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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZSCAGGS, Boz(b William Ross Scaggs, 8 June '44, OH) Blues/rock singer, tending to blue-eyed soul. Grew up in Texas, joined schoolmate Steve Miller's band the Marksmen as vocalist, joined him again in the Ardells at the U of Wisconsin in Madison, but quit, returned to Texas to play R&B with the Wigs '63. They relocated to Europe, broke up (remnants Bob Arthur, bass; John Andrews, guitar, became Mother Earth); he stayed on to tour as folksinger, made LP Boz in Stockholm '65 for Polydor. Returned to San Francisco to rejoin Miller, but quit after two LPs, now a more than competent songwriter/guitarist; one band couldn't hold them both. Boz Scaggs '69 appeared on Atlantic due to patronage of Rolling Stone editor Jann Wenner: Duane Allman's solo on lengthy 'Loan Me A Dime' was acclaimed, but Muscle Shoals sidemen played important parts. Switched to Columbia for Moments and Boz Scaggs And His Band, both prod. '72 by Glyn Johns, the former much more impressive. My Time '72 reintroduced Muscle Shoals sidemen alongside his band: drummer George Rains (ex-Mother Earth), bassist David Brown, Joachim Young on keyboards; Slow Dancer '74 was prod. by Motown's Johnny Bristol, showed heavy soul influence; Bristol's 'I Got Your Number' a perennial stage staple from this set. Silk Degrees '76 refined the approach, was a commercial apogee at no. 2 US LP chart; 'Lowdown', 'What Can I Say', 'Lido Shuffle' were all hits USA/UK, beautiful 'We're All Alone' was a hit for Rita Coolidge, who'd sung backing vocals on the first two CBS LPs. Smooth Down Two, Then Left '77 disappointed, but Middle Man '80 was back in top ten LPs, made singles chart USA with 'Breakdown Dead Ahead', 'Jojo', 'Miss Sun', 'Look What You've Done To Me'. Same year saw hits compilation and a contribution to Urban Cowboy soundtrack. He retired to raise two sons, one of those musicians who didn't need to do it if he didn't feel like it; came back with Some Change '94 (accent on his languid guitar playing), then Fade Into Light (a jamboree bag of new versions of best-known songs, available only in Japan), and Come On Home '97 on Virgin, back in the groove. Two-CD My Time '97 on Columbia compiled 33 tracks of suave-rock 1969--87. |