Rod MacDonald

Excerpt:

Singer/songwriter Rod MacDonald isn't looking to start a fight - really.

It's just that sometimes he gets a restless feeling inside and finds himself compelled to tackle the big topics of our day: the war on terrorism, the American divide between rich and poor, the partisan split between left and right, and the lives of ordinary people caught in the middle.

So when he writes on his latest album, "A Tale of Two Americas," about how "terror is a very magic word" that politicians can use to justify any action they choose, what he's really seeking is a dialogue with listeners about what he sees as vitally important issues.

Maybe his pursuit of journalism as an undergrad helps him to paint word-pictures with precision, and his time at Columbia Law School may give him his sense of right and wrong. But music was always his first love - he didn't even take the bar exam - and ever since his emergence on the Greenwich Village folk scene 30 years ago, MacDonald has cast his songwriter's gaze over both the political and the personal.

The album's title song, as you might expect, is a riff on Charles Dickens' French Revolution novel "A Tale of Two Cities," but MacDonald isn't advocating anything but a closer examination of where we're headed as a polarized nation with a with-us-or-against-us mentality.

"By and large, there are two major sensibilities at work. One has one kind of view that's tolerant, open and wants to engage the rest of the world on a open-handed basis, and the other sensibility is concerned with imposing America's point of view on the rest of the world and imposing a particular point of view on people here in our country," he said. "That's not to say that everybody falls on one side or the other in that divide, or that it's that clear cut."

But MacDonald's music isn't all politics - "not even by half," he's quick to point out - and that's also reflected on much of "A Tale of Two Americas." Perhaps most touching is "The Lucky Ones," which has him surveying the aftermath of a hurricane in his Florida town and realizing that the superficial damage is nothing compared to suffering elsewhere in the storm's wake. Though it was written in 2004, it easily could be about the places that Hurricane Katrina missed.

"My songs have always had a particular kind of - I don't know what word to use, but a spontaneity, a depth to them. It's as if the best ones seem to exist on their own, and I kind of discover them" MacDonald said. "And in that sense, the one thing you don't want to give up as a writer is that-you always want to have that ability out there that a song can find you. Those are the best and truest songs."

The above is an exerpt from Thursday, September 28, 2006, published in the Press Sun-Bulletin and written by Chris Kocher, News Editor. - by Chris Kocher Press & Sun-Bulletin

"Recognition" reviewed by Kevin McCarthy, 6/04
"Kevin's Celtic & Folk Music CD Reviews"



Rod MacDonald is an exceptionally talented and valuable social commentator--in his case, employing songs as his vehicle of transmission rather than a blog, book, newspaper column or television show. A long ago Newsweek reporter and even longer ago law school graduate, this former New York City (now Floridian) folkie's latest release is brimming with offerings that shine light and meaning on current and historical, remembered and forgotten, people and events.

Known for such past signature songs as "The Death Of Victor Jara," "American Jerusalem," "Timothy," "The Way To Calvary" and "Who Built The Bomb That Blew Down Oklahoma City," MacDonald continues his deft touch with insightful and nuanced cuts about the 9/11 terrorists, the Columbine shootings, capital punishment Texas-style, a Vincent Van Gogh painting, numerous foreign deeds of questionable morality involving the government of the United States and a look at the bombardier of the plane that flew over Hiroshima in 1945.

But this is not a concept-style album with a primary theme as he also includes a number of love songs, delves into marital abuse, takes a jab at Disneyworld, provides a quizzical but charming baseball tale and also a salute to the music of Eire.

Due to its scope, the most arresting song is "For The Good Of America." MacDonald twines JFK's assassination by a very questionable marksman, the fabrication of the Tonkin Gulf incident that provided the cachet to begin sending thousands upon thousands of U.S. troops to Vietnam, CIA assistance in the assassination of democratically elected Chilean President Salvador Allende and the resulting murders of uncountable 'leftists,' and, finally, the arms-for-hostages deal that resulted in Iran releasing U.S. hostages soon after the election of the late Ronald Reagan. He closes this most rhythmic song:

"...So remember sometime in your future
some pretender will want to be your leader one day
first he'll tell you how all your votes just disappeared
then step up to the microphone and give himself away when he says

For the good of America just forget it
'cause it's time to move on
but the truth is, you know it when you hear it
their lips are moving but they're doing you wrong"

"My Neighbors In Delray" begins with the mundane day-to-day activities of the 9/11 Florida contingent. But rather than traveling the simplistic, kneejerk and jingoistic path in response to the horrors of 9/11, MacDonald, because he's a much too mature and talented songwriter, simply keeps asking wouldn't it be good to know what God thinks of the hijacker's actions. Then, he concludes:

"...but if my neighbors in Delray are in Paradise today
it would very much surprise me

'Love thy neighbor,' the Bible says
'God is great,' the prophets say
don't you really know what God will say
to my neighbors in Delray"

"Video Game" skewers rather than frontally assaults that violence-depicting industry. MacDonald describes a player: "...if it was real he'd be insane, but it was just a video game" and "(He) hit a hospital by accident, took out the radio tower's blinking lights, he pretended it was Belgrade but it was a video game." MacDonald later sings: "you talk about your freedom as if weapons were your wealth."

"137 Executions (Not One Innocent Man)" IS a directly-aimed blast at George W. Bush's track record while governor of Texas. It asks how he and the entire system could not find even one death row inmate worthy of commutation at worse, or determined innocent at best. In light of numerous investigations and rulings across the country, especially in Illinois, where death sentences have been revoked and, in some cases, actual innocence determined, MacDonald concludes:

"...Tell me, how does it feel to have blood on your hands?..."

