Warner Mack ~ Drifting Apart

Warner Mack

Warner Mack was a popular performer for Decca Records during the 1960s. Warner is one of the few musicians actually born in Nashville. He was born Warner MacPherson, on April, 2 1938, the son of a Presbyterian minister, When Warner was 9 years old, his parents moved the family (Warner and his two sisters, Juanita and Dean) to Vicksburg, Mississippi. During his youth, Mack taught himself to play guitar. He played at various school functions and local clubs while in high school. Later, Warner performed on radio shows for the U.S. Air Force as a country blues artist.

A talented athlete, he had offers to play both college baseball and football; he was also offered a spot on the St. Louis Cardinals, but Mack really wanted to be a musician. He got his start on the KWKH Louisiana Hayride and then appeared on Red Foley's Ozark Jamboree, gaining an even greater following. He still kept a day job at a tire company and also worked as an announcer on a Vicksburg radio station.

Warner moved to Nashville in the late '1950s. His stage name (Mack) came about through a mistake on a record label. Mack began his professional career when he inked a recording contract with the Decca Records in 1957 and made his chart debut with the single, Is It Wrong (No. 9, 1957). Warner wrote the song at the age of 13, after a failed teenage romance. Sonny James had a number one cover of the song in 1974. At age 29, his music career was virtually over, even though some of his biggest hits were still to come. A car wreck on the way home from a show date in Madison, Wisconsin changed his future, and forced Warner to cancel his contract with Decca. Owen Bradley advised him that he would have to record or be dropped. He did not have the strength at the time to go on recording.

It would several years before he returned to the studio and went back on the road. In the early 1960s, he signed with Kapp Records but failed to generate any chart activity. After performing on the Grand Ole Opry, he re-signed to Decca, in 1964. After a minor single titled Surely, he returned to the top-ten with Sittin' in an All Night Café (No 4, 1964). It was during this period that Warner released his only number one single, The Bridge Washed Out (No. 1, 1965).

A series of moderate chart activity carried him through the late-1960s, including, Sitting on a Rock (Crying IN a Creek) (No. 3, 1965), Talkin' to the Wall (No. 3, 1966), It Takes a Lot of Money (No. 4, 1966), Driftin' Apart (No. 8, 1967), How Long Will It Take (No. 4, 1967), I'm Gonna' Move On (No. 7, 1968) and his final top-ten singles, Leaving My Dreams Alone ( No. 6, 1969 ) and I'll Still Be Missing You (No. 8, 1969). His last US country chart entry was "These Crazy Thoughts" in 1977.

Warner was the first country artist to record a national commercial for Coca-Cola. He has received numerous awards for his recording accomplishments and song writing. In 1991 he was inducted into the American Academy of Country Music Hall of Fame. Many have copied his sound, but none have been able to duplicate the unique style of Warner Mack.

Copyright 2010 by: RJB Country Music Historian, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Country
• Music

[GracieFleury]

I love Warner Mack..Thank you for sharing

[rainyyyyyyy]

Thanks flashbell! This is a beautiful song.

[latokatn506]

great song from the past

[latokatn506]

great music from the past

[kenny7245]

25 years since i heard Warner Mack it was on sunday radio humberside Tex Milne show thanks so good to find old memories kenny

[kmehus]

Thank you for posting this...it is wonderful..I am sorry to hear about hs life...a shame.

[gregorylee888]

I am friends with Warner ...however the last time I spoke to him ..he was losing his sight ...and living with relatives ..why the mega stars dont help out folks like Warner is sad ...there needs to be a foundation ..to help out ...a great guy ...his last success was having Ricky Van Shelton sing After the Lights Go Out back in the 90's ...which got up to #1 on Cashbox ..

[2tippi]

2tippi Play it again and again and again.I will never get tired of listening to Warner.

[prairielily25]

What a wonderful artist.. and lovely song. Did you know he wrote "Is it wrong for loving you" when he was only 13? My favorite song of his was "The Bridge washed out..I can't swin and my baby's on the other side...."

[PaulinaRena]

It's great to hear this song again by Warner. I've always loved his music. Too many younger singers- male and female - seem to be the order of the day and most of them are forgettable in my book. Warner is one of the best in good country music. Thank you for posting. - Paula

[mycheech]

Warner is one of the best, just didn't get the breaks he needed. He's a great guy !!