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Mac McAnally Album Release Benefits USM Symphony Orchestra
The acclaimed songwriter-producer, Mac McAnally, recently put an orchestral spin on some of his most familiar songs with album Southbound.
His latest compilation features the FestivalSouth Orchestra consisting of faculty, students and alumni from The University of Southern Mississippi and a rhythm section that includes MacAnally’s colleagues in Jimmy Buffet’s Coral Reefer Band. Proceeds from the CD benefit the USM Symphony Orchestra and Extra Table.
For the last four years McAnally, members of the Coral Reefer Band and the FestivalSouth Orchestra have been performing in benefit concerts around the state to raise money for Extra Table. Extra Table is a Mississippi-based organization, from Hattiesburg, headed by restaurateur Robert St. John that aims to combat hunger throughout the state by supplying food pantries and soup kitchens with the food to help those in need.
From that series of orchestral concerts, McAnally’s 16th album was born. Southbound is an ambitious project as it is McAnally’s first-ever exploration of the songs in his extensive catalog in an orchestral setting.
The album is the perfect marriage of craftsmanship and artistry and covers McAnally originals including “All These Years” [Live and Learn], “Miracle” [Knots, 1994], “On Account of You” [Down By the River, 2009], “On the Line” [Nothin’ But the Truth, 1983], “Blame It on New Orleans,” and more.
“Those of us with the Orchestra have been very fortunate over the years to have had the opportunity to perform with some of the greatest musicians in the world,” said Dr. Jay Dean, conductor. “Of all of the projects in which we have participated, I have never been more proud of our endeavors than recording this CD with Mac McAnally, one of Mississippi’s great musical treasures.”
“Bringing this project to life and working along with a musician of such caliber has been one of the most enriching experiences for our faculty, students and alumni,” added Dean.
“Also, as McAnally said, we all hope its impact will linger beyond a lifetime in the same sense that a good Christmas album never gets old.”
McAnally has written many No. 1 songs, beginning with “Old Flame” for Alabama and including Chesney’s recording of “Down The Road,” with McAnally on guest vocals. McAnally is a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame and the Mississippi Musicians Hall Of Fame, and has earned unprecedented awards including eight consecutive CMA Musician of the Year Awards (2008-2015).
Southbound is on sale now at Jimmy Buffet’s Mailboat Records or visit smarturl.it/MacMcAnallySB to listen and/or download.