"The Man Who Dropped The Bomb On Hiroshima" surprisingly doesn't really come with a fixed point of view. In it, it's revealed that the military withheld the information from the fliers about the nature of the payload. The bombardier believes his actions were appropriate but adds:

"Someday, when I meet my maker
I'll know if my one big thing was right..."

The rocking and ironic-ending "Dr. Gachet," is an enjoyable history about the ownership, viewing availability and financial value of one of Van Gogh's most famous paintings. Also worthy of mention is MacDonald's touching paean to his wife, "You Who Sleep Beside Me."

This is a release with so much to offer and rightfully deserves to be heard by the widest of audiences.

Rod MacDonald, on vocals, acoustic guitar and harmonica is backed by Mark Dann on bass and harony vocals; Steve Erikssen on acoustic and electric guitars and harmony vocals; Bernie Shanahan on piano, keyboards and harmony vocals; Craig Harris on percussion; Francis Rovelli on harmony vocals; and Susan McKeown on harmony vocals.

Track List:
You Who - By Kevin McCarthy

The man's nose for truth, tempered by a degree in law and time spent in Washington D.C., abetted by a supersonic bull.... barometer, is daunting.  Finding oneself skewered by a poet's wit, in word or in song is not the worst fate, but it might tend to be a little uncomfortable.  The upside, however, might be the humorous nature of the laserlike exposure.  Rod's most recent CD release, Into The Blue(1999), .... reminds us that he's still making important, intelligent, stirring music. Into The Blue is suffused throughout with his reverence for life and the preservation of the earth's gifts.  He continues to ponder the inconsistencies of our rationality as a species with the cutting lyricismn that only a brilliant poet/writer can possess.

The entire article can be viewed at http://acousticlive.com/apr.3.feat.htm - Arthur Wood & Richard Cuccaro

CURRENT PRESS RELEASE: This is a sample for your convenience. Please make changes accordingly.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - PRESS RELEASE AND CALENDAR LISTING April 30, 2010
Internationally Acclaimed Singer/Songwriter Rod MacDonald to Perform in Chattanooga

DATE/TIME: Sunday, May 14, 2010 at 8:00 PM
VENUE AND ADDRESS: Charles and Myrtles CoffeeHouse, Chattanooga, TN 37403
EVENT INFO: Concert Performance
Admission $10.00 * Ph: (423) 892-4960 * Email: charlesandmyrtles@gmail.com

ABOUT THE ARTIST: www.rodmacdonald.net * electronic press kit available at www.sonicbids.com/rodmacdonald * www.myspace.com/rodmacd

Contact Laurie McCormack (770) 607-8189
laurie@ljmccormackagency.com

From the moment Rod MacDonald begins to sing, he grabs his audiences and doesn’t let go. As distinctive an entertainer as he is a songwriter, his engaging delivery, wry humor, timeless ballads and modern folk songs continue to place him among the elite of singer-songwriters performing in North America today. “Smart, elegant melodies … Lyle Lovett-by-way-Jim Croce vocals … and richly detailed, often politically charged lyrics” writes Creative Loafing in Atlanta, Georgia.

With lyrics and music that are infectious and inspiring, often humorous, sometimes reckless, frequently evocative, usually thought provoking – and – always compelling, Rod’s music stays with his audiences long after the concert has ended.

Throughout an international music career that spans 35 years, the award-winning singer/songwriter has performed at many of the world’s finest clubs, coffeehouses and major festivals. Seamlessly weaving beautiful love songs in between his trademark political-socio commentaries, Rod has been described by All Music Guide as “one of the most politically and socially aware lyricists of our times.”

A gifted singer and prolific songwriter whose music defies any genre label, his unique style of journalistically insightful, often tongue-in-cheek lyrics, and poetic imagery transcends the typical folk genre, straying into rock, pop, country, light jazz and blues. And when his target is politics, he is at his wittiest ….

After graduating from Columbia Law University in 1973, and a former reporter for Newsweek Magazine, Rod realized that music was his first love. He remained in New York, writing and performing his own songs, and became a major part of the 1980s Greenwich Village folk renaissance, performing at notable clubs such as Speakeasy and The Bottom Line.


In the mid-90s, Rod moved to south Florida, and quickly became an audience favorite at clubs, coffeehouses and state festivals. After the tragic events of 911, in typical thought-provoking honesty, he wrote and recorded “My Neighbors In Delray”, a contemplative commentary about how easily the 911 terrorists housed in Delray Beach, and living only blocks away from Rod himself, were able to so unobtrusively blend into the south Florida culture and lifestyle-all the while plotting their subversive activities. The song earned a Top Folk Finalist award in the 2003 USA Songwriting Competition.

Rod has released 9 solo cods in the U.S. and Europe, including “After The War’, his most recent cd of some of his most-loved songs. Working with an outside producer for the first time - former Ryan Adams and the Cardinals guitarist, JP Bowersock, and supported by artists David Roth, Ellen Bukstel and others, this cd is a stellar representation of Rod's singing and artistic talents. "The result is what MacDonald's fans have waited for since the law school graduate-turned-songwriter arrived on Greenwich Village's folk scene in the late 1970s", writes Dirty Linen.

Rod continues to tour internationally and perform locally at state-wide festivals. His music has been covered by more than two dozen notable artists, including recordings of his signature songs “American Jerusalem” and “Sailor’s Prayer.” When not touring, he is an instructor with Florida Atlantic University through their Lifelong Learning Program, presenting a well-attended continuing 8-week lecture/performance series about music history, most recently “The Great American Songbook.”

