BOZ SCAGGS FACTS:
Genre: Rock, Blues, Jazz
Hometown: Canton, Ohio
Albums: Boz (1965); Children of the Future (1968); Sailor (1968); Boz Scaggs (1969); Moments (1971); Boz Scaggs & Band (1971); My Time (1972); Slow Dancer (1974); Silk Degrees (1976); Down Two Then Left (1977); Boz Scaggs (1977); Middle Man (1980); Other Roads (1988); Some Change (1994); Fade Into Light (1996); Come On Home (1997); Dig (2001); But Beautiful (2003); Fade Into Light (2005); Speak Low (2008)
Awards: 1 Grammy
Hits: "Lowdown"
Other: Played on first two Steve Miller Band albums.
His given name may be William Royce Scaggs, but he is better known simply as Boz. With a career that stretches back more than 40 years, Scaggs has made a name for himself with his bluesy guitar riffs and iconic voice. With a long list of hit songs and a legion of adoring fans, it's no surprise Scaggs continues to tour and perform years later.
Boz Scaggs got his start a very young age, playing in a number of different bands throughout the United States and England. Despite the fact that none of his bands enjoyed much success, his experience laid the groundwork for his career in the states, and in 1967 he returned to the U.S. After playing with the legendary Steve Miller Band, he embarked on a solo career.
Scaggs released his self-titled major label debut in 1969. Although it enjoyed nearly universal critical praise thanks to song such as "I'm Easy" and "Loan Me a Dime," the album failed to gain traction among fans, and it would be several years before he found success with 1976's Silk Degrees. The record shot to number two on the Billboard 200 and featured a number of popular singles including "Lowdown" and "Lido Shuffle."
Scaggs carried his success into the early '80s, and the album Middle Man, includes a pair of hits - "Breakdown Dead Ahead" and "Jojo." Though his career was on the way up, his production slowed down over the next several years. During the '90s he was considered to be semi-retired from the music industry altogether, yet the following decade when he picked back up with recording.
In 2001, critics lauded his album Dig, and in 2003 he released an album of jazz classics, But Beautiful. While he may not have had the mainstream appeal of some his previous works, it was a chart topper in jazz circles and was loved by fans.
Since then Scaggs has continued to tour regularly nearly every summer, and makes frequent appearances at festivals across the country. In fact, in 2010 he paired with Donald Fagen and Michael McDonald to form the The Dukes of September Rhythm Revue. Though he has slowed down since the '70s, its safe to say Boz Scaggs has still got it.