Scott Saturday

What to do with an over-active kid who shows talent and a penchant for showing off? Piano lessons seemed like a good start. After his first public recital and the resulting attention that followed, the stage was set for a lifetime in music. The problem was, despite being a top student, 8-year-old Scott didn’t want to play piano, he wanted to play sax. The salesman at the music store hung an alto sax around his neck and confidently said, “He’s too short. Bring him back after he grows a bit.” Apparently he was unaware that there is an extendable spike at the bottom that allows anyone of any stature to play sax. His mother could see him fighting back tears so she bought him drumsticks and a practice pad. What was she thinking? Years of household cacophony followed. Parents of drummers are a special breed.

In high school, the combination of good headphones and Terry Kath’s amazing solo on Chicago’s epic hit ‘25 or 6 to 4’ made Scott realize he NEEDED to play guitar. He loved the iconic Kath guitar solo so much he bought a Gibson SG standard – the same guitar Terry played.

At the time, Scott was fully committed to becoming a professional motorcycle racer and true to form, was completely immersed in all things motorcycle. He found himself in a 3-way tie for the high point trophy in that year’s dirt track motorcycle racing season in northern California. One of the guys he was tied with won his race, so Scott needed to win his too. This is when the universe stepped in and gave Scott a not-so-subtle course correction:  He tried to force his way inside the leader's back wheel, and instead ended up  ‘going over the high side’.

Back home after surgery for a broken knee. Scott pondered his future and picked up the Gibson. Laid up in various casts and braces for at least twelve weeks, he started guitar lessons, and spent 5-6 hours a day learning the bebop of Charlie Christian, Benny Goodman and Charlie Parker, and the blues of Eric Clapton, Mike Bloomfield and both Kings (Albert and BB).

Next came a BA in music theory and composition, a cut on a major Warner Brothers album, countless club gigs, around a thousand wedding receptions, a wife, 4 kids, 6 houses, 8 cars, a pilot’s license, 2 national tours on drums (and later piano and guitar) with Curb recording artists Boy Howdy, licensing and publishing deals, more miles than anyone can remember, a successful business that allowed him to spend nights at home with his 4 kids… and in the blink of an eye…a whole bunch of birthdays. Through it all, his catalogue of tunes grew, largely unheard by anyone other than his children and friends.

Now with his children grown and more time to travel, write and record again, he’s releasing the back catalogue online, and drawing on his unique perspective of the world, culture, politics, and the human condition, with new music and the occasional blog post. We hope you like them. Drop us a line and tell us what's on your mind, and always remember that life's like Vegas; sometimes you're up, sometimes you're down. But the house always wins so you may as well have fun while you're in town.