Mac Curtis

Rockabilly legend Mac Curtis entered the world in Fort Worth, TX, on January 16, 1939. Raised by his grandparents, he first picked up a guitar in 1951 at age 12 after a neighboring farmer showed him the basics, which soon led him into local talent contests. One victory netting 15 dollars convinced him he had recouped the instrument’s cost and earned an additional five, prompting the realization that his skills could support a livelihood. Following a 1954 relocation to Weatherford, TX, he teamed with schoolmates Jim Galbraith and Ken Galbraith. The trio drew inspiration from Big Joe Turner, Chuck Berry, and Little Richard, aiming to replicate that energy in their own performances. Their shows for fellow students sparked brief scandal when suggestive movements got them yanked offstage, yet student council mediation shifted their gigs toward paid opportunities. A 1955 deal with King Records paved the way for the 1956 release of their debut single, “If I Had Me a Woman.” Follow-up tracks drew notice from New York DJ Alan Freed, who added the group to his 1956 Christmas program and delivered unprecedented visibility. Curtis returned to Weatherford in 1957 to complete high school, moonlighting as a radio DJ before enlisting in the military late that year. Stationed in Seoul, Korea, he hosted broadcasts and assembled a country ensemble for fellow service members. Upon his 1960 discharge he encountered an altered musical landscape and chose full-time radio work across the South while sporadically issuing albums. By 1971 he recognized Europe’s growing appetite for rockabilly, leading him to collaborate with Ray Campi, another devotee of country and rockabilly. The newly founded Rollin Rock label ignited a European revival that showcased albums from both artists, opening sustained overseas careers where their style found warmer reception. Curtis remained active on that circuit through the 1980s and 1990s, arranged reissues of his early singles, and earned induction into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.