6/2/07

Heya Guys and Gals,

 

I think from the moment I was born I was force fed a healthy diet of music. From the gravelly sounds of Bob Dylan, the Doobie Bros hypnotic tunes, Fleetwood Mac’s amazing rhythm and Dire Straits unique sound, I experienced all the world had to offer. Not only my parents, but my grandparents too aided in a childhood full of the love of music.

 

Times change as we get older, but isn’t it funny how we just can’t let go of the artists that changed our lives. Some people just can not be emulated, they have a sound or style all their own and that’s what sets them aside from the rest, they become pioneers. There is one “oldie” that I just adore today, as much as I did as a child. I still listen to him, have worn out two LP’s and I think am now on my third cd of the same album. His music has a place in both my car and the home hifi; he lives in my computer, and on my ipod.

 

He experienced fame from tracks like “Lido Shuffle”, “Georgia”, “Breakdown Dead Ahead”, and “Lowdown”, just to name a sample. When I am alone at home, I crank the stereo so loud I can’t think. His voice is one that I tried to emulate as a vocalist, but never came close. He oozes style, even now, and fits the label of a matured artist that never fell from grace. The groove is perfect, synchronized with the style of blues-funk, you just can’t help but skip along the kitchen floor while vacuuming, shaking ya hips and bellowing out the words to songs you know so well, you cane even sing them without the music playing.

 

Boz Scaggs was born “William Royce Scaggs” on the 8th of June 1944. Like most muzoes, he began at an early age and his love for music had him learning the guitar by the age of twelve. While at school he befriended the incomparable “Steve Miller”, and the two played together with “The Marksmen”, Millers band. When they later both attended the University of Wisconsin, they joined forces with musical arrangements like “Ardells”, and “The Fabulous Knight Trains”.

 

After leaving school, Boz joined the rhythm and blues movement in London, and after playing in bands such as “The Wigs” and “Mother Earth”, he recorded his first solo album “Boz” in 1965. It wasn’t until his return to the US later in 1965 that San Francisco saw him meet up with Steve miller once again. Boz stayed with Millers band for the next two album releases and through the critical acclaim those recordings received; he was noticed by “Rolling Stone Magazine”. Jann Wenner, the publicist for the mag was systematic with Scaggs securing his solo contract with “Atlantic Records” in 1968.

 

It wasn’t till 1976 when Scaggs teamed up with Session Musicians that his career took off. They formed “Toto”, and later the album “Silk Degrees” took them to number two on the US charts, and number one in various other countries of the world. Scaggs bathed in the light of successful songwriting and “We’re All Alone” was later made a hit by “Rita Coolidge” and covered by “Frankie Valli”. A world tour followed, however his second album in 1977 “Down Two, Then Left” lacked the depth and vibrancy that Silk delivered.

 

His 1980 album “Middle Man” spawned two huge hits “Jojo” and “Breakdown Dead Ahead”, and “Look What you’ve Done To Me” was used on the soundtrack for the movie “Urban Cowboy”. He was acclaimed several times in the time after this album, however slowed down as far as recording went. He continued to tour and perform throughout the 80’s and 90’s, but now enjoys the life of the night club owner of “Slims”. Several tracks and recording were to follow, and his release of “Dig” on September 11 was naturally hindered by the events of that fateful day. In May 2003 though, he released an album called “But Beautiful” which was a compilation of jazz standards and it debuted at number one on the jazz charts.

 

<span style="FONT-SIZE: 20pt; FONT-FAMILY

: “Bradley Hand ITC””>He still tours every summer, is HUGE in Japan to this day, and retains a loyal army of fans. He will always be my absolute number one male musical artist of this century. His talent has touched me, and kept me grooving all the way to the mid thirties, and I am certain, far beyond that to come. Now I just KNOW, there are a few of you who have read this that agree! Yes? YES!!!!!

 

Lol! I Love You Guys!

 

Luke, xoxoxo!!!!!