Bill MacKay


Bill MacKay is an American composer, guitarist and singer based in Chicago. He grew up in Pittsburgh, PA where he studied with guitarists Joe Negri and Eric Susoeff and in Rochester, NY where he studied with Kevin Morse. He also studied at Berklee College of Music.
In 2017 he began working with Chicago record label Drag City.
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."
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
MacKay is a member of Black Duck, along with Douglas McCombs on guitar and bass, and drummer Charles Rumback. and BCMC with Bitchin' Bajas' Cooper Crain.
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
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, and in Little Carl, a production by Theatre Y in April 2023.
"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."
MacKay's most recent solo record, Locust Land, was released May 23rd, 2024.

Discography

As Leader or Co-LeaderBill MacKay & Sounds of Now Swim to the River w/ Broken ThingsBill MacKay and Darts & Arrows Eyes of the Carnival w/ Darts & ArrowsDecember Concert w/ Matt LuxChatham Park Sunrise/Bill MacKay plays the songs of John Hulburt Altamira w/ Darts & ArrowsLand of Plenty w/ Ryley WalkerEsker SpiderBeetleBee w/ Ryley WalkerHypnotic Pulse of the Reindeer Range w/ Ryley Walker Fountain Fire STIR w/ Katinka KleijnScarf Keys w/ Nathan BowlesBlack Duck w/ Douglas McCombs, Charles RumbackBCMC - Foreign Smokes w/ Cooper CrainLocust Land
As Collaborator/Contributor