b. Bonny Rice,10th November 1933, Clarksdale, Mississippi, U.S.A.
d. 27th June 2016, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.
Mack Rice was a hugely impressive singer and songwriter.
Amongst his many penned songs, include ‘Mustang Sally’ (Wilson Pickett), ‘Respect Yourself’ (The Staple Singers), ‘Do The Funky Penguin’ (Rufus Thomas), Cheaper To Keep Her’ (Johnnie Taylor), ‘Short Stoppin’ (Veda Brown), ‘(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want To Be Right’ (Bobby Blue Bland), ‘Shake A Tail Feather’ (Ike & Tina Turner), ’You Got To Change (Your Evil Ways)’ (Leah Dawson), ‘The Memphis Train’ (Rufus Thomas) and ‘My Little Girl’ (Eddie Floyd).
In the Fifties, Mack began performing with the Five Scalders around 1956.
l to r: eddie floyd, joe stubbs, lance finnie, mack rice and willie schofield (in 1959)
He then joined the Falcons, whose line-up included Eddie Floyd, Wilson Pickett and Joe Stubbs, between 1957 until 1962.
Mack recorded two singles for the LuPine imprint in 1962, namely 'Baby I'm Coming Home' b/w 'My Baby' and 'The Whip' b/w 'Feels Good'.
In 1965 he released ’Mustang Sally' b/w 'Daddy's Home To Stay' as a solo artist for Blue Rock Records, a song later to be released (and become a hit) by Wilson Pickett (which reached number 15 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1965).
He recorded for Blue Rock and Mercury Records between 1965 and 1966.
Mack signed to Stax Records in 1967, initially releasing 'Love Sickness' b/w 'Gotta Have My Baby's Love'.
He co-penned several songs for artists on the Stax imprint, including ‘Respect Yourself’ (by The Staple Singers), ‘Do The Funky Penguin’ (by Rufus Thomas) and ‘Cheaper To Keep Her (by Johnnie Taylor).
i made music - 1977 / right now - 1992
Mack also sang with Ollie & The Nightingales, joining the group in 1970, releasing 'You're Moving Much Too Fast', 'I Don't Want To Be Like My Daddy' and 'Don't Do It I'm With You'.
The group's line-up featured: Sir Mack Rice, Rochester Neal, Bill Davis, Quincy Billups and Nelson Lesure.
He signed with the Truth Records label in 1974, May Day Productions in 1975, and released two singles on the label, before signing to Atco in 1976.
Mack released one further single for Stax in 1978, entitled 'What Good Is A Song'.
In 1992, Mack released his first solo album, ‘Right Now’ for the Blue Suit imprint.
He was a prolific songwriter with some 400 song titles registered at BMI Publishing.
His writings have been recorded by many artists, including The Staple Singers, Ike & Tina Turner, Albert King, Johnnie Taylor, Shirley Brown, Rufus Thomas, Etta James, Billy Eckstine, Eddie Floyd, Buddy Guy, The Rascals, The Kingsmen, Wilson Pickett, Albert Collins and Otis Clay.
Mack passed away at home in Detroit, at the age of 82, from complications relating to Alzheimer's disease in 2016.
Albums:
I Made Music (SRI Records 1977)
Right Now (Blue Suit Records 1992)
