Lyman Corbitt McAnally Jr., known professionally as Mac McAnally, was born on July 15, 1957, in Red Bay, Alabama. He began playing piano and singing in church at a young age and composed his first song by fifteen. McAnally started his career as a session musician in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, where he transitioned to performing original material. In 1977, he signed with Ariola Records and released his self-titled debut album, which included the single "It's a Crazy World" that reached number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100. McAnally continued to release albums throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, including No Problem Here (1978) and Cuttin' Corners (1980). He found success as a songwriter for Jimmy Buffett and co-wrote Alabama's number One hit "Old Flame". In the early to late 1980s, McAnally signed with Geffen Records, releasing Nothing But The Truth (1983) and Finish Lines (1988). He also co-wrote Ricky Van Shelton's 1987 single "Crime of Passion". In 2008, he was awarded Musician of the Year by the Country Music Association. McAnally's collaboration with Kenny Chesney on "Down The Road" reached Number 1 in February 2009. He continued to release albums, including Live: In Muscle Shoals (2011) and Southbound: The Orchestra Project (2017).
