Country star Mac Davis dies at 78
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Country star Mac Davis, who launched his career crafting the Elvis hits “A Little Less Conversation” and “In the Ghetto,” and whose own hits include “Baby Don’t Get Hooked On Me,” has died. He was 78.
His longtime manager Jim Morey said in a press release that Davis died in Nashville on Tuesday after heart surgery and was surrounded by family and friends.
Davis had a long and varied career in music for decades as a writer, singer, actor and TV host and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2006. He was named 1974’s entertainer of the year by the Academy of Country Music and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Born in Lubbock, Texas, and raised in Georgia, Davis was inspired by fellow Lubbock native Buddy Holly, but it was Elvis who gave him his first musical big break. Davis worked as a staff songwriter in Los Angeles for Nancy Sinatra’s publishing company when in 1968 Presley cut the funky “A Little Less Conversation,” which Davis had written with Aretha Franklin in mind.
Although it had a little success at the time, the song became a bigger hit after Presley’s death, being covered by more than 30 artists and topping charts everywhere from Canada to Denmark. Davis’ most licensed TV soundtrack song, “A Little Less Conversation” reached No. 1 in the UK in 2002 after it was used in a Nike commercial and was featured in the hit movie “Ocean’s 11.”
Davis also helped craft the sentimental “Memories” that was a cornerstone of Elvis’ celebrated 1968 comeback TV special, and two other songs that were key to Presley’s revival: The somber ballads “In the Ghetto” and “Don’t Cry Daddy,” both top 10 singles which marked rare times Presley covered material with any kind of political or social message.
“In the Ghetto” was the story of a young Black man raised in poverty who turns to crime and ends up dead, a story Davis would say was based on a childhood friend.
Davis got a recording deal of his own in 1970, recording “Hooked on Music,” “It’s Hard to be Humble,” and “Texas in my Rearview Mirror,” and getting crossover success on pop charts. He had his own TV series, “The Mac Davis Show” on NBC, and also acted in TV and film, including alongside Nick Nolte in the football film “North Dallas Forty.” He also starred on Broadway, in “The Will Rogers Follies” and toured with the musical.