Boz Scaggs at the Town Hall

Doyle Bramhall II & Boz Scaggs

William Scaggs, better known by his professional name, Boz Scaggs, was born in Canton, Ohio, but was raised first in McAlester, Oklahoma, and then in Plano, Texas. Immersing himself in the blues, rhythm and blues, and early rock and roll, he learned to play guitar at age 12, and in 1959 he became the vocalist for Steve Miller's band, the Marksmen. The pair later attended university together in Madison, Wisconsin, and played in local blues bands like the Ardells and the Fabulous Knight Trains. After university, Scaggs traveled through Europe, the Middle East and Asia, briefly joining the burgeoning rhythm and blues scene in London, England, and eventually settling in Stockholm, Sweden, where he recorded his debut solo album. Returning to the U.S. in 1967, Scaggs joined the Steve Miller Band in San Francisco, California. Scaggs appeared on the band's first two albums, then left in 1968 to restart his solo career. His career peaked with 1976's multi-million-selling Silk Degrees. Scaggs' 19th solo album, Out of the Blues, was released on July 27, 2018. He has remained in Napa County, California, despite losing his home in the 2017 wildfires.

Backed by a band of six musicians, plus a couple of guest spots by guitarist Doyle Bramhall II, Scaggs performed his signature blend of soft rock soaked in mellow rhythm and blues, but he and the band also melded extended blues and jazz jams into the mix. Indeed, Scaggs' three most recent albums were steeped in the blues, and the two albums before that were jazz ventures, so outside of the obligatory hits, much of Scaggs' set spun a deeper, richer exploration of America's musical heritage. Scaggs' smooth, distinct vocals rang familiar as they carried the mild melodies, while Scaggs, Bramhall and Mike Miller traded guitar licks and the rest of the band provided rhythm and flow, punctuated by several keyboard and saxophone fills. Scaggs, now in his fifth decade of performing music live, provided a classy and musically rich set that was far more than a series of recreated hits.

Visit Boz Scaggs at www.bozscaggs.com.

Setlist:

1. Jojo
2. It's Over
3. Rock and Stick
4. I've Just Got to Know (Magic Sam cover)
5. The Feeling Is Gone (Bobby “Blue” Bland cover)
6. Radiator 110
7. Harbor Lights
8. Look What You've Done to Me
9. Lowdown
10. Lido Shuffle
11. Somebody Loan Me a Dime (Fenton Robinson cover)

Encore:

1. Sick and Tired (Fats Domino cover)
2. You Never Can Tell (Chuck Berry cover)