Rod is represented by LJ McCormack Agency
Ph: (770) 607-8189 * Internet: www.ljmccormackagency.com

Rod’s CDs are available at www.folkera.com/windriver, www.rodmacdonald.net and www.cdbaby.com

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REVIEWS:

"... an extraordinarily gifted songwriter who does the topical, humorous and touching folk songs equally well - think Phil Ochs, Loudon Wainwright and Bob Dylan all wrapped in one." DAN GEPHART ONLINE BLOG, http://dansdistractions.blogspot.com.

"... considered by many to be one of the preeminent folk musicians of his time, rivaling the likes of Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen." TAMPA TRIBUNE

"One of contemporary music’s most gifted songwriters." SYRACUSE HERALD-AMERICAN

"One of the best of the singer-songw - What Others Are Saying....

Singer-songwriter Rod MacDonald spent two decades living on MacDougal Street in the heart of Greenwich Village, within walking distance of the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan. That was one of my favorite places, he told me last fall, not long after the first anniversary of 9/11.  I used to go there sometimes, late at night, to sit on the plaza and watch the moon drift over the sky.  Since 1996, though, Rod has been living in Delray Beach, Florida, ironically the same town where 14 of the 19 hijackers lived prior to the tragic events.

It was in the late-1970s, when I'd pass through New York a couple of times a year, that I met Rod and first heard him perform his songs at clubs like Folk City and at the Songwriter's Exchange in the tiny Cornelia Street Cafe.  Then, as now, I was taken with Rod's expressive tenor, with his versatility on the guitar, alternately melodic and beautiful on live songs like The Coming of the Snow, or infectiously rhythmic on anthems like Song of My Brothers.  In particular, though, I was taken by his finely crafted songs and by his obvious dedication to the craft of songwriting.  I've been a fan of Rod's work ever since.

Just prior to the anniversary of 9/11, I heard My Neighbors in Delray,Rod's insightful attempt to understand what motivated the hijackers.  I thought it would be an opportune time to catch up with him, to talk about that song, some others, his life as a singer-songwriter, and the interesting twists and turns of life that brought him to where he is today.

As a songwriter, Rod has continued to turn out a formidable body of work that includes a number of challenging, questioning topical songs.  Among them, Who Built the Bomb (That Blew Oklahoma City Down from his 1997 album And Then He Woke Up, and My Neighbors in Delray, from the newly released Recognition*, stand out.

Says Rod)As a songwriter, I consider it part of my job to try and help people understand why people would do these crazy things.  Maybe we can avoid it next time if we actually saw these things happening again.  The historical backdrop of what went into the Oklahoma bombing was more illuminating than the bombing itself.

A similar process led to Rod's writing My Neighbors in Delray. Like almost everyone else, Rod was shocked and disheartened by the events of 9/11.  When he was ready to write about it, he saw that certain questions were not being asked.  (Says Rod) I was more interested in the fact that these guys were willing to give their lives for this.  I had to ask why would these guys do what they did?  These were not silly people.  They were deadly serious.  I don't believe that they were insane.  They were very aware of what they were doing.  Why would they be willing to do this?  Until we understand this, I don't think we'll make any headway in this war on terrorism.  We'll just fire a lot of bullets and kill a lot of people.

Recognition) is an eclectic set that, in addition to My Neighbors in Delray,includes a strong mix of love songs and social commentary.  One of the most interesting of the latter is The Man Who Dropped the Bomb on Hiroshima, a song that Rod based on an interview he did for Newsweek in 1970 with Thomas Ferrebee, the Enola Gay's bombardier.  

(Says Rod) I read his obituary when he died a couple of years ago and he didn't seem like the guy I interviewed.  So I decided to write my own obit, but I took great pains to keep it in his own words.

Rod MacDonald's life has taken some unusual twists and turns to get where he is today.  From forsaking a career in law for the life of an artist, to leaving New York City after so many years for a very different lifestyle in Florida.  In the quarter century that has passed since I first encountered Rod and his songs, he has continued to write challenging and ultimately important songs.  And I continue to be a big fan.

*Released in May 2003 by Wind River Records, Recognition made FOLK DJ's Top list in June, July & August 2003 of most played CDs.  Available at www.rodmacdonald.net, and www.folkera.com/windriver, Ph:  877-365-5372.  Also available in Europe through Brambus Records at www.brambus.com. - Mike Regenstreif

The man's nose for truth, tempered by a degree in law and time spent in Washington D.C., abetted by a supersonic bull.... barometer, is daunting.  Finding oneself skewered by a poet's wit, in word or in song is not the worst fate, but it might tend to be a little uncomfortable.  The upside, however, might be the humorous nature of the laserlike exposure.  Rod's most recent CD release, Into The Blue(1999), .... reminds us that he's still making important, intelligent, stirring music. Into The Blue is suffused throughout with his reverence for life and the preservation of the earth's gifts.  He continues to ponder the inconsistencies of our rationality as a species with the cutting lyricismn that only a brilliant poet/writer can possess.

The entire article can be viewed at http://acousticlive.com/apr.3.feat.htm - Arthur Wood & Richard Cuccaro

There's little that folk music legend Rod MacDonald hasn't done in his 30-year music career. Having a No. 1 song on the charts and playing Brandon are on the list.

But after a gig last Thursday night, all he's got left to worry about is crafting the perfect hit song.

Though MacDonald plays Tampa about once a year, it was the first time he'd ever performed in Brandon when he ventured to the Brandon Regional Library January 6.

