{{Short description|North American musician, composer, writer, singer}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Bill MacKay | image = Bill MacKay. October 9th, 2022. Photo by Yvette Marie Dostatni.jpg | caption = Bill MacKay, 2022, Chicago. | birth_name = William Dwight MacKay | birth_place = Tarrytown, New York, United States | instrument = Guitar, voice, piano, bass, requinto, organ. | years_active = 2002-Present | label = Drag City, Inc | website = [http://www.billmackay.com www.billmackay.com] }} '''Bill MacKay''' is an American composer, guitarist and singer based in Chicago. He grew up in Pittsburgh, PA where he studied with guitarists Joe Negri and Eric Susoeff and in Rochester, NY where he studied with Kevin Morse. He also studied at Berklee College of Music.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bill MacKay Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More... |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bill-mackay-mn0000075539 |access-date=2024-07-03 |website=AllMusic |language=en}}</ref>
In 2017 he began working with Chicago record label Drag City.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gotrich |first=Lars |date=April 21, 2017 |title=Bill MacKay's Solo Guitar Fades Quickly, Beautifully On 'Twilight' |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2017/04/21/524880930/bill-mackays-solo-guitar-fades-quickly-beautifully-on-twilight |work=NPR}}</ref> ''<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Margasak |first=Peter |date=2017-05-11 |title=On his charmingly low-key Drag City debut, veteran Chicago guitarist Bill MacKay shows his full range |url=http://chicagoreader.com/music/on-his-charmingly-low-key-drag-city-debut-veteran-chicago-guitarist-bill-mackay-shows-his-full-range/ |access-date=2023-07-12 |website=Chicago Reader |language=en-US}}</ref>''
Mackay’s first Drag City release, ''Esker'', was described by reviewer John Mulvey of ''Uncut'' "as a neat sampler of his unshowy virtuosity, at once brisk and mellow."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mulvey |first=John |date=2017-05-23 |title=Reviewed: some more of 2017's hidden gems |url=https://www.uncut.co.uk/features/reviewed-2017s-hidden-gems-100398/ |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=UNCUT |language=en-GB}}</ref>
His arrangement of the Steely Dan song Deacon Blues appeared on the collaborative covers album by Bonnie Prince Billy and Bill Callahan, Blind Date Party (Drag City, 2021)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sodomsky |first=Sam |date=2020-11-16 |title=Bill Callahan and Bonnie "Prince" Billy Cover Steely Dan's "Deacon Blues" |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/bill-callahan-and-bonnie-prince-billy-cover-steely-dans-deacon-blues-listen/ |access-date=2024-07-02 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Pearis |first=Bill |date=8 November 2021 |title=Bill Callahan & Bonnie 'Prince' Billy prep 'Blind Date Party,' share Scout Niblett cover |url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/bill-callahan-bonnie-prince-billy-cover-scout-nibletts-kidnapped-by-neptune-w-hamerkop/ |website=BrooklynVegan}}</ref>
MacKay is a member of Black Duck, along with Douglas McCombs (Tortoise, Brokeback) on guitar and bass, and drummer Charles Rumback.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Pareles |first1=Jon |last2=Russonello |first2=Giovanni |last3=Zoladz |first3=Lindsay |date=2023-06-09 |title=PinkPantheress's Bittersweet 'Barbie' Tune, and 11 More New Songs |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/09/arts/music/playlist-pinkpantheresss-rosalia.html |access-date=2023-07-11 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Bambarger |first=Bradley |date=August 26, 2023 |title=Black Duck Casts a Cinematic Spell |url=https://www.premierguitar.com/artists/guitarists/black-duck-casts-cinematic-spell |work=Premier Guitar}}</ref> and BCMC with Bitchin' Bajas' Cooper Crain.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-14 |title=Bill MacKay & Cooper Crain Announce Collaborative Project BCMC: Hear "The Swarm" |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2233006/bcmc-bill-mackay-cooper-crain-the-swarm/music/ |access-date=2024-07-03 |website=Stereogum |language=en}}</ref>
