Mac Is Back

The signing of singer/songwriter extraordinaire Mac McAnally to Toby Keith's Show Dog label is wonderful news. Sure his recent duet with Kenny Chesney on "Down The Road," the McAnally-penned song that first appeared on his 1989 WB/Geffen album "Simple Life," was something of a flashback for those of us who connected with Mac's music in the '80s and '90s, but the promise of new tunes from the proud Mississippian is something to look forward to.

Known as an outstanding songwriter and stellar musician, McAnally never quite connected with the masses singing the songs that he wrote, but perhaps that's all the more reason to love him. Numerous cuts on "Simple Life" have been recorded by others, including Chesney ("Back Where I Come From"), Sammy Kershaw ("Southbound") and Linda Davis ("Company Time"), but none come anywhere close to the originals.

But Mac's greatest accomplishment in the eyes of a guy like me is that he actually convinced his family at one point that he wrote songs in his sleep, which is one way to keep the fam away when you want to take a nap.