Bill Mack: Shamrock's Midnight Cowboy

Bill Mack: Shamrock's Midnight Cowboy. . , For six decades, the distinctive voice of Bill Mack has graced the radio airwaves. Blessed with a creativity inherited from his mother, Bill has become a successful country music songwriter and one of the most popular radio disc jockeys in the nation.

Born to devoted parents Ernest and Irene, Billy Mac Smith and his brother Clois were raised in the eastern Panhandle community of Shamrock. After graduating from Shamrock High School, Bill began his broadcasting career in 1950 in his hometown at radio station KEVA. While at station KLYN in Amarillo, at the suggestion of his high school principal Edward Burkhalter, he began using only his first and middle name. From that day forward, he became known as Bill Mack. During this time, Bill began working earnestly to develop his songwriting ability. In 1958, at station KWFT in Wichita Falls, he wrote and made the first recording of the song "Blue” which years later would be recorded by LeAnn Rimes and would win him a Grammy award for Country Song of the Year in 1997. He also wrote many familiar commercial jingles for various products and companies, including Meade's Fine Bread and the Piggly Wiggly grocery chain. The Meade's Fine Bread commercial became one of the most popular of its time..

While working as program director at station KCUL in Ft. Worth, Mack became the announcer for the great Bob Wills. Mack had first met Bob while conducting an interview for KEVA in Shamrock years earlier. As Bob's announcer for many radio and television programs, Mack developed a close personal relationship with the "King of Western Swing." In 1966, while still at KCUL, he wrote one of his most successful songs, "Drinking Champagne." His composition would be recorded by many country artists, including his good friend Ray Price, but it was George Strait's recording that would bring Bill a gold and platinum record.

This song also brought Mack the distinction of becoming a member of the BMI Million Air Club, indicating his song had been played over one million times on radio and television.

Beginning on March 2, 1969, Bill hosted the midnight to 5:00 a.m. program at WBAP radio, Ft. Worth. In all, he would spend more than thirty years at WBAP. WBAP was a 50,000- watt Clear Channel broadcast station, and as a result, Bill was heard in many parts of the country. During his first night on the air, a truck driver calling from Minnesota referred to Mack as the "Midnight Cowboy.” For the next forty years, this would be his moniker. Because of a special relationship with his truck driver father, Bill understood the misconceptions concerning the trucking industry and was able to nurture a relationship with truckers that became an important part of his radio career. In 1973, Bill married his wife Cynthia Ann ("Sweet Cindy") who became his life partner. Together they have raised a family and built a successful business, Bill Mack Country Incorporated. In 2001, Bill and Cindy made the switch to Sirius/XM satellite radio, and Mack became known as the "Satellite Cowboy."

In addition to his career in radio, Bill has enjoyed success in television and motion pictures. For a short time, he was the emcee of the Buck Owens Ranch television show. He also hosted the popular Cowtown Jamboree as well as the award-winning Country Crossroads. In 1971, Bill played a role in the Universal Pictures film, Country Music, which starred his good friend, Marty Robbins. Mack served as a consultant for the country music in A Perfect World starring Clint Eastwood and Kevin Costner. His radio show can be heard in the background at the beginning of the film. In 2003, Mack did a voice-over for the film My Architect, which was an Academy Award nominee for Best Documentary Feature.