In an event sponsored by the Friends of the Library, MacDonald played such tunes as, "A Sailor's Prayer" and others from his new album, "A Tale of Two Americas." Not surprisingly, his powerfully yielded performance captivated the Brandon crowd, his music showing a hypnotic quality while his lyrics and voice painted serene (and at times troubling) pictures of love, life in Florida, aterror, God and understanding.

Not only did he ask those in attendance to come physically closer as he performed an honest set that lasted more than 100 minutes, but he also drew his fans in by performing without amplification. His work on the guitar charmed and his harmonica seemed to call concert-goers closer metaphorically to the campfire that all good story-tellers need to be successful.

Though he's stayed out of the commercial mainstream, MacDonald has released nine albums and has played throughout the world.

He's considered by many to be one of the preeminent folk musicians of his time, rivaling the likes of Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. In fact, he once worked with the same producer who signed both those artists to Capitol Records in the 1960s. Something in his physical demeanor, and in the way he talks about his music and the folk scene, belies the commercial pomp and circumstance. He carefully guided spectators through his world of music while acting as a friend someone might have known for years.

A former freelance journalist and law school graduate, McDonald gave it all up 30 years ago to follow his more creative impulses. Over the decades he has carved out a fairly distinguished career for himself as a singer and songwriter.

"I think the job of folk singers is to get under the skin of society," he said. "To address people's real concerns and be an advocate for truth in society."

Inasmuch as that role is concdrned, he said that deep inside he feels the importance of his position as a songwriter. For him, it has become a quest of believing in life and achieving the greatest level of awareness possible throughout life's journey.

His music has been a series of travels, which began shortly after he finished school. He packed his guitar and hit the road, thumbing his way around the country for a couple of years before making his way to New York City to seriously focus on his music.

"I wanted to be a real folk singer," he said, and that meant getting out on the road, witnessing other's lives in different situations. Eventually he settled in New York's Greenwich Village, where he studied music with his contemporaries and connected with the folk movement there.

"I went to New York to get to the heart of the scene," he said.

He went on to co-found the Greenwich Village Folk Festival and is still involved in its operation.

What he learned in the Village he still takes with him, either at home in Delray Beach or on the road for shows.

He lived in New York City for about 20 years prior to relocating to Florida in the mid-90s with his wife, Nicole, to care for his ailing parents.

MacDonald maintains an aggressive touring schedule, making it to New York City at least once a year. Last week he also was a guest on radio station WMNF 88.5's Morning Show and played the Octagon Arts Center at the Unitarian Universalists of Clearwater.

MacDonald continues to write and create music, although he's a sporadic write, letting his ideas kicks around his head for a while before penning the words to paper. Additionally, he is preparing a lecture series, "Folk Singing in Modern Times," which will begin January 17 (2006) as part of the Lifelong Learning program in Boca Raton, Jupiter and Vero Beach.

He also teaches songwriting. He was a fnalist in the 2003 USA SOngwriting COmpetition.

"With songwriting, I tell everybody that they have to make songwriting a part of their lives. If you've got something to say, you've got to say it," he said.

Brandon's senior librarian Jim Graves said he sought MacDonald because of his dedication to folk music and his talent as an artist. "He's an excellent songwriter, has a great voice and his music is very topical." - The Brandon News/The Tampa Tribune by Scott E. Rupp

"A new Rod MacDonald recording is always an event to anticipate and savour....."

The American release of Rod MacDonald's "A Tale of Two Americas" on Wind River Records contains eighteen songs - sixteen MacDonald originals (including a previousl unheard pair from 20 years ago), one co-write, and a cover of an early Bob Dylan tune - while the Swiss Brambus Records version has one cut fewer. Both discs contain enhanced media, as well as links to a number of Rod MacDonald associated websites.

The opening cut, "Ray & Ron", recalls two Americans who recently died in the same week. Ray Charles passed at the age of 73 on June 11 last year, while President ROnald Reagan left from his mortal coil six days earlier, albeit with a two-decade head start over "The Genius." Across five verses, featuring the positives and negatives of both lives (and including the consistently silly public statements made by one in particular), MacDonald closes with the consensus that Ron should have the common sense (nay, the magnanimity) to suggest that "Ray had so much soul it filled him to the brium, instead of naming all this stuff after me they oughta name it after him."

Yeah, right! MacDonald's 2002 studio collection, "Recognition" featured a pair of songs that referenced 9/11, namely, "My Neighbors in Delray" and "For The Good Of America." Between then and now, America has undertaken bloody, body-counting excursions in Afghanistan and Iraq and in "Terror" Rod delivers reflections upon those events and their repercussions back in the homeland - "Using fear for advantage you're doing more damage than even your enemy does." Later in this set, and drawn from the same well of inspiration, there's "Beloved Enemy" - which can be summed up by "if we didn't have any enemies, we'd sure as hell invent them (merely for the profit they bring)," while Rod opens verse two of "Sacrifice" with "Ah but those who say you have to go and fight/Never send their own to battle," and later "As long as there's enough poverty/there'll be volunteers for the military/While the ones who run the show sit back and watch their millions grow."

While not averse to penning love songs, MacDonald's lyrical approach has consistently been one that reflects upon a broad spectrum of social issues at home and abroad. Track two, "Missing," is inspired by the photographs of runaways that are displayed Stateside on milk cartons (and on posters in supermarkets and featured in public service commercials). This single issue remains an ill in modern American society that simply won't go away, and around one million missing child cases are filed annually.

"The Governator" is a tongue-in-cheek tribute to the current Austrian-born Governor of California, and that rib-tickling vein also threads its way through the "what if this world was a much fairerplace to live in" scenario painted n "Smoke."

