Move to Calgary inspires P.E.I. musician to go country with third album

P.E.I.’s Scott MacKay just released his third album, Stupid Cupid, on all music platforms. This one has a country theme, which is a departure for the artist. - Contributed

Mount Herbert artist Scott MacKay says the seed for his latest album was planted eight years ago when he and his wife moved to Calgary, Alta.

That seed has grown into his third album, Stupid Cupid, which he recently dropped on all music platforms, an ode to country music from the classic era of the 1950s and 60s.

It was quite a change in genres for the 34-year-old singer-songwriter.

His first two albums, 2012’s Dressed in Blue and 2015’s Twin, slanted more towards pop and darker themes.

Stupid Cupid is much lighter in tone.

“You can’t move out to Calgary and not get bitten by the country music bug,’’ MacKay laughs.

While there, he ran into Calgary musician Carter Felker, who happened to have an open mic session before inviting MacKay back to his place for a jam session with legendary American singer-songwriter John Prine.

“That was my gateway drug into the classic country world. I love the melodies and I love the lyrics of classic country. They are so clever and witty and very clearly communicated. The stuff I was listening to before, like indy stiff and stuff outside the country world, I find, tends to be more abstract and non-sensical, which I was never drawn to.’’

Scott MacKay says the idea of making his latest album, Stupid Cupid, a country release came six years ago when he and his wife moved to Calgary. - Contributed

MacKay finds the songwriting style of classic country appeals to him a lot more than modern country.

“I often think about how music has changed. The goal of any aspiring artist would be that their art be recognized as uniquely theirs, whether it be as a painter, photographer or music. A lot of the commercial country you listen to now sounds like something that was produced by a machine with the same algorithm.’’

As he was writing songs for Stupid Cupid, MacKay also found himself drawn to artists who tend to write songs with touches of humour in them, such as Shel Silverstein, Hayes Carll, Roger Miller and Jerry Reed. MacKay even belted out a couple of lines from Reed’s mega-hit East Bound and Down, the theme song from the move, Smokey and the Bandit.

“I wanted to find that balance between happiness and sadness in the songs. I think you appeal to more people by making them laugh.’’

The Guardian asked Scott MacKay to name his five favourite artists. Following is his list:

Shel Silverstein
Hayes Carll
Brandy Lynn Clark
Johnny Cash
Hank Williams

After six years of writing between Twin and Stupid Cupid, MacKay realized he had a stockpile of songs that were infused with humour.

He isn’t quite ready yet to be labelled as a country artist. After all, it is just one album so far. He thought about donning a cowboy hat in his promotional photographs but decided to tone it down and went with just a bolo tie instead.

“I don’t want to put on the full costume. I don’t know if I want to fully define who I am. I like the flexibility to bend genres and go where I want to go.’’

MacKay isn’t sure what direction the fourth album will go in.

He and his wife, Mandy Lise McKenna, had a baby girl, their first child, on Jan. 30. Perhaps that will serve as an inspiration.

As for live shows, MacKay held a launch party recently at the Trailside Music Hall in Charlottetown. He’s hoping public health restrictions will ease enough by summer to allow for some kind of Maritime tour.