It is fairly common knowledge that the majority of Elvis Presley’s hit songs were not his own creation. They were either covers or songs written by other songwriters for him. While Presley’s catalog is filled with covers and performance pieces, some of the more notable include “Blue Suede Shoes”, “Can’t Help Falling In Love”, and “All Shook Up”. In addition to those pieces, Elvis Presley also secured four other hit songs thanks to the help of Mac Davis.
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During his career, Mac Davis was a frequent collaborator of Elvis Presley’s. Particularly, Davis wrote the quintessential classics, “Memories”, “In The Ghetto”, “Don’t Cry Daddy”, and “A Little Less Conversation”. Each single had a significant run on the Billboard Hot 100, and consequently, Elvis Presley perpetuated his already booming success, and Mac Davis lifted his off the ground.
Thanks to his collaborations with Elvis, Mac Davis went on to have a fruitful solo career in the 1970s. Subsequently, Davis continued to walk the walk and talk the talk, becoming a triple-threat artist and remaining so until his death on September 29, 2020.
Mac Davis: The Singer, the Dancer, and the Actor
In terms of versatility, Mac Davis’ career surpasses some of the most notable figures in the music business. Regarding his solo songwriting, Davis wrote and sang hit songs “Baby, Don’t Get Hooked On Me”, “Stop And Smell The Roses”, “It’s Hard To Be Humble”, and “Texas In My Rearview Mirror”. However, those four hits are just one facet of Davis’ diverse career.
Like his collaborator, Davis was a true entertainer. From 1974 to 1976, Davis hosted his own NBC variety show, The Mac Davis Show. Over the years, Davis starred in the 1979 cult-classic football film North Dallas Forty as quarterback Seth Maxwell. Davis also starred in movies and television shows such as Cheaper To Keep Her, The Sting II, The Dukes of Hazzard, and King Of The Hill.
Davis’ career as a theatrical and dramatic performer doesn’t stop with his film and television appearances. In 1993, Davis made his Broadway debut in The Will Rogers Follies and subsequently toured with the show. Holistically, Davis’ career graced the mainstages of both Nashville and Los Angeles, and both cities and their respective industries acknowledge that fact. Nashville and the music industry inducted Mac Davis into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and Los Angeles and Hollywood gave Davis a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
While Mac Davis might have supported the career of a cultural giant, he was one as well.
Photo by PL Gould/IMAGES/Getty Images
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