Photos by Cris DeWitt
Mack, Jack & McConaughey (MJ&M), the joint fundraising effort of Academy Award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey, ACM Award-winning recording artist Jack Ingram, and ESPN analyst and Texas coaching legend Mack Brown hosted Patty Griffin, Butch Walker, and John Fullbright, who performed at the Jack Ingram & Friends concert on Friday, April 13, 2018, at Austin City Limits (ACL) Live at The Moody Theater.
Patty Griffin, a Grammy Award-winning artist who has achieved great acclaim for her powerful voice and songwriting, headlines Jack & Friends. Her first two albums, Living with Ghosts and Flaming Red, are considered seminal albums in the singer-songwriter genre, and Children Running Through won Best Album and led to her being named Best Artist at the 2007 Americana Music Honors & Awards. She also won a Grammy for Downtown Church, her 2010 gospel album. Her songs have been covered by a myriad of artists, including Emmylou Harris, The Dixie Chicks, Joan Baez, and Bette Midler. She was born in Old Town, Maine, and resides in Austin, Texas.
An American singer-songwriter and producer known for his rock background, Butch Walker will follow Griffin’s headlining performance. His most recent album, Stay Gold, is Walker’s eighth full-length studio album since launching his solo career in 2004. He has established himself as an in-demand producer, working alongside such artists as Taylor Swift, Pink, Katy Perry, and Avril Lavigne, in addition to being named Rolling Stone’s “Producer of the Year” in 2005.
John Fullbright, whose first studio album, From the Ground Up, received a Grammy nomination in 2012 for Best Americana Album, and several other talented musicians are also included in this year’s Jack & Friends lineup.
Mack, Jack & McConaughey hold the event dear to their hearts, and all are dedicated to helping younger generations grow in their communities. The event will benefit organizations dedicated to children’s education, health, and wellness, including CureDuchenne, Dell Children’s Medical Center, HeartGift, just keep livin Foundation, and The Rise School of Austin.