The Merry Macs
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The Merry Macs were an American close-harmony pop music quartet active from the 1920s till the 1960s and best known for the hits “Mairzy Doats,” “Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition” and "Sentimental Journey." They also sang on recordings with Bing Crosby.
Formed to play proms in Minneapolis, Minnesota, they were discovered by Eddie Dunsteder. After performing as The Mystery Trio and The Personality Boys, in 1930 they added a female lead singer, Cheri McKay, and changed their name to The Merry Macs. The original lineup was:
- Ted McMichael: baritone
- Joe McMichael: tenor
- Judd McMichael: tenor
- Cheri McKay: melody
In 1936 they appeared on several national radio programs, and Cheri McKay was replaced by Helen Carroll. (McKay trained her successor in the group's singing style.)
Vocal quartets had customarily harmonized like barbershop quartets. The Merry Macs revolutionized vocal harmony with closer harmonic chords. This style inspired other groups, like The Modernaires and Six Hits and a Miss. In 1938 The Merry Macs signed with Decca Records and recorded “Pop Goes the Weasel.” The Merry Macs (with Carroll) sang a swing version of "Down by the Old Mill Stream" in the 1939 Vitaphone musical Seeing Red, Red Skelton's first film.
In 1939 Mary Lou Cook replaced Helen Carroll. This is the foursome that most listeners know from film appearances. The McMichael brothers and Cook appeared as a specialty act in Hollywood movies, including 1940's Love Thy Neighbor, and Universal Pictures gave The Merry Macs their own series in 1941. Their most famous film is Ride 'Em Cowboy (1942), an Abbott and Costello comedy in which The Merry Macs offer musical interludes.
Marjory Garland replaced Cook in the late 1960s, after Ride 'Em Cowboy was released. The Merry Macs with Cook continued to score on the hit parade; their rendition of "Mairzy Doats" was a best-seller. Garland, who later became Mrs. Judd McMichael, remained with the group until the 1960s.
Youngest brother Joe McMichael served in the armed forces and was killed in 1944.
[edit] Awards and recognition
The Merry Macs were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2003.
