Mack Vickery (8 June 1938 – 21 December 2004) was a musician, songwriter, and inductee in the Hillbilly Hall of Fame and Alabama Music Hall of Fame, whose songs have been recorded by artists such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Waylon Jennings, George Thorogood, Johnny Cash, George Strait, Hank Williams Jr., George Jones and many other notable artists.
Born in Town Creek, Alabama, Vickery moved to Memphis in 1957 and, considered leading man material, recorded for Sun Records, although nothing was initially released. Vickery continued to record for a number of minor labels and under various aliases, including “Vick Vickers” and “Atlanta James”.
Vickery first scored a songwriting hit when Faron Young recorded Vickery’s song “She Went A Little Bit Further”, which reached number 14 on the Country Music charts in 1968. Vickery followed this with songs for artists like Johnny Cash, George Jones, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Paycheck, Lefty Frizzell, James Carr, John Anderson, and Tanya Tucker.
Vickery’s biggest hit as a writer was “The Fireman”, recorded by George Strait, which reached number 5 in 1985, while his work with Jerry Lee Lewis brought him the most attention. Lewis recorded a number of Vickery’s songs, including “Rockin’ My Life Away”, “Meat Man” (described as “two minutes and forty seconds of sexual boasts, delivered furiously and convincingly”) and “Ivory Tears”. Vickery became known as Lewis’s speechwriter, and “In Vickery, a fan as well as a professional, Jerry Lee had found someone who could articulate his troubles better than he himself ever could.”
Waylon Jennings recorded "The Eagle" which was written by Vickery along with Hank Cochran and Red Lane. This song was used as the unofficial "official theme song" of the First Gulf War as it was easy to relate the lyrics and the F-15 Eagle fighter jet. Jennings had recorded "Cedartown Georgia" earlier in his career. A song that was written by Mack Vickery, Sammi Smith, Charlie Cobble. Both songs are found on albums of the same name as the song.
In 1970, Vickery recorded the album Live at the Alabama Women’s Prison and reached the charts as a singer (under the name “Atlanta James”) for the first time in 1974 with “That Kind of Fool” (also recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis) and again in 1977 with "Ishabilly" and "Here's to the Horses". Mack impressed many with his spot-on Elvis Presley impression on this album. Mack knew Elvis when they were both in the early stages of their careers.
Vickery was also friends with legendary Nashville disc jockey Ralph Emery and made numerous appearances on his early morning WSM television show. He also made several appearances on The Nashville Network show Nashville Now.
In the 1970s Vickery toured with a comedian named "Elmer Fudpucker", aka Hollis Champion, and they also opened many shows for Jerry Lee Lewis.
In 1989 Vickery won the Music City News "Song Of The Year Award" for "I'll Leave This World Loving You”,a hit for Ricky Van Shelton and in 2002, the Alabama Music Hall of Fame honored him with a bronze star in its Walkway of Stars
Mack had five older brothers: Robert Allen "R.A.", Quinton "Vick", Brice "Buster", Dave, Pat, and one sister Willena "Toonce" Clark. All his brothers are deceased. Vickery died in Nashville, Tennessee of a heart attack. He was 66.