Getting into the rhythm with Macy
By Lindsay Sauvageau JOURNAL CORRESPONDENT

Westminster resident Ken Macy plays guitar at Acoustics Under the Stars, a summer concert series at Lido's in Leominster. COURTESY PHOTO

He's a small town boy with rhythm in his soul.

For over five years now, Westminster resident Ken Macy has been making his mark on the local music scene. A budding 24-yearold musician, Macy lends his talents to various local bands while performing solo acoustic shows throughout the year.

Macy brings to the area an interesting blend of cover material and originals with a flair for rhythm and blues.

"I've always loved music. Always. But when I was 13, I saw a guitar at Action Music, now City Music, and I decided right then I wanted to try it out and see where it goes," he said.

While his parents worked and his older sister took piano lessons, a young Macy began learning to play the guitar.

"I started playing the electric guitar initially and then after awhile it just intermingled and I was playing acoustic and electric," he said.

After three years of formal lessons and a few years studying with fellow musician Laurie Babineau, Macy set out on his own to begin playing professionally when he was 18.

Ken Macy's first CD (pictured above) Beginnings was produced 2002.

Macy performed with various local bands like the Andover Road Band, Metro and Solstice while figuring out on his own, what music moved him while performing solo.

"I really enjoyed rhythm and blues. I still do. It's something I feel when I play. I like playing music about people, telling other people's stories and rhythm and blues fits in well with that," he said.

In his solo acoustic shows, Macy plays both his original material as well as covers from his favorite artists. Macy said playing tunes by The Allman Brothers, Tom Petty, Van Morrison, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Duran Duran and Jack Johnson.

"I try to play what people like. I play probably five or six of my own songs during a gig, some- times more if people like them, but I like keeping people interested. Figuring out what people want to hear is part of the fun. I love playing the song 'Superstition.' I can usually gauge how an audience feels by how they react to that song. And I never play it the same way twice," he said.

He wrote, performed and released his first CD, "Beginnings" in 2002 followed a few years later by "What if…" in 2006.

"I'm proud of them both," he said. "They were more than I could have wanted. I'm more comfortable now with my singing and songwriting, but it was a good experience producing both."

Macy says he plays about 100 shows a year. Though he said he knows how to play the bass, with a little experience playing piano and drums, he's always found comfort in the guitar.

"My personality goes well with the guitar," he said. "I can make it scream when I'm angry or I can play something soft when I'm mellow. A guitar can let me express my emotions through tones and strings as well as my vocals can."

He stays local, playing at various restaurants, bars, colleges and clubs, but he has also played around the Boston area and even into Connecticut.

When he's not being inspired by his friends to create music, Macy enjoys slapping the puck around playing ice hockey.

"I've been skating and playing hockey since I was five. I can probably skate better than I can walk," he said. "I played for eight years growing up and it was actually when I quit playing that I got into music. That's when I found my first guitar."

Macy is currently working on a third CD to be released early next year and hopes to see his career continue to blossom.

"I heard a saying once, that was, 'never be afraid of [growing] slowly, be afraid of never moving at all' and that's exactly how I feel," he said.

To find out more check out myspace. com/kenmacy or see him live Friday, Nov. 30, at Hooligans, 29 Blossom St., Fitchburg at 10 p.m.