Jimmy Mac and The Attack is a Pittsburgh based band playing high energy blues rock, blues, and classic rock and roll. Smokin’ guitar by Jim McCullough and killer harp courtesy of Clint Hoover. Rock solid rhythm section provided by Don Czaplicki on bass and Donnie McGuirk on drums.
This isn’t your everyday rock-n-roll band! Jimmy Mac and The Attack features new takes on old favorites, and specialize in digging up tunes that their listeners don’t hear everyday, and giving them a straight shot of adrenaline. Constantly adding to their repertoire keeps the performances fresh and exciting!
Jim McCullough- guitar, vocals
Jim has been playing guitar since he was 12 years old. He grew up listening to his brother’s classic rock collection, covering everything from the Beatles to Led Zeppelin. In the 70’s, he started his musical journey, learning all that he could from his guitar idols, including Hendrix, Page, Van Halen and many more. When the 80’s came, headed in a new direction and followed some of the virtuoso metal players from that decade. He also found the blues when he went into a little bar in Frederick, MD. He realized how much he loved this great genre of music, and has been his focus ever since. In 1998 he was asked to join some friends in a local successful band called The Businessmen. He then spent some time with some other friends in a local original experimental band, Rheme Cleo. Then in 2011, he joined regional supergroup, The Nied’s Hotel Band, who spent time playing major venues all over the western Pennsylvania area. His dream for the last 20 years was to form a blues, blues rock, rock-n-roll band, and in 2018 he did. He teamed up with Donnie McGuirk and Clint Hoover to form Jimmy Mac and The Attack.
Clint Hoover- harmonica, vocals
Clint hails from Minneapolis, MN where he was full time professional musician for decades and began playing the “harp” after seeing Muddy Waters perform at the MN State Fair. One of a rare breed of musicians, Clint mastered both the chromatic and diatonic harmonica. From modern jazz to pre-war blues, Clint has delved deep into the musical possibilities of the harmonica. Clint has lent his talents to movies, commercials,TV, radio, theater, instruction books and countless CD projects. His own albums received rave reviews internationally. He’s worked with such diverse artists as jazz guitar wizard and composer Reynold Philipsek, folk blues legend Papa John Kolstad and Nashville songwriter Tom Mason. With a reputation for musical flexibility, he became a sought after studio session player. As a respected music educator, he was on the staff at Mpls Community and Technical College, McNally Smith College of Music,The West Bank School of Music and The Homestead School of Folk Music. In New York City, he attended the Parsons/New School Jazz and Contemporary Music Program and studied with classical harmonica virtuoso Robert Bonfiglio. Clint’s work has earned him a place in the Encyclopedia of the Harmonica.
Donnie McGuirk- drums, percussion, vocals
Drummer/Singer Donnie McGuirk has been performing since he was twelve years old. His father, Jack McGuirk, was playing trumpet with a Big Band on WMCK radio. They let him sit in one night and he was hooked. In high school he met Jim Lawson, and they started a Motown, Soul, RnB and Blues style band named The Hearts of Stone band. After college Donnie moved to Florida to form Americas Children and MAGI. He played played festivals with the then local Southern Rockers Lynrd Skynrd, Molly Hatchet and Marshal Tucker at festivals. His band also shared bills with Mitch Rider, Bob Segar, Buddie Miles, Billy Preston, Joe Cocker and many others. After returning to Pittsburgh, he played Funk and Disco in Pittsburgh and toured the Midwest, East Coast, and South, Puerto Rico, and the East coast. He then joined Pittsburgh's Jim Dogherty and Denny Takos’ UPFRONT band and soon found himself in Florida again. He met the great Bebop sax player Charlie Ventura and played some dates with him. While in Ft Lauderdale Don met his wife to be and moved back to Pittsburgh to raise a family. For the next twelve years Don worked with the James Lawson Blues Band around Pittsburgh and Sassy Blues. While earning another College degree in teaching, Donnie went back to his musical roots enjoying several years performing with his father. In 2017 he started Don E M's Bluebelt Band" and is now also playing with Jimmy Mac and the Attack.
Don Czaplicki- Bass, backing vocals
Don has been playing bass in bars, clubs, parties, and picnics since he was in high school. Mostly self taught, but got more serious after getting hired at Lomakin’s Music Store where he made acquaintances and studied with Joe Wallace, bassist with the Pittsburgh Symphony, and Dave LaRocca, great local jazzer. Played in road bands for 15 years, and then settled in Pittsburgh. Don got a 9-5 and continued playing locally 2-3 nights a week with two organized bands for 23 years. He’s spent the last 10 years freelancing with various bands and local musicians.