Social issues apart, MacDonald is also adept at delivering an engaging lyric based upon his own personal experiences. His 1999 songs collection "Into The Blue" contained material inspired by his then-recent relocation from New York City to the sunny shores of Florida. Here, "I'm Your Dad" - "hello there little girl, welcome to the world" - finds Rod reflecting with heartfelt affection upon the recent arrival of a small female person in his and his wife's life, while "The Lucky Ones" spotlights the hardships and the blessings that are integral parts of life, during the annual hurricane season down on the Gulf. The spiritually slanted "Here I Stand " - "for just another man am I who stands here pressed against this sky/Raising his voice on high to you out there" - is the oldest MacDonald composition here and dates from 1981 and is followed by the self-explanatory title "True Love" from 1985.

Charles Dickens opened his 1859 novel, "A Tale of Two Cities" with the words "it was the best of times, it was the worst of times" and MacDonald employs that sentence as the foundation of the "A Tale of Two Americas" chorus - subjectively the song is an early 21st century snapshot of life in his beloved homeland, and features the war-mongering billionaire minority as well as the hard-pressed masses who are barely getting by., The penultimate cut, "I Am Bob Dylan", is a tongue-in-cheek number based around the premise of mistaken identity...

A new Rod MacDonald recording is always an event to anticipate and savour, since you know that his lyrics will challenge your perceptions regarding recent historic occurrences, even shared events in ones everyday life, and he consistently brings clarity to those issues. That his songs are always leavened with thought provoking homesty seems to me to be a fair synopsis of his skill as a lyricist - think of a subtle version of Phil Ochs, if you've never heard a Rod MacDonald song. In terms of aural execution "A Tale of Two Americas" is a stripped-down affair - wholly acoustic - on which Rod's voice and guitar are supported by the bass of - Arthur Wood, Founding Editor

There's little that folk music legend Rod MacDonald hasn't done in his 30-year music career. Having a No. 1 song on the charts and playing Brandon are on the list.

But after a gig last Thursday night, all he's got left to worry about is crafting the perfect hit song.

Though MacDonald plays Tampa about once a year, it was the first time he'd ever performed in Brandon when he ventured to the Brandon Regional Library January 6.

In an event sponsored by the Friends of the Library, MacDonald played such tunes as, "A Sailor's Prayer" and others from his new album, "A Tale of Two Americas." Not surprisingly, his powerfully yielded performance captivated the Brandon crowd, his music showing a hypnotic quality while his lyrics and voice painted serene (and at times troubling) pictures of love, life in Florida, aterror, God and understanding.

Not only did he ask those in attendance to come physically closer as he performed an honest set that lasted more than 100 minutes, but he also drew his fans in by performing without amplification. His work on the guitar charmed and his harmonica seemed to call concert-goers closer metaphorically to the campfire that all good story-tellers need to be successful.

Though he's stayed out of the commercial mainstream, MacDonald has released nine albums and has played throughout the world.

He's considered by many to be one of the preeminent folk musicians of his time, rivaling the likes of Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. In fact, he once worked with the same producer who signed both those artists to Capitol Records in the 1960s. Something in his physical demeanor, and in the way he talks about his music and the folk scene, belies the commercial pomp and circumstance. He carefully guided spectators through his world of music while acting as a friend someone might have known for years.

A former freelance journalist and law school graduate, McDonald gave it all up 30 years ago to follow his more creative impulses. Over the decades he has carved out a fairly distinguished career for himself as a singer and songwriter.

"I think the job of folk singers is to get under the skin of society," he said. "To address people's real concerns and be an advocate for truth in society."

Inasmuch as that role is concdrned, he said that deep inside he feels the importance of his position as a songwriter. For him, it has become a quest of believing in life and achieving the greatest level of awareness possible throughout life's journey.

His music has been a series of travels, which began shortly after he finished school. He packed his guitar and hit the road, thumbing his way around the country for a couple of years before making his way to New York City to seriously focus on his music.

"I wanted to be a real folk singer," he said, and that meant getting out on the road, witnessing other's lives in different situations. Eventually he settled in New York's Greenwich Village, where he studied music with his contemporaries and connected with the folk movement there.

"I went to New York to get to the heart of the scene," he said.

He went on to co-found the Greenwich Village Folk Festival and is still involved in its operation.

What he learned in the Village he still takes with him, either at home in Delray Beach or on the road for shows.

He lived in New York City for about 20 years prior to relocating to Florida in the mid-90s with his wife, Nicole, to care for his ailing parents.

MacDonald maintains an aggressive touring schedule, making it to New York City at least once a year. Last week he also was a guest on radio station WMNF 88.5's Morning Show and played the Octagon Arts Center at the Unitarian Universalists of Clearwater.

MacDonald continues to write and create music, although he's a sporadic write, letting his ideas kicks around his head for a while before penning the words to paper. Additionally, he is preparing a lecture series, "Folk Singing in Modern Times," which will begin January 17 (2006) as part of the Lifelong Learning program in Boca Raton, Jupiter and Vero Beach.

He also teaches songwriting. He was a fnalist in the 2003 USA SOngwriting COmpetition.

"With songwriting, I tell everybody that they have to make songwriting a part of their lives. If you've got something to say, you've got to say it," he said.

