Mac Arnold

Mac Arnold is a favorite musical son of the Upstate region of South Carolina. Mac lives in Pelzer, South Carolina where, at the age of ten, he got his first taste of the blues when he learned to play his brother Leroy's guitar, which was made from an old gasoline can. After deciding to pursue a professional music career, Mac joined the Charles Miller group, and in 1965, he moved to Chicago to work with recording artist/saxophonist A. C. Reed. In late 1966, at age 24, Mac joined the Muddy Waters Band and helped shape the electric blues sound that inspired the rock and roll movement of the late 60s and early 70s. In this video, Mac strums the gasoline can guitar he uses for rhythm and lead, and talks about a storied music career that included a stint from 1964 until 1972 during which he played with ninety percent of Blues and R&B entertainers including Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Big Mama Thornton, Otis Redding, James Brown, Grace Slick and Jefferson Airplane, and Sam Cooke. Viewers also see Mac on stage singing and playing his slide guitar, which also was made from a gasoline can. Mac today is serving up a mess of Blues with his own band, Mac Arnold & Plate Full O Blues The band consists of Mark McMakin on bass and vocals; Austin Brashier on guitar and vocals; Max Hightower on keyboards, harmonica and guitar; and Mike Whitt on drums.