In April 2023, MacKay's scored music for artist Michael Rakowitz' film ''I'm good at love, I'm good at hate, it's in between I freeze''<ref>{{Cite news |last=Elderton |first=Louisa |date=2023-06-21 |title=Michael Rakowitz's Fading Fandom |url=https://www.frieze.com/article/michael-rakowitz-im-good-at-love-2023-review |access-date=2024-07-03 |work=Frieze |language=en |issue=237 |issn=0962-0672}}</ref>
MacKay has also been involved musically in theatre, appearing as musical guest in Chicago experimental theater troupe Neo-Futurists show ''Elements of Style'' in June 2023,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Elements of Style |url=https://neofuturists.org/events/elements-of-style/ |access-date=2024-07-03 |website=The Neo-Futurist Theater |language=en-US}}</ref> and in Little Carl, a production by Theatre Y in April 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Youth Puppet Production: Little Carl |url=https://www.theatre-y.com/little-carl |access-date=2024-07-03 |website=Theatre Y |language=en-US}}</ref>
"Among MacKay’s early inspirations were Miles Davis and Jimi Hendrix, but he also names British folk guitarist Davey Graham and Indian sarodist Ali Akbar Khan as influences."<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-05-27 |title=Musician Bill MacKay moved to Chicago on a whim. It defined his career. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/05/29/bill-mackay-concert-dc/ |access-date=2024-07-01 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>
MacKay's most recent solo record, ''Locust Land'', was released May 23rd, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Krakow |first=Steve |date=2024-05-13 |title=Chicago troubadour and guitar god Bill MacKay releases Locust Land |url=http://chicagoreader.com/music/concert-preview/bill-mackay-hideout/ |access-date=2024-07-03 |website=Chicago Reader |language=en-US}}</ref> thumb|Bill MacKay at Acme Records in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on October 17th, 2024. Photo by Ryan Sarnowski.
== Discography == '''As Leader or Co-Leader'''
* ''Bill MacKay & Sounds of Now'' (2005) * ''Swim to the River'' (2007) w/ Broken Things * ''Bill MacKay and Darts & Arrows'' (2010) * ''Eyes of the Carnival'' (2012) w/ Darts & Arrows * ''December Concert'' (ears&eyes records, 2014) w/ Matt Lux * ''Chatham Park'' (2014) * ''Sunrise/Bill MacKay plays the songs of John Hulburt'' (Tompkins Square Records, 2015) * ''Altamira'' (ears&eyes records, 2015) w/ Darts & Arrows * ''Land of Plenty'' (Whistler Records, 2015) w/ Ryley Walker * ''Esker'' (Drag City, 2017) * ''SpiderBeetleBee'' (Drag City, 2017) w/ Ryley Walker * ''Hypnotic Pulse of the Reindeer Range'' (JMY, 2017) w/ Ryley Walker * ''Fountain Fire'' (Drag City, 2019) * ''STIR'' (Drag City, 2019) w/ Katinka Kleijn * ''Scarf'' (Drag City, 2020) * ''Keys'' (Drag City, 2021) w/ Nathan Bowles * ''Black Duck'' (Self-titled, Thrill Jockey, 2023) w/ Douglas McCombs, Charles Rumback * ''BCMC - Foreign Smokes'' (Drag City, 2023) w/ Cooper Crain * ''Locust Land'' (Drag City, 2024)
'''As Collaborator/Contributor'''
* Running out of Time (Delmark Records, 2005) w/ Savoir Faire * ''Deafman Glance'' (Dead Oceans, 2018) w/ Ryley Walker * ''Other You'' (Matador, 2021) w/Steve Gunn * ''Course in Fable'' (Husky Pants Records, 2021) w/ Ryley Walker * ''Blind Date Party'' (Drag City, 2021) w/Bill Callahan & Bonnie Prince Billy * ''So Certain EP'' (Husky Pants Records, 2022) w/ Ryley Walker * ''MESTIZX'' (Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti & Frank Rosaly) (International Anthem, 2024) * ''In Space'' (Drag City, 2025) w/ Edith Frost
== References ==
{{reflist}} ==External links== {{commons category|Bill MacKay}} Category:American male guitarists {{DEFAULTSORT:MacKay, Bill}} Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people
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