Boz Scaggs
Boz Scaggs
William Royce Scaggsis an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He gained fame in the 1960s as a guitarist and one-time lead singer with the Steve Miller Band, and in the 1970s with several solo Top 20 hit singles in the United States, including the hits "Lowdown" and "Lido Shuffle" from the critically acclaimed album Silk Degrees, which peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200. Scaggs continues to write, record music, and tour...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionPop Singer
Date of Birth8 June 1944
CityCanton, OH
CountryUnited States of America
Quite frankly, I've always listened to the black side of the radio dial. Where I grew up, there was a lot of it and there was a lot of live music around.
I really just followed my musical instincts every step of my life.
I listened to classical guitar and Spanish guitar, as well as jazz guitar players, rock and roll and blues. All of it. I did the same thing with my voice.
As a guitar player, you can gravitate to the blues because you can play it easily. It's not a style that's difficult to pick up. It's purely emotive and dead easy to get a start with.
A lot of what I have always done is do other singers.
My parents were music lovers and collectors. It was around.
I love working with the quartet. I have more freedom and flexibility.
I would say that I'm finding my voice in more ways than one.
I'm easily distracted by other things in the world around me.
I feel fortunate that I was able to step away from it when I wasn't interested.
As far as other instrumentalists, I used to love mellow sax players like Paul Desmond. I love piano.
I am not a jazz singer. I wouldn't place myself on that footing. I wouldn't even enter that arena.
My earliest influences were things I heard in my household.
My songwriting and my style became more complex as I listened, learned, borrowed and stole and put my music together.