Eric Scott
Bass, Vocals
Washington, DC singer/songwriter and bassist Eric Scott has thus far had an interesting musical and life journey. As an artist and sideman, he has toured internationally, sharing the stage with B.B. King, Mavis Staples, Aaron Neville, REO Speedwagon, Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters, and many more. He’s written, produced, and released 4 solo albums, and his music has been featured on ABC-TV, Showtime, Cinemax, The WB, as well as several indie and major motion pictures. His singing voice has been featured in international and regional ad campaigns for HGTV, NAT GEO, Ford, Chevy, Jeep, Chrysler, DC Lottery, and many more. He is a 15-time Wammie winner, as awarded by the Washington Area Music Association (WAMA).
The journey continues in 2019 with the release of the EP THE CHARM CITY SESSIONS and the full-length CD PEACE BOMB…both on his own Itzall Goode Music label. His ‘Modern Soul’ sound continues to evolve, yet remains funky, upbeat, socially aware, and ever soulful. Pop tunes and hooks meld seamlessly with groovy new school RnB, nasty funk, and the introspective lyrical approach of a singer/songwriter that examines relationships, the world we live in, and being true to one’s self. Scott’s gospel drenched voice remains front and center. Why release two albums in the same year? Says Scott, simply, “Why not?”
Growing up bi-racial in a single parent household…father in prison…mother working 3 jobs to support 3 kids…was often solitary and difficult for a young man who was searching for a sense of self and guidance. “We moved a lot, so I was always the new kid. People were always asking me what color I was. Am I black…am I white? It was almost as if I was being forced to choose. There were no adults around that I trusted to explain this crisis of identity to me. I was confused and didn’t know where I fit in. I wanted answers, but most of the time I just made up my own. I also spent a lot of time at the homes of babysitters around people I barely knew, and I was mistreated. I just remember feeling scared and alone all the time, and envious of other kids who I perceived to have a ‘normal’ family life. It all made me aware that I was different, and it turned me inward and taught me early on to fend for myself”
The one constant was his mother’s incredible and varied music collection, which included everything from soul, jazz, Motown, and pop to rock, heavy metal, and singer songwriters. “There was always music playing. From Marvin Gaye and Carole King to Dave Brubeck and Black Sabbath and everything in between. I loved it and I consumed it all. Listening to music and reading the album liner notes and staring at the album covers was my playground.”
Fronting rock bands in rock clubs in the mid-Atlantic for a decade after high school provided both a true training ground and near tragedy. The playing experience was invaluable, but the lifestyle came with a heavy cost. “To put it bluntly, I nearly drank and drugged myself to death,” says Scott. The gift of sobriety arrived on Dec. 2nd, 1990 and has stayed ever since. The fog began to lift, songs began to come, and the decision to be an artist basically made itself. Free to create and draw on his true love of soul, rock, and pop music has guided a musical journey spanning six genre spanning albums: DIVINE STATIC (1999), LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE FOOLS (2002), RED (2007), WHERE THE WATER RUNS DEEPEST (2012), THE CHARM CITY SESSIONS (2019), and PEACE BOMB (2019).
For Scott, there has been true beauty in letting go and arriving at a place musically that feels like home. He says, “I used to want to fit in musically just like I did as a kid. But now I just want to make the most honest music that I can in the best way that I can and let all my influences and instincts guide me. I think being an artist means having the ultimate trust in yourself. Life has been my best teacher, and it’s taught me to embrace the uniqueness of one’s self. If I can wake up every day and do that, then I’m doing alright.”
