the 1920s until 1941. He was one of the first performers to be introduced on Nashville radio station WSM's Grand Ole Opry, the first African-A ...

, and

Jimmie Rodgers James Charles Rodgers (September 8, 1897 – May 26, 1933) was an American singer-songwriter and musician who rose to popularity in the late 1920s. Widely regarded as "the Father of Country Music", he is best known for his distinctive rhythmi ...

. About 1939 he married Adeline Myrtle Wood, better known as Addie. She was from Arkansas and six years his junior. In 1940 they were living in Benton Township,

Berrien County, Michigan Berrien County is a county on the south line of Michigan, at the southwestern corner of the state. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 154,316. The county seat is St. Joseph. Berrien County is included in the Niles- Benton Harbor, MI Me ...

Career

McLeod's began his career by working with Slim Bassett. During the 1930s they traveled regularly with McLeod popularizing his own songs by performing them on radio stations throughout the southern United States. The duo landed a regular show in New Orleans in 1935, known as "Mac & Slim." He continued to work with Bassett until he married his wife Addie. He continued his career as a radio entertainer alongside his wife Addie on WJJD in Chicago. "Mac and Little Addie", as they were known, played for the station's Supper Time Frolic show until the start of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. During the war, McLeod worked in a factory in Michigan. He continued to write songs during the war and resumed his career at

WLAC WLAC (1510 AM) – branded ''Talkradio 98.3 & 1510'' – is a commercial talk radio radio station licensed to serve Nashville, Tennessee. Owned by iHeartMedia, the station covers the Nashville metropolitan area. The WLAC studios are located i ...

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...

, once the war had ended. He was with the station until 1957, appearing both solo and as Mac and Little Addie. McLeod was with the

Mercury Records Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it is ...

label from 1949 until 1952, leaving to join King Records. He wrote numerous songs throughout his career, including " The Battle of Armageddon" which was recorded by

Hank Williams Hank Williams (born Hiram Williams; September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. Regarded as one of the most significant and influential American singers and songwriters of the 20th century, he reco ...

. Additional songs included "Thirty Pieces of Silver" made popular by

Wilma Lee Cooper Wilma Lee Leary (February 7, 1921 – September 13, 2011), known professionally as Wilma Lee Cooper, was an American country music entertainer. She was a guitarist, banjo player and vocalist, and was given the title of “First Lady of Bluegrass� ...

, and "From the Manger to the Cross" sung by Hank Williams, both of which became country music standards.

Later life

McLeod moved to

Benton Harbor, Michigan Benton Harbor is a city in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is 46 miles southwest of Kalamazoo and 71 miles southwest of Grand Rapids. According to the 2020 census, its population was 9,103. It is the smaller, by population, of ...

, in 1957 where he became the business owner of "Odell Signs." He had given up songwriting at this time before suffering a heart attack in 1974 which led him to give up his business. In the late 1970s, he began writing and performing again, penning new songs as well as re-recording some of his earlier songs for the Folk Variety label of Germany. He traveled to the

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in the 1980s where he and Addie toured with A.G. and Kate, a popular gospel duo. He died on January 11, 2003, at his home in

Benton Harbor Benton Harbor is a city in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is 46 miles southwest of Kalamazoo and 71 miles southwest of Grand Rapids. According to the 2020 census, its population was 9,103. It is the smaller, by population, of ...

References

External links

Wild Mountain Rose
by Mac Odell – audio sample on youutube.com.
Mac Odell
audio clips on youtube.com.
Picture of Mac Odell and his wife Little Addie
on CD album cover. {{DEFAULTSORT:McLeod, Odell 1916 births 2003 deaths People from Roanoke, Alabama Old-time musicians American gospel musicians Gospel music composers People from Benton Harbor, Michigan 20th-century American singers Singer-songwriters from Alabama Singer-songwriters from Michigan