Mickey McGee, born William Michael McGee on October 25, 1947 in New Orleans, Louisiana spent his formative years in and around Phoenix, Arizona, playing drums in various rock bands and developing his craft to the point where he longed for newer and loftier challenges. While touring with the band Goose Creek Symphony, McGee met Linda Ronstadt, who would later remember him and serve as a major catalyst for his career. Chris Darrow of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band convinced McGee, together with bandmate and good friend Ed Black, to head west for Hollywood and join him on a solo project. McGee found his way to L.A. in the early '70s and quickly made his presence known in the local country-rock community, where he again attracted the attention of Ronstadt and record producer John Boylan. Boylan asked both McGee and Black to remain in L.A. and work for Ronstadt. Boylan's confidence in the abilities of McGee and Black were such that he invited the pair to play on Ronstadt's 1973 album Don't Cry Now, which went gold two years later. After the release of Don't Cry Now, McGee toured with Ronstadt, which gave rise to new relationships with other notables such as Jackson Browne; he played drums on For Everyman. What followed was a long but intermittent gig with the Flying Burrito Brothers that spanned a period from 1975 to 1981. As McGee's recording experience grew, so did his reputation as an experienced road warrior, making him the likeliest of candidates to assume the role of key sideman for the debuting RCA group Juice Newton Silver Spur. He agreed to be their drummer on a series of tours to promote their 1975 album of the same name, and was able to maintain his commitment to the Flying Burrito Brothers. Another side of McGee would be uncovered after the 1975-1976 Juice Newton tour ended, which was that of a songwriter. Along with collaborator Doug Haywood, McGee penned "Blue," to be recorded on the second Juice Newton Silver Spur album, After the Dust Settles, released in 1977. Two years later, Juice Newton would record McGee's composition "I'll Never Love Again" for the album Well Kept Secret, which was Newton's first album as a solo artist. "I'll Never Love Again" has since been covered by many other artists, and was also performed on network television. McGee, while remaining very active in music, yielded to the temptation to take on yet another new challenge by expanding his expertise to include work in the motion picture industry. Mickey McGee died on June 20, 2020 at the age of 72 due to complications from the COVID-19 virus. ~ Tom Kealey, Rovi