Lindsay Mac is proof that when you have a song in your heart, you just can’t help but sing it. Trained as a cellist from an early age, she turned her back on the conservatories to walk the path of the singer-songwriter. But where most would trade in their classical instrument for a six-string, Lindsay […]
By Justin Shatwell
Apr 17 2009
Lindsay Mac is proof that when you have a song in your heart, you just can’t help but sing it. Trained as a cellist from an early age, she turned her back on the conservatories to walk the path of the singer-songwriter.
But where most would trade in their classical instrument for a six-string, Lindsay decided she could have the best of both worlds. Now when she climbs on stage to share her folky pop ballads, she does so with her cello strapped over her shoulder like a guitar, and she plucks out the melodies with her fingers.With a gypsy smile and what we can only assume is a sore back, Lindsay Mac coaxes a surprising amount of flexibility from her bulky instrument. Sometimes frantic, sometimes soothing, her melodies are always accompanied by all-too-human lyrics, with just enough of a hook in the chorus to get them stuck in your head for days.
With two acclaimed albums under her belt, this vagabond cellist’s star is rising fast, garnering comparisons to acts like Leslie Feist and Ray LaMontagne. She’ll soon outgrow her Boston-based circuit, so catch her while you can and get a glimpse of what can turn out so wonderfully right from a classical education gone bad.For audio tracks and a performance schedule, go to: lindsaymac.com
Justin Shatwell is a longtime contributor to Yankee Magazine whose work explores the unique history, culture, and art that sets New England apart from the rest of the world. His article, The Memory Keeper (March/April 2011 issue), was named a finalist for profile of the year by the City and Regional Magazine Association.
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