Legendary country and pop artist Mac Davis died Tuesday (Sept. 29) at age 78. He'll be laid to rest on Monday, Oct. 5 in a private, family-only ceremony in his hometown of Lubbock, Texas.
Videos by Wide Open Country
According to Taste of Country, Davis' fans are encouraged to line up at 1 p.m. on Mac Davis Boulevard at the Lubbock City Cemetery entrance to watch the funeral motorcade. In lieu of flowers, fans should send donations to MusiCares.
Fellow recording artist and actor John Schneider broke the news on Facebook.
Per a statement from his manager, Davis was in critical condition on Monday (Sept. 28) following heart surgery in Nashville.
Artists sharing the news included Dolly Parton and Gretchen Peters.
Thinking of Mac Davis tonight. He was so kind to me the few times we were in the same place. We mostly talked about our dogs. Lovely man. ? https://t.co/OL64Q9NBlL pic.twitter.com/ZMgls2MmRP
— Gretchen Peters (@gretchenpeters) September 28, 2020
Davis, a 78-year-old native of Lubbock, wrote songs made famous by Elvis Presley, including "In the Ghetto," "Don't Cry Daddy," "Clean Up Your Own Backyard" and Billy Strange co-write "A Little Less Conversation." As a recording artist, Davis' pop hits "Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me," "Stop and Smell the Roses," "One Hell of a Woman," "Watching Scotty Grow" and "It's Hard to Be Humble" transcended country music.
Davis' "I Believe in Music" was a hit for Helen Reddy, another popular artist to pass away on Sept. 29, 2020.
When he wasn't writing crossover material for himself or like-minded artists like Presley, Kenny Rogers and Bobby Goldsboro, Davis recorded more traditional country music, from his sentimental hit "You're My Bestest Friend" to hometown reflection "Texas in My Rearview Mirror" and country-funk deep cut "Lucus Was a Redneck."
Davis' highest-charting country single, 1981's "Hooked on Music," peaked at No. 2. His final top 10 country hit, "I Never Made Love (Til I Made It With You)," came in 1985.
In 1975, Davis earned the Academy of Country Music (ACM) Entertainer of the Year Award.
Before the hits started coming, Davis worked out of Atlanta, Georgia as a regional manager for both Vee Jay Records and Liberty record labels.
Read More: Memphis Legend and Johnny Cash Drummer WS Holland Dies at Age 85
From 1974 to 1976, Davis hosted the NBC variety show The Mac Davis Show. Acting roles for film (The Sting II, North Dallas Forty, Cheaper to Keep Her) and television (Rodney Carrington's Rodney, Dolly Parton's Heartstrings) followed. Davis even had a run on Broadway as part of the Will Rogers Follies, and he filled Waylon Jennings' old role as narrator of the 2000 television film The Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood.
Davis was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2000.
Now Watch: Remembering Glen Campbell
https://rumble.com/embed/u7gve.vz6tb/
