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Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Bye Bye Blues - Homesick Mac



Mac was born Dragan Ruzic - Macan in 1960 in Subotica, former Yugoslavia, now Serbia (check out the website of Mac's hometown). He has been playing the guitar since the age of 15. His love for blues and other forms of so called ”roots music” began when he heard the music of Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, as well as Doc Watson. Later, he discovered many other blues, folk and country greats.





Mac’s performing career began in 1978 when he started playing guitar and bass in various bands. Together with harp player Pera Joe and a mandolin & tamburica player Zoran Katrinka "Kuki", he formed the ”BLUES TRIO”, an acoustic group that released three cassettes, one LP and three CDs between 1983 - 2006. They were the first blues & folk oriented band in Eastern Europe. Kuki left the band in 1987 and Pera Joe and Mac went on as ... The Blues Trio (The Smallest Trio In The World).



With the band or alone, Homesick Mac played and toured in Italy, Hungary, Germany, Russia, Slovak Republic, Czech Republic, performing in clubs or on festivals.



He moved to Helsingborg, Sweden, in 1992 and started playing in clubs around Sweden and Denmark. Soon after this Mafioso Records released his first solo CD ”STEADY STOMPING”.



In 1995 Mac met the British slide master Sam Mitchell at the Mojo Club in Copenhagen, Denmark. The two hit it off immediately, and were soon sitting in at one anothers gigs, each finding a special chemistry that they rarely experienced with others. When Mafioso Records suggested they document their collaboration, Sam was more than willing and the CD ”TWO LONG FROM HOME” was released in 1996.



This was one of Mac's most treasured collaborations since Sam has been one of his favorite slide players from the times when he just started playing the blues. "Two Long From Home" has the Cat No. w120.961 for MAFIOSO RECORDS, distributed by WOLF Records, in the US through AMAZON. Sadly, Sam Mitchell is not with us any more, he died in his Liverpool home only 56 years old. Please read Homesick Mac's official statement about Sam's death at the ISG (International Guitar Seminars) forum.



Mac has played with other well known blues artists, including Louisiana Red, John Hammond, Johnnie Mars, Micky Waller. Nowdays he mostly performs in Scandinavia; solo, with fellow guitar man Bo Ericsson, great piano player Mats Bengtsson or with his own band.

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