A prolific Nashville singer/songwriter who authored hits for Jimmy Buffett, Alabama, and Steve Wariner, Mac McAnally was born July 15, 1957, in Red Bay, AL. Singing in church throughout childhood, at age eight he began taking piano lessons and within five years was performing professionally; McAnally later took up guitar and at 15 composed his first song, "People Call Me Jesus." After quitting high school he went to work as a session player at Muscle Shoals' Wishbone Studios; one night, during a break in a Hank Williams Jr. date, McAnally began playing some of his own original material, so impressing producers Terry Woodford and Clayton Ivey that they convinced Williams to record the tune "I Need You Tonight." Signing to Ariola, in 1977 McAnally issued his self-titled debut album, scoring a crossover hit with the single "It's a Crazy World" and touring in support of Randy Newman.