Mac Davis

For decades, Rondal Richardson has helped artists turn generosity into lasting impact behind the scenes. Now, that vision has a name.

Introducing Music Community Foundation , a national hub for artist led philanthropy powered by Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

Mac always believed in giving back in a meaningful way, and through his Song Painter Fund, that legacy continues to support creativity, community, and the next generation of artists.

What our dear friend Rondal Richardson created is more than a foundation. It’s a home for artists, managers, and the music industry to organize their giving, strengthen their impact, and build something that lasts far beyond the music.

Thank you Rondal Richardson for what you continue to do to serve the music industry and the community.

Learn more here: https://www.musiccommunityfoundation.org/about

In honor of the ACM awards on Sunday, what were the two categories that Mac Davis was nominated for? Bonus points if you know the years! ⬇️

54 years ago, what started as a joke in the studio became one of Mac Davis’s biggest hits.

“Baby, Don’t Get Hooked on Me” was born out of frustration, sarcasm, and a little bit of humor. While working at FAME with producer Rick Hall, Mac Davis was told he had given away all of his best “hook songs” and was only bringing in soft ballads. Wanting to prove a point, Mac walked upstairs, grabbed a legal pad, and quickly wrote what he thought was the most overly simple, commercial hook he could come up with.

Winking at the musicians in the room, he played the idea for Rick Hall expecting everyone to laugh. Instead, Hall immediately called it a hit and wanted to record it on the spot before the lyrics were even finished. Mac went back to his hotel that night to complete the song, never imagining it would be released in May 1972 and go on to become his first No. 1 hit.

In May 1992, Mac Davis stepped onto the Broadway stage as Will Rogers in The Will Rogers Follies. After turning the role down three times, he finally said yes, moved to New York, and learned the entire show in just one month.

Fresh out of rehabilitation at the Betty Ford Center and four months sober, Mac took the stage for what would become the first sober performance of his career. When the curtain came down, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house and the audience rose to its feet with a standing ovation.

The Songwriters Hall of Fame is proud to introduce the SHOF / Mac Davis “Song Painter” Scholarship which will now be presented to songwriting students at Belmont University and USC Thornton School of Music.

The scholarship will be awarded for work that reflects the authenticity, emotional clarity, and storytelling excellence that defined Mac Davis’s legacy — marked by the rare ability to not only make a listener feel, but to vividly see the world of a song, as mastered by “The Song Painter.”

Congratulations to the inaugural 2026 recipients, Daire McLeod and Garyson Pollard.

Read more here: songhall.org/news/the-2026-songwriters-hall-of-fame-scholarship-recipients-announced

POV: It’s 1975 and Mac Davis just touched down in Nashville with Peter Morse and the flight attendants, headed to the Music City Pro-Celebrity Golf Tournament. Featuring those one of a kind belt buckles. Always arriving in style. ✈️

📸: Frank Empson / The Tennessean