Bill MacKay

He grew up in Pittsburgh, PA where he studied with guitarist Joe Negri, and in Rochester, NY.

[2] [3] Mackay’s first Drag City release, Esker, was described by reviewer John Mulvey of Uncut "as a neat sampler of his unshowy virtuosity, at once brisk and mellow.

"[4] His arrangement of the Steely Dan song Deacon Blues appeared on the collaborative covers album by Bonnie Prince Billy and Bill Callahan, Blind Date Party (Drag City, 2021)[5][6] MacKay is a member of Black Duck, along with Douglas McCombs (Tortoise, Brokeback) on guitar and bass, and drummer Charles Rumback.

[9] In April 2023, MacKay's scored music for artist Michael Rakowitz' film I'm good at love, I'm good at hate, it's in between I freeze[10] MacKay has also been involved musically in theatre, appearing as musical guest in Chicago experimental theater troupe Neo-Futurists show Elements of Style in June 2023,[11] and in Little Carl, a production by Theatre Y in April 2023.

[12] "Among MacKay’s early inspirations were Miles Davis and Jimi Hendrix, but he also names British folk guitarist Davey Graham and Indian sarodist Ali Akbar Khan as influences.

Bill MacKay at Acme Records in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on October 17th, 2024. Photo by Ryan Sarnowski.