Brandon's senior librarian Jim Graves said he sought MacDonald because of his dedication to folk music and his talent as an artist. "He's an excellent songwriter, has a great voice and his music is very topical." - The Brandon News/The Tampa Tribune by Scott E. Rupp

ROD MACDONALD
"A Tale of Two Americas"
Wind River WR4034CD (2005)

"Recognition"
Wind River WR4028CD (2003)

Columbia Law School graduate turned singer/songwriter Rod MacDonald continues to masterfully observe and write about the world around him. While many of his songs deal with political or social issues, others reflect more personal, sometimes romantic, views. Despite relocating from New York's Greenwich Village, where he staked his early claim as a member of the Fast Folk Music Cooperative, to Delray Beach, Florida, MacDonald has maintained a dual edge to his songwriting.

On "Recognition", he provokes thought with "The Man Who Dropped the Bomb on Hiroshima" and the haunting "My Neighbors in Delray", about the terrorists who flew into the World Trade Center. But he balances the tension with a heartfelt love song ("You Who Sleep Beside Me"), an optimistic folk-rocker ("We Got It Good and That Ain't Bad"), and a rib-tickling baseball ballad ("Mojo and the St. Louis Flukes"), written to the tune of "St. James' Infirmary."

Sparser and more intimate than MacDonald's earlier, full-acoustic band recordings, "A Tale of Two Americas" continues to focus on the coexistence of parallel worlds. The opening track "Ray & Ron", contrasts the late Ray Charles and Ronald Reagan, while the title track bemoans the splintering of the United States by the religious right and militaristic interests. "The Governator" pokes fun at Arnold Schwarzenegger, asking how hard could balancing a budget be after saving the world from aliens in his latest flick? "Smoke" laughs at those cigarette smokers who go outside a club to smoke while missing once-in-a-lifetime events indoors. A more touching side is revealed in "The Lucky Ones," about surviving South Florida's 2004 hurricanes; "Missing," which was inspired by seeing photos of missing children on milk cartons; and "I'm Your Dad," written by MacDonald in December 2004 for his then newborn daughter. - Dirty Linen April/May 2006 by Craig Harris

ROD MACDONALD
"A Tale of Two Americas"
Wind River WR4034CD (2005)

"Recognition"
Wind River WR4028CD (2003)

Columbia Law School graduate turned singer/songwriter Rod MacDonald continues to masterfully observe and write about the world around him. While many of his songs deal with political or social issues, others reflect more personal, sometimes romantic, views. Despite relocating from New York's Greenwich Village, where he staked his early claim as a member of the Fast Folk Music Cooperative, to Delray Beach, Florida, MacDonald has maintained a dual edge to his songwriting.

On "Recognition", he provokes thought with "The Man Who Dropped the Bomb on Hiroshima" and the haunting "My Neighbors in Delray", about the terrorists who flew into the World Trade Center. But he balances the tension with a heartfelt love song ("You Who Sleep Beside Me"), an optimistic folk-rocker ("We Got It Good and That Ain't Bad"), and a rib-tickling baseball ballad ("Mojo and the St. Louis Flukes"), written to the tune of "St. James' Infirmary."

Sparser and more intimate than MacDonald's earlier, full-acoustic band recordings, "A Tale of Two Americas" continues to focus on the coexistence of parallel worlds. The opening track "Ray & Ron", contrasts the late Ray Charles and Ronald Reagan, while the title track bemoans the splintering of the United States by the religious right and militaristic interests. "The Governator" pokes fun at Arnold Schwarzenegger, asking how hard could balancing a budget be after saving the world from aliens in his latest flick? "Smoke" laughs at those cigarette smokers who go outside a club to smoke while missing once-in-a-lifetime events indoors. A more touching side is revealed in "The Lucky Ones," about surviving South Florida's 2004 hurricanes; "Missing," which was inspired by seeing photos of missing children on milk cartons; and "I'm Your Dad," written by MacDonald in December 2004 for his then newborn daughter. - Dirty Linen April/May 2006 by Craig Harris

"Why can't I write a simple song?" Rod MacDonald laughed with the question he posed during his set last week at Frederick's West Side Cafe'.
MacDonald writes real stories about interesting people; and real people are never simple. So it seems he's fated to keep writing complicated songs. OK by me.

MacDonald has an easy smile and a casual way about him that make his performance a friendly conversation with the audience. His voice is inviting and those songs paint vibrant pictures, drawing folks right into them. Like the one inspired by, but not quite about, two shopkeepers in his former New York neighborhood, one from Tel Aviv and one from Beirut. Their daily lunch was punctuated with vehement arguments, but always ended with, "I'll see you tomorrow."

Between songs, MacDonald chats about stuf, but not necessarily about issues that concern him. Those concerns surface in his songs and he doesn't shy away from difficult topics. His conscience is social - and personal. "Terror Is A Very Magic Word" repeats when he sings about using fear to manipulate people. "Stop The War" seems simple enough, but turns introspective with the words "within yourself." He sings about love, relationships and his Scottish roots, the death penalty and people's unexpected roles in history. About being a dad. And about art, of all things.

In "Dr. Gachet," MacDonald recounts the tale of one of Van Gogh's last paintings, a portrait of said doctor that, like most of Van Gogh's works, didn't sell in his lifetime. He traces the painting's provenance from family to collector to dealer to businessman to sterilized vault and wryly notes that Dr. Gachet has traveled much more widely than the artist himself.

With bemused eyes, he sings how the "painting Van Gogh couldn't sell has become too valuable for anyone to ever see again." It is a wickedly tongue in cheek look at not only the art world, but our cockeyed, celebritized society that keeps art apart from the very people who make it complete. Words cavort, working with unexpected timing and a fast paced tune that'll keep you humming, and thinking, long after it is over. The song is a masterpiece.

