Mackville
P.O. Box 364, Atwood, IL 61913
217-578-3868
Email: [email protected]
Meet Mackville!
We are Mackville — a bluegrass gospel band with a love for old-time picking, heartfelt singing, and telling the stories of life’s sorrows and triumphs through music. Our name comes from a once-small country community near Atwood, Illinois, and our sound is rooted in the rich traditions of bluegrass and the church hymns we all grew up on.
We’re a group of family and friends who feel more like family, and we bring that same sense of closeness to every performance. At a Mackville show, you can expect stories brought to life in song, family harmonies, relaxing instrumentals, and heartfelt bluegrass and gospel music that might leave you smiling, maybe a little misty-eyed—but always with a hopeful message at the end.
We’ve been blessed to share our music at churches, festivals, county fairs, and community gatherings across the region. No matter the stage, our mission is the same: to lift spirits, bring people together, and point hearts toward the hope and faith we all have in Christ — all while hoping we make you feel like part of the Mackville family.
From our hearts to yours — welcome to Mackville.
Jeff Lee plays mandolin and and sings lead/harmony.
Gary Schlabach plays guitar and sings tenor/harmony.
Larry Schlabach plays fiddle and sings baritone/lead.
Lori Schlabach sings lead/harmony.
Mike Waddell plays banjo and sings bass.
Terry Schlabach plays upright bass and sings lead/harmony.
Pam Waddell, Mike's wife, takes care of our sound, merchandising, and many behind the scenes tasks.
Amy Lee, Jeff's wife, takes care of promotions, bookings and website design.
We have released four CD's, Just As The Sun Went Down, Long Journey, and Last Old Shovel and Sunshine and Rain and are available for purchase under the Our Music tab or we always have them at our shows.
The LORD is my strength and my song. Exodus 15:2
We’re a group of family and friends who feel more like family, and we bring that same sense of closeness to every performance. At a Mackville show, you can expect stories brought to life in song, family harmonies, relaxing instrumentals, and heartfelt bluegrass and gospel music that might leave you smiling, maybe a little misty-eyed—but always with a hopeful message at the end.
We’ve been blessed to share our music at churches, festivals, county fairs, and community gatherings across the region. No matter the stage, our mission is the same: to lift spirits, bring people together, and point hearts toward the hope and faith we all have in Christ — all while hoping we make you feel like part of the Mackville family.
From our hearts to yours — welcome to Mackville.
Jeff Lee plays mandolin and and sings lead/harmony.
Gary Schlabach plays guitar and sings tenor/harmony.
Larry Schlabach plays fiddle and sings baritone/lead.
Lori Schlabach sings lead/harmony.
Mike Waddell plays banjo and sings bass.
Terry Schlabach plays upright bass and sings lead/harmony.
Pam Waddell, Mike's wife, takes care of our sound, merchandising, and many behind the scenes tasks.
Amy Lee, Jeff's wife, takes care of promotions, bookings and website design.
We have released four CD's, Just As The Sun Went Down, Long Journey, and Last Old Shovel and Sunshine and Rain and are available for purchase under the Our Music tab or we always have them at our shows.
The LORD is my strength and my song. Exodus 15:2
Mackville @ The Great Pumpkin Patch - Ring The Bell
Mackville at Homesteaders Antique Show, Arthur, IL - Little Bird of Heaven
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How we chose the band name Mackville
Mackville, Illinois, was once a small but thriving community founded in the 19th century. Located about two miles north of the expanding railroad in 1872, the town found itself at a crossroads as the railroad pushed westward. By 1873, many of Mackville’s buildings were physically moved south to the nearby town of Atwood to be closer to the railroad — a vital lifeline for business and survival. The name Mackville is believed to have been coined by railroad conductors, who referred to the area as “the woods,” due to the dense forests that once surrounded the settlement. Interestingly, Atwood was nearly named “Lick Skillet,” a quirky local anecdote that references an older woman who supposedly allowed her dogs to lick her cooking skillet. Today, only a cemetery and the remnants of a concrete step from the Mackville church remain as silent markers of the town’s existence. Our band chose the name Mackville as a tribute to this lost community, which lives on in memory and history. Though the town itself has faded, its legacy endures through us, rooted in the same region where many of us still call home. |
10 Year Anniversary Celebration
February 10th, 2018 @ Penn Station, Arthur, IL
We want to thank everyone for coming out to our 10 Year Anniversary Party. We had over 200 people in attendance despite the icy weather conditions. It was a great fun, and we thank you all for all your kind words and well wishes. Below is a video we made showing 10 years together!
Check out our Ten Year video below which shares ten years of photos and music