Press Kit
Photo by Cara Lindsay
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Bio:
"Born into the confines of Canyon Country, broken through in the Northwest’s emerging enclave, and currently carving out her own niche in Nashville, Mac Cornish embraces all the parts of her journey as she approaches her songwriting. Growing up surrounded by the Santa Cruz mountains, Cornish spent her youth under the canopy of the Redwoods and exploring the expanses of her grandfather’s cattle ranch in the North Bay. Early years found her drawn to the voices that had emanated from the Laurel Canyon legends, cementing a deep love for Linda Rondstadt, Joan Baez, and Gram Parsons. Though she’s boxed her belongings more than a few times in pursuit of country’s muse, her roots in the California mountains remain a constant part of her songs, tracing the ‘70s maturation of West Coast folk a into a proper patina of Americana. No matter how far she travels, there’s always a hint of the salt air, pine, and North Bay dirt in Mac’s songs, a coastline that she carries with her no matter where she goes.
Decamping to Portland rather than making a straight dash for Music City, Cornish quickly found herself ensconced in the city’s burgeoning country scene. While the Northwest isn’t always identified as a hub for the genre, those attuned to the underground know that there’s a groundswell of new voices taking shape under the cover of overcast skies. In rotation with a slew of other artists balancing day jobs with weekends on stage at the Landmark and the LaurelThirst, Cornish began work on her debut album, Never Made Much of a Lover. The record bundles the confessional approach of her Canyon Country North Stars with a deep well of personal turmoil; digging into death, family, pain, and the mounting pressures of societal expectations. Far from easy odes to late nights and bar lights, Lover positions Cornish as the kind of songwriter looking to stretch the sinews of the soul, wrestling with demons and dark corners, but packed with a catharsis that cleanses the listener.
The record’s release closed a door on her days in Portland, capping off her tenure with a sold out farewell at the LaurelThirst. The crowds spilling into the streets served as a stark contrast to her open-mic early days, sending her on her way towards Nashville with a full heart and a bittersweet smile. With the move to Tennessee, Cornish chases the spirit of country into one of the genre’s vital nerve centers. Already finding her place among the city’s transplants and session stalwarts, she shakes off her past without forgetting it. Immersed in the aura of the city, Mac brings a touch of introspection to Nashville’s vision of country, wrestling with the connotations of sobriety, serenity, and solace among the constant hum of stages that never settle.
As a parting gift from Portland, she cut one last song with her longtime Northwest band, choosing to cover Danny O’Keefe’s opus, “The Road,” made popular by another one of Mac’s California touchstones, Jackson Browne. The song, a lament to the pitfalls of touring life, began to resonate with Cornish over time, revealing more of its truth with each lap she made around the stage. The song is emblematic of Cornish’s own works, rooted in folk, but simmered in the sins and stains of country. The band gives the ‘70s staple a modern revision, retaining the cut’s sorrow while dressing it a kind of grace that separates it from the original. The cut serves as a bridge between her Northwest successes and those that lie ahead. The next chapter for Mac remains unwritten, but boundless, a California castaway bringing a little sea air to the sights and sounds of country’s beating heart."
-Andy French (Raven Sings the Blues)
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Press:
“Cornish has carved her own shrouded corner of folk and country. The record digs into death, family, pain, and on the excellent closer, societal expectations. The record’s a country Trojan horse, dressed in embroidery and fringe but cutting far deeper under the surface.” - Raven Sings The Blues
“Portland can kick a little honky-tonk, too, y’all. Mac Cornish comes down from the Northwest to keep the dance floor moving with her classic country sound from this year’s debut album, Never Made Much of a Lover, but it’s her slower ballads that truly stand out.” - Austin Chronicle
“...the album holds strong to her California roots, taking in influences from Cosmic Americana legends...that come together in a blend of warm Laurel Canyon folk and twangy ‘60s country." - Holler
"Inspired by cosmic country legends like Gram Parsons, Jackson Browne, and Linda Rondstandt, she brings a strong attention to the songwriting on her debut album..." - Saving Country Music
"Mac has raw, honest sounding vocals and her songwriting is so classic you’ll wonder at first if this was long lost material from 1960’s country vault." - Americana Highways
"A delightful throwback of a record that is a standout in a year full of delightful throwback records..." - Country Universe
"Cornish’s deep affection for Laurel Canyon is obvious in her painterly lyrics and earthy rasp, but the twang in her rich voice is as country as they come." - Adobe and Teardrops
"One of the many names to carry away and look forward to in the future was Mac Cornish and her band The Hens. Originally from San Francisco and now based in Portland, you could tell she is one of these souls that is born with the love of country and folk music" - Saving Country Music
Described as a “rising star” in a Willamette Week full page spread.
Mac has also been featured in the Spotify playlists of Western AF, Gems On VHS, Women of Americana, and AmericanaFest.
Debut Record
Never Made Much of a Lover
Out Now
The record includes 8 original songs where Mac grapples with her journey back to herself after getting sober, a brutal break up, and ultimately, self acceptance. The record holds strong to her California roots, with influences from Cosmic Americana legends like Gram Parsons, Jackson Browne, and Linda Ronstadt, but at the core of it is Mac's passion for songwriting. The album is a combination independent self release and vinyl release through Jackalope! Records, the same folks behind the music festival Jackalope Jamboree.
It was recorded at Singing Sands in Portland, OR. It was engineered by Kyle Cregan, mixed by Ryan Oxford and mastered by Amy Dragon.