Bo Weevil

Born in Chicago (1964) into a musical family, Bo has been playing something since childhood. It's all a series of steps in a life-long journey of musical discovery.

Ira Scott (1912-1998), Bo's grandfather, was a fiddle, guitar, and harp player. Playing early traditional country at barn parties and dance halls in his middle twenties, he later told Bo stories of playing all night for tips and whiskey. Things haven't changed that much since then.

Thomas Scott, Bo's daddy, was born in Clanton, Alabama in 1938. He started strumming guitar early in his teens to the country tunes he heard on the radio. Some of Bo's earlies memories are of those listening to his father play Hank Williams, Earnest Tubb, Sonny James, the Everly Brothers, and Johnny Cash. One of Bo's crowd pleasers is 'Folsom Prison Blues', taught to him by his dad.

Bo has spent time playing several different
instruments and styles. His earliest musical endevours were made on an old air-organ his older sister had when he was six and seven. At ten, he began playing trumpet in the school band. At twelve he took organ lessons on a larger, two-tier organ bought for him by his parents. This led to piano lessons at the age of fourteen, where Bo was intriqued by classical music. He developed a love of Beethoven, focusing on his piano sonatas for the recitals his junior and senior year in high school.

But is was the guitar that grabbed a hold of Bo and has not let go. Bo's Dad taught him the basic chords on the 1960 Hofner guitar he owned. When bo turned 15, he got his first electric guitar for his birthday - an entry level Les Paul copy made by Memphis and an accompaning AmPeg amp that he still owns. It didn't take long and the blues based rock 'n roll of Angus Young and Led Zepplin occupied most of his time.

Strangely enough, at the same time rock 'n roll was grabbing his guitar ear, Bo was playing piano in a contemporary gospel quartet. He arranged the four-piece male vocal arrangements as well as his own accompaniment. They played several gigs at local churches and special events.

Upon leaving home for college at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Bo didn't have time for the piano anymore, but that guitar was still in his dorm room. He ended up living with a David Landeo, a Knoxville based musician who has a long history in the Knoxville area, during college and was motivated by David's performances in his early bands - The Woody's & The Sherlock Homeboys - to learn to play well enough to perform.

About this time, Stevie Ray Vaughan's album were making quite a splash in the guitar rags, and Bo began to investigate more straight up blues and less rock 'n roll. Stevie was always good to give credit to the masters, and this led Bo down the path of becoming a blues lover. Starting in the 80's, Bo began listening to all the blues he could get his hands on, working his way back decade by decade.

In 1990, Bo moved to Atlanta and started his first band - Vitamin Blue. With drummer Jason Reichert and bassist Larry Germain, he learned the ins and outs of gigging around Atlanta and the southeast region. An early highlight for Bo was when his power trio was able to open for Delbert McClinton in Montgomery, Alabama in 1992. In late 1992, Bo added a second guitarist to the lineup - Phil Grande. Phil had been touring with Joe Cocker during the late '80s and early '90s. Phil was an extreme talent and a real education for Bo.

By the end of 1993, Bo was burnt on the electric blues scene, and wanted to retreat and write. He holed up in his apartment with his wife Courtney, picked up the acoustic guitar, and began writing. Nine months later he began his solo acoustic blues career that is still his focus. Playing more traditional country blues from such artists as Taj Mahal, Robert Johnson, Keb Mo, Mississippi John Hurt, as well as originals, Bo incorporated rack-mounted harp into his show.

Today, Bo lives in Maryland with his lovely wife and two boys, and gigs in the regional area. His release of "Come From Here" in December, 2003, is his first professionally produced CD. He is currently writing material, working on his second CD and playing local blues bars and festivals.