"It's as much out of curiosity that you write a song as out of knowledge," MacDonald says, startled at where that curiosity has landed him. Those circuitous paths, combined with a guitar and vocal style ranging from bluesy to hard driving, from rants (his term) to lyrical poetrym, make an evening with Rod MacDonald something to savor.


- Carroll County MD Times-Encore 8/31/2006 by Pam Zappardino, Art Critic

"Why can't I write a simple song?" Rod MacDonald laughed with the question he posed during his set last week at Frederick's West Side Cafe'.
MacDonald writes real stories about interesting people; and real people are never simple. So it seems he's fated to keep writing complicated songs. OK by me.

MacDonald has an easy smile and a casual way about him that make his performance a friendly conversation with the audience. His voice is inviting and those songs paint vibrant pictures, drawing folks right into them. Like the one inspired by, but not quite about, two shopkeepers in his former New York neighborhood, one from Tel Aviv and one from Beirut. Their daily lunch was punctuated with vehement arguments, but always ended with, "I'll see you tomorrow."

Between songs, MacDonald chats about stuf, but not necessarily about issues that concern him. Those concerns surface in his songs and he doesn't shy away from difficult topics. His conscience is social - and personal. "Terror Is A Very Magic Word" repeats when he sings about using fear to manipulate people. "Stop The War" seems simple enough, but turns introspective with the words "within yourself." He sings about love, relationships and his Scottish roots, the death penalty and people's unexpected roles in history. About being a dad. And about art, of all things.

In "Dr. Gachet," MacDonald recounts the tale of one of Van Gogh's last paintings, a portrait of said doctor that, like most of Van Gogh's works, didn't sell in his lifetime. He traces the painting's provenance from family to collector to dealer to businessman to sterilized vault and wryly notes that Dr. Gachet has traveled much more widely than the artist himself.

With bemused eyes, he sings how the "painting Van Gogh couldn't sell has become too valuable for anyone to ever see again." It is a wickedly tongue in cheek look at not only the art world, but our cockeyed, celebritized society that keeps art apart from the very people who make it complete. Words cavort, working with unexpected timing and a fast paced tune that'll keep you humming, and thinking, long after it is over. The song is a masterpiece.

"It's as much out of curiosity that you write a song as out of knowledge," MacDonald says, startled at where that curiosity has landed him. Those circuitous paths, combined with a guitar and vocal style ranging from bluesy to hard driving, from rants (his term) to lyrical poetrym, make an evening with Rod MacDonald something to savor.


- Carroll County MD Times-Encore 8/31/2006 by Pam Zappardino, Art Critic

Rod MacDonald doesn't really look - or sound - like Bob Dylan. But apparently there's more than a few people in the world who see a similarity.

Mistaken for Dylan one too many times, MacDonald finally penned the song "I Am Bob Dylan" and included it on his latest album, 2005's "A Tale of Two Americas." The message beyond the true story is simply everybody is somebody.

A generation removed from the folk boom of the '50s and '60s, MacDonald was a major figure in the '80s folk renaissance in Greenwich Village, where he walked the same streets Dylan walked and played the same clubs Dylan played. MacDonald learned from Dylan, though he never met him, and the two do share certain characteristics, such as wild, frizzy hair and a knack for writing topical, political and sometimes controversial songs.

"I do admire Dylan's work," MacDonald said. "His writing has consistently seemed the most relevant to my own life. Early on I tried to emulate him musically and lyrically, but soon discovered my own style and singing oice."

As he does every year around this time, MacDonald will for a day lend his own voice to Dylan's music as an anchor of the 11th annual Tribute to Bob Dylan Festival at the Warwick Valley Winery in Warwick, N.Y., on Memorial Day. The festival runs May 24-26 and also features The Kennedys, Professor "Louie" & the Crowmatix, and Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams, plus lots of local talent.

This year's appearance is MacDonald's fifth time at the festival. Now a Florida resident, he plans a couple of other gigs while he is in the New York metropolitan area next week, and he will also do some work on a new CD, which is due to be released later this summer.

"I like it. I think it's always really fun," MacDonald said, about the Dylan Festival. "It's interesting to hear what other people are doing. Sometimes I recruit other bands to play with. You don't usually have the chance to do that."

If MacDonald discovered his own voice, apparently he never discovered his own look. "I have been asked 'Are you Bob Dylan' several times, especially on tour, where I often wear a black leather jacket and shades," he related. "The first time I remember was in upstate New York. I'd leaned my guitar against the wall while nursing a coffee in a turnpike rest stop, an was reading a review of Dylan's concert in the local newspaper - he had appeared in Rochester the previous night - when a man stepped up and asked me, 'Excuse me, my friends and I have a bet. Are you Bob Dylan?' I said, 'No, I'm not,' in my scratchy morning voice, and as the man stood there staring at me, I realized he thought I was lying."

Rod MacDonald grew up in Connecticut and loved music early on in his childhood. He attended the University of Virginia, then moved straight to New York City.

His background in law and journalism may explain, to some degree, his politics and his ability to musically ask tough questions. A Columbia Law School graduate, MacDonald was so drawn to music that he never practiced law. Instead, he became part of a burgeoning folk music revival in Greenwich Village, along with Suzanne Vega, Tom Chapin, John Gorka, Christine Oavin, Shawn Colvin and Dave Van Ronk, to name a few.

"I simply wanted to play my music, period, and did not want to undercut myself by wasting time on a profession I didn't want to pursue. But the education was valuable. It's probably improved my ability to understand events, which is a major part of my writing," he said.

