Gerry Jack Macks proves there’s no such thing as too much boogie with his new double-sided single Two Melissas and Too Many Times Down That Road — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
The B.C., musician delivers a knockout with this one-two punch of rhythm and revelry — backed by talented young drummer Sara Varro and two-time Juno winner Al Lerman. And as so many good things do, both songs started over a cup of coffee.
Macks says Two Melissas was inspired after visiting North Kamloops’ Red Beard Cafe for coffee in 2020 after his regular spot had pandemic-related restrictions. A server, Melissa, waited on him, and they started talking about music. He was thinking of writing a song inspired by his landlady, and Melissa said “no one has written a song with my name.” She added there was another staffer also named Melissa. Hence, Two Melissas.
The artist says the melody and chorus almost came instantly while he drank his coffee. When Melissa came around again, he started singing it. “Although originally meant to be about the Red Beard in Kamloops, the style of the song required more of a dance club atmosphere,” he says. “I reluctantly decided to change the location in the song to one with a dance floor and live band.” Macks decided to use Foxie’s, a long-gone bar a long ways away.
Two Melissas boogies in the style of Carl Perkins and Ronnie Hawkins, with old-school Sun Studio energy. Macks sings and plays rhythm guitar and bass, while Lerman offers up rollicking harmonica and Varro keeps it all in check with solid drumming. Macks wrote, recorded, produced, mixed, and mastered the song, which was recorded at Kamloops’ Dusty Cottonwood Studios.
On the flip side, Too Many Times Down That Road was born out of a chance encounter over coffee with a trucker who had just navigated a treacherous backroad of potholes and ruts. Inspired by his description of the rough journey, Macks penned the lyrics right there in the diner, capturing the essence of a challenging path with a catchy tune.
Macks is not your typical artist. He plays most of the instruments on his recordings, and his music crosses the lines of various genres, encompassing jazz, blues, easy listening, country, folk, pop, rock and more. “I never really have any idea exactly what genre or genres a recording is when I release it,” Macks confesses. “I always struggle with great angst when forced to pigeonhole my music.”
Macks has a long career that began in the early 1970s. With the support of Edmonton musician Tommy Banks’ wife Ida, he rose from a beginner on the western circuit to a full-time musician. Macks’ upcoming projects include Sleepy Time Sessions — an album inspired by the likes of Louis Armstrong, Peggy Lee and Nat King Cole — as well as several roots-based albums.
Check out Two Melissas and Too Many Times Down That Road above, hear more from Gerry Jack Macks below, and follow him to his website, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.
