Johnny MacRae

{{Short description|American music composer}}

Johnny MacRae (February 15, 1929—July 3, 2013), born Fred A. MacRae, nicknamed "Dog"{{cite web|last1=Oermann|first1=Robert K.|title=Life Notes: Bob Beckham Passes (photo caption)|url=https://musicrow.com/2013/11/lifenotes-bob-beckham-passes/|website=musicrow.com|publisher=MusicRow|accessdate=April 16, 2018|date=November 11, 2013}} was an American country music composer credited with 235 songs{{cite web|title=Johnny MacRae/Credits|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/johnny-macrae-mn0000243170/credits|website=allmusic.com|accessdate=April 9, 2018}} released by recording artists including Ray Charles, George Jones, and Reba McEntire.{{cite news|title=Loretta Lynn—Conway Twitty Waltz into Top Ten as Usual|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/112223838/?terms=%22Johnny+MacRae%22|accessdate=April 10, 2018|issue=103|publisher=Tennessean (Nashville)|date=July 19, 1981|volume = 76|page=59}} His best known songs include "You Can't Make a Heart Love Somebody" (George Strait), "Tonight the Heartache's on Me" (Dixie Chicks), "I'd Love to Lay You Down" (Conway Twitty), "I Still Believe in Waltzes" (Loretta Lynn & Conway Twitty), "When You Leave That Way You Can Never Go Back" (Confederate Railroad), "Goodbye Says It All" (Blackhawk), and "Living Proof" (Ricky Van Shelton).

MacRae was a native of Independence, Missouri. He began composing at age 30.{{cite news|title='One Night Fever' a Scorcher For Tillis, MacRae, and Morrison|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/111944637/?terms=%22Johnny+MacRae%22|accessdate=April 10, 2018|agency=Newspapers.com|issue=229|publisher=Tennessean|date=November 22, 1981|volume = 76|page=71}} He served in the U.S. Navy for 15 years and on his free time he wrote songs and fronted a rockabilly band.{{cite news|title=Doug Stone rolls up charts with release of first single|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/112492820/?terms=%22Johnny+MacRae%22|accessdate=April 10, 2018|agency=Newspapers.com|issue=43|publisher=Tennessean|date=June 10, 1990|volume = 5|page=43}} He moved to Nashville in 1963 and eventually became head of Screen Gems Music Publishing (Nashville office) from 1976 to 1984, then became vice president of Combine Music{{cite magazine|title=Combine Versatile|magazine=Billboard|date=December 14, 1974|volume=86 51|page=51|issn=0006-2510}} and later wrote for Chappell Music.{{cite news|title=Highway 101 rides another winner|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/112260293/?terms=%22Bob+Morrison%22|accessdate=April 10, 2018|publisher=The Tennessean (Nashville)|date=August 23, 1987|page=55}} In 2003, his song, "I'd Be Better Off (in a Pine Box)" was included in CMT's list of "100 Greatest Country Songs".{{cite web|last1=Tompkins|first1=Dave|title=CMT—100 Greatest Country Songs|url=https://www.cs.ubc.ca/~davet/music/list/Best7.html|website=cs.ubc.ca|publisher=Dave Tompkins:Music Database|accessdate=April 10, 2018}}{{cite book|title=CMT's 100 Greatest Country Songs Songbook|date=November 1, 2006|publisher=Hal Leonard|location=Milwaukee|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1TYSAQAAQBAJ&dq=I%27d+Be+Better+Off+%2B+CMT&pg=PT288|accessdate=April 10, 2018|isbn=9781458458209}}