Jack McDonald

Who is Jack McDonald?

Jack McDonald is a Mexican-American musician best known for his collaborations with Cyril May. He has played guitar and co-written two albums with May, Off the Beaten Track and Travelin' On, and has also performed on The Great Australian Salute II.

Jack McDonald was born in Mexico to a Mexican mother and a Scots father. Jack and his brother got their start playing music at the family's "McDonald Restaurant" in San Blas, Mexico. May and McDonald began performing together in the early 1970s in California, blending May's traditional Australian style with McDonald's Latin music roots. According to cyrilmaymsuic.com, McDonald "has become a guitar virtuoso, playing latin music to visiting Mexicans in local [Australian] restaurants. His incredible renditions of jazz and rock and roll are in constant demand by the tour boat trade."

The story of the duo is a somewhat odd one. Cyril May, born in Hellhole Creek, Australia, moved to Long Beach, California in the 1970s, where he met McDonald. Soon thereafter, and partly due to their collaboration, McDonald met an Australian woman named Cheryl, who would later become his wife. In 1975, the McDonalds moved to Australia, where they have lived ever since. Similarly, May continues to live in California, and the duo has done a vice-versa. They collaborate long distance, with Cyril recording his lyrics and music, and then sending it to Australia for Jack to add his musical arrangements.