He has released nine solo albums, and has performed at the top clubs and major international festivals. An award-winning songwriter, MacDonald now splits his time between performing and teaching songwriting workshops.

His "A Tale of Two Americas" CD, like all of his albums, is a diverse collection of intelligent songs that combine pleasing melodies and meaningful lyrics. His overall sound more closely resembles the late Phil Ochs - the most melodic protest singer ever - than Bob Dylan.

MacDonald sings about politics (Arnold Schwarzenegger), the love of a woman (his wife) and becoming a dad for the first time in his '50s (He and wife Nicole just welcomed a second child on March 3). The title track of "A Tale of Two Americas" is about the haves and have nots in a nation of plenty, a recurring theme in his work. MacDonald's signature song, "American Jerusalem" from his first album in 1983, contrasts rich and poor in New York City.

"I think of New York as the place in the world - in these times - where young people with a passion go to try and make their way. It's why I went to Greenwich Village. It's as a Biblical metaphor, I guess; it's not about contemporary Jerulasem or Israel," he said.

In 2003 on his "Recognition" album, MacDonald addressed the Sept. 11 attacks in an unusual way in his song "My Neighbors In Delray." MacDonald moved from New York to Delray Beach, Fla., in the mid-1990s to care for an ailing pa - Interview by Robert Price, New Jersey Herald

Rod MacDonald doesn't really look - or sound - like Bob Dylan. But apparently there's more than a few people in the world who see a similarity.

Mistaken for Dylan one too many times, MacDonald finally penned the song "I Am Bob Dylan" and included it on his latest album, 2005's "A Tale of Two Americas." The message beyond the true story is simply everybody is somebody.

A generation removed from the folk boom of the '50s and '60s, MacDonald was a major figure in the '80s folk renaissance in Greenwich Village, where he walked the same streets Dylan walked and played the same clubs Dylan played. MacDonald learned from Dylan, though he never met him, and the two do share certain characteristics, such as wild, frizzy hair and a knack for writing topical, political and sometimes controversial songs.

"I do admire Dylan's work," MacDonald said. "His writing has consistently seemed the most relevant to my own life. Early on I tried to emulate him musically and lyrically, but soon discovered my own style and singing oice."

As he does every year around this time, MacDonald will for a day lend his own voice to Dylan's music as an anchor of the 11th annual Tribute to Bob Dylan Festival at the Warwick Valley Winery in Warwick, N.Y., on Memorial Day. The festival runs May 24-26 and also features The Kennedys, Professor "Louie" & the Crowmatix, and Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams, plus lots of local talent.

This year's appearance is MacDonald's fifth time at the festival. Now a Florida resident, he plans a couple of other gigs while he is in the New York metropolitan area next week, and he will also do some work on a new CD, which is due to be released later this summer.

"I like it. I think it's always really fun," MacDonald said, about the Dylan Festival. "It's interesting to hear what other people are doing. Sometimes I recruit other bands to play with. You don't usually have the chance to do that."

If MacDonald discovered his own voice, apparently he never discovered his own look. "I have been asked 'Are you Bob Dylan' several times, especially on tour, where I often wear a black leather jacket and shades," he related. "The first time I remember was in upstate New York. I'd leaned my guitar against the wall while nursing a coffee in a turnpike rest stop, an was reading a review of Dylan's concert in the local newspaper - he had appeared in Rochester the previous night - when a man stepped up and asked me, 'Excuse me, my friends and I have a bet. Are you Bob Dylan?' I said, 'No, I'm not,' in my scratchy morning voice, and as the man stood there staring at me, I realized he thought I was lying."

Rod MacDonald grew up in Connecticut and loved music early on in his childhood. He attended the University of Virginia, then moved straight to New York City.

His background in law and journalism may explain, to some degree, his politics and his ability to musically ask tough questions. A Columbia Law School graduate, MacDonald was so drawn to music that he never practiced law. Instead, he became part of a burgeoning folk music revival in Greenwich Village, along with Suzanne Vega, Tom Chapin, John Gorka, Christine Oavin, Shawn Colvin and Dave Van Ronk, to name a few.

"I simply wanted to play my music, period, and did not want to undercut myself by wasting time on a profession I didn't want to pursue. But the education was valuable. It's probably improved my ability to understand events, which is a major part of my writing," he said.

He has released nine solo albums, and has performed at the top clubs and major international festivals. An award-winning songwriter, MacDonald now splits his time between performing and teaching songwriting workshops.

His "A Tale of Two Americas" CD, like all of his albums, is a diverse collection of intelligent songs that combine pleasing melodies and meaningful lyrics. His overall sound more closely resembles the late Phil Ochs - the most melodic protest singer ever - than Bob Dylan.

MacDonald sings about politics (Arnold Schwarzenegger), the love of a woman (his wife) and becoming a dad for the first time in his '50s (He and wife Nicole just welcomed a second child on March 3). The title track of "A Tale of Two Americas" is about the haves and have nots in a nation of plenty, a recurring theme in his work. MacDonald's signature song, "American Jerusalem" from his first album in 1983, contrasts rich and poor in New York City.

"I think of New York as the place in the world - in these times - where young people with a passion go to try and make their way. It's why I went to Greenwich Village. It's as a Biblical metaphor, I guess; it's not about contemporary Jerulasem or Israel," he said.

In 2003 on his "Recognition" album, MacDonald addressed the Sept. 11 attacks in an unusual way in his song "My Neighbors In Delray." MacDonald moved from New York to Delray Beach, Fla., in the mid-1990s to care for an ailing pa - Interview by Robert Price, New Jersey Herald