Biography

Bobby Mackey was born in Lewis County, Kentucky. His father was a farmer and operated a small grocery store in the little town of Concord. There was a Jukebox in the store and young Bobby would sing along with Hank Williams records on the Jukebox and listen to Country Music on his Mothers Zenith radio. She took him to a local talent contest at the age of 4 and when he won first prize singing “Your Cheatin’ Heart” the path of Bobby Mackey’s life was set to Country Music from that moment on. His oldest brother bought him a Roy Rogers guitar for Christmas when he was 8 years old and before long he was playing and singing along with his favorite stars on “The Grand Ole Opry” every Saturday night. Bobby still has that guitar in safe keeping.

After high school in 1966 Mackey left home with $75 in his pocket suite case in one hand guitar in the other and a yearning to play and sing in a country band. He took a job on the railroad in Covington, Kentucky and started checking out jam sessions at clubs in the area setting in and singing with bands as often as he could. Through contacts he met at the jam sessions he hooked up with Red Jenkins and The Country Ladds and became the lead singer in the band and before long he was singing five night a week and soon gave up the railroad for the music.

In 1978 Bobby Mackey opened Bobby Mackey’s Music World in Wilder, Kentucky. The club was formerly The Latin Quarter gambling casino operating during the Newport, Kentucky gangster style gambling of the 30’s, 40’s, 50’s and closed down in the early 60’s. Bobby Mackey’s quickly became a popular place as greater Cincinnati Country Music fans fell in love with Bobby’s traditional country style. Near the end of the first year word got around about a movie being made at Mickey Gilley’s Club starring John Travolta, Debra Winger and El Toro the mechanical bull. Bobby flew to Houston and visited Gilley’s and bought the first mechanical bull they sold as the movie was wrapping up a full eight months before the release of The Urban Cowboy Movie. When the movie hit the theaters in the summer of 1980 as America dressed up in cowboy hats and boots, Wilder, Kentucky was no exception. Cowboys and cowgirls lined up outside Bobby Mackey’s door waiting to get in on the cowboy craze, mechanical bull riding and Country Music. Along with the nightclub success came national chart success with record releases such as “Hero Daddy” and “Pepsi Man.”

Rumors about the nightclub being haunted got the attention of Douglas Hensley, a local writer. He became very interested in writing a book about the haunting tales. Mackey never believed the rumors and wanted to keep the story down but Hensley’s persistence led to the book entitled “Hellsgate.” The book and the stories brought national attention as many paranormal TV shows and paranormal groups from everywhere scrambled to Wilder, Kentucky to investigate and they still do today. Bobby wrote the song “Johanna” about the hauntings and has performed the song on many TV shows featuring the stories. Bobby Mackey CD “Johanna” and a nationally charted Bluegrass CD, “Ten Shades of Green,” have received international success with sales and downloads to fans world wild.

This year Bobby Mackey’s celebrates 35 years as greater Cincinnati’s top country nightspot featuring Bobby Mackey and The Big Mac Band every Friday and Saturday night. This summer Bobby was inducted into the Northern Kentucky Music Legends Hall Of Fame and Lewis Co, Kentucky has named Route 57 where he grew up Bobby Mackey Highway. A new single has been released, “That Jones Boy Is Gone,” from his new album “Country Music Lives On.” All 12 songs are self-written and released on his own record label, Shaunita Records. You can find Bobby Mackey music on I-Tunes, Amazon, bobbymackey.com and Youtube. Keep in touch on Twitter, Facebook and Myspace. The way it was is still the way it is and the country beat goes on in Wilder, Kentucky, Bobby Mackey’s Branson.