Mac Potts Music - Biography



Mac Potts was born May 23, 1991. Although blind from birth, he soon showed musical talent. He was picking out nursery rhymes at the piano at 2, taking classical lessons at 4, and performing by age 8 at local events. He began recording music at age 11 for fun, and was taking lessons from legendary Portland blues pianist DK Stewart at 12. He became interested in jazz, blues and boogie-woogie music from then on, and started learning more material. He was invited to play at the Kalama Blues Festival, where he was a big hit with the crowd. Mac also met Michael Allen Harrison, who influenced his playing. He began playing at church and local events. Meanwhile, Mac needed to learn an instrument for band. He was given a broken saxophone. He taught himself despite the fact that the horn was barely able to make notes. He now owns quality saxophones, and he continues to progress on this instrument. He got a professional quality keyboard, and began recording music more seriously. He has recorded solo Christmas albums each year since 2004. Mac met Ben Rice and joined Ben Rice and the Youth of Blues in early 2005. He also met Reggie Houston, a world famous saxophone player, who gave Mac a few pointers and tremendous musical direction. Mac was now getting more engagements, both solo and as part of the Ben Rice band, or joining Reggie Houston with one of his projects. The Ben Rice band has played the Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland as well as concerts all over the Northwest. They performed in Memphis as Portland’s Blues Band representative in the International Blues Challenge in February 2007. Mac began playing solo piano at Hudson’s lounge in the Heathman Hotel in Vancouver in the summer of 2005. He is a crowd favorite, playing music from Gershwin to Elton John, Ray Charles, Cole Porter, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, show tunes, pop tunes, and almost any style from any era. Mac plays at Hudson’s most Sundays from 5:30-9 pm, sometimes with special guests. Mac studied jazz and gospel with Janice Scroggins in 2006, and is currently studying accompaniment and stage performance with Georgina Philippson. He performs regularly with Ms. Philippson’s jazz students at recitals and other events. Mac also participates in the Blues in the Schools program, where he helps bring Traditional Blues music to students. Mac traveled to New Orleans in 2006, 2007, and 2008 for the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Fest. He was introduced to many local musicians, and had the honor of playing with Henry Butler, Charmaine Neville, and Harry Connick Jr. He joined the Storyville Stompers for sets on the Dixieland stage both years. He has met Dr. John, James Cotton, Michael Kaeshammer, Tom Grant and many other musical legends. Mac also was a featured artist at the Cincinnati Blues Festival in 2007, where he performed at the Boogie Woogie Piano Stage. In his spare time, Mac has learned to do a little piano tuning, play the harmonica and drums, and recorded a solo Jazz album, playing all the instruments himself. He also backed Ms. Philippson on her debut recording, playing all the instruments and mixing the recording. He is about to release another album of funk and New Orleans music. He continues to strive to improve his musicianship on all the instruments. Mac is currently a 11th grader at Kalama High School, where he is earning a 3.9 grade point average. He also won the Junior division in 2007 at the National Braille Challenge in Los Angeles, where displayed his Braille literacy and technology skills. He qualified for the finals as in the Senior division in 2008 and hopes to return in 2009 to compete again. Mac plays music for many local charities and community events and is available to play solo or with a band at most any function. Among Mac’s favorite charities are the Lion’s Clubs, the Guide Dogs for the Blind and the Washington State School for the Blind.
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Mac Potts was born May 23, 1991. Although blind from birth, he soon showed musical talent. He was picking out nursery rhymes at the piano at 2, taking classical lessons at 4, and performing by age 8 at local events.

He began recording music at age 11 for fun, and was taking lessons from legendary Portland blues pianist DK Stewart at 12. He became interested in jazz, blues and boogie-woogie music from then on, and started learning more material. He was invited to play at the Kalama Blues Festival, where he was a big hit with the crowd. Mac also met Michael Allen Harrison, who influenced his playing. He began playing at church and local events.

Meanwhile, Mac needed to learn an instrument for band. He was given a broken saxophone. He taught himself despite the fact that the horn was barely able to make notes. He now owns quality saxophones, and he continues to progress on this instrument. He got a professional quality keyboard, and began recording music more seriously. He has recorded solo Christmas albums each year since 2004.

Mac met Ben Rice and joined Ben Rice and the Youth of Blues in early 2005. He also met Reggie Houston, a world famous saxophone player, who gave Mac a few pointers and tremendous musical direction. Mac was now getting more engagements, both solo and as part of the Ben Rice band, or joining Reggie Houston with one of his projects. The Ben Rice band has played the Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland as well as concerts all over the Northwest. They performed in Memphis as Portland’s Blues Band representative in the International Blues Challenge in February 2007.

Mac began playing solo piano at Hudson’s lounge in the Heathman Hotel in Vancouver in the summer of 2005. He is a crowd favorite, playing music from Gershwin to Elton John, Ray Charles, Cole Porter, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, show tunes, pop tunes, and almost any style from any era. Mac plays at Hudson’s most Sundays from 5:30-9 pm, sometimes with special guests.

Mac studied jazz and gospel with Janice Scroggins in 2006, and is currently studying accompaniment and stage performance with Georgina Philippson. He performs regularly with Ms. Philippson’s jazz students at recitals and other events. Mac also participates in the Blues in the Schools program, where he helps bring Traditional Blues music to students.

Mac traveled to New Orleans in 2006, 2007, and 2008 for the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Fest. He was introduced to many local musicians, and had the honor of playing with Henry Butler, Charmaine Neville, and Harry Connick Jr. He joined the Storyville Stompers for sets on the Dixieland stage both years. He has met Dr. John, James Cotton, Michael Kaeshammer, Tom Grant and many other musical legends. Mac also was a featured artist at the Cincinnati Blues Festival in 2007, where he performed at the Boogie Woogie Piano Stage.

In his spare time, Mac has learned to do a little piano tuning, play the harmonica and drums, and recorded a solo Jazz album, playing all the instruments himself. He also backed Ms. Philippson on her debut recording, playing all the instruments and mixing the recording. He is about to release another album of funk and New Orleans music. He continues to strive to improve his musicianship on all the instruments. Mac is currently a 11th grader at Kalama High School, where he is earning a 3.9 grade point average. He also won the Junior division in 2007 at the National Braille Challenge in Los Angeles, where displayed his Braille literacy and technology skills. He qualified for the finals as in the Senior division in 2008 and hopes to return in 2009 to compete again. Mac plays music for many local charities and community events and is available to play solo or with a band at most any function. Among Mac’s favorite charities are the Lion’s Clubs, the Guide Dogs for the Blind and the Washington State School for the Blind.