Scott Vestal

Last updated
Scott Vestal
Born (1962-05-08) May 8, 1962 (age 61)
Duncan, Oklahoma
Genres Bluegrass music, Country music, jazz music
Occupation(s)Musician, recording engineer
Instrument(s)Banjo
Years active1971–present
Labels Pinecastle Records
Website scottvestal.com

Scott Vestal is an American banjoist, songwriter and luthier, known for his innovative approach to playing and designing the banjo.

Contents

Biography

Early years

The older of two children, Scott Vestal was raised in Duncan, Oklahoma in a musical family. His Grandfather Famon Self was a country fiddler who taught Vestal his first guitar chords. Scott and his brother Curtis played and sang with their grandfather at bluegrass festivals and other events. [1]

Music career

Vestal acquired a 5-string banjo at age 13 and by age 15 was playing with T. J. Rogers’ family band. At age 18, Vestal performed and recorded with Larry Sparks for a year. At age 19, Vestal moved to Texas and with his brother Curtis and Russell Moore formed the band Southern Connection, which toured the Midwest and East Coast for 3 years. [2]

In 1985, Vestal, Russell Moore, and Scott Vestal joined Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, replacing Terry Baucom. [3] Vestal stayed with Quicksilver for four years and five albums. [4] [5]

Vestal then formed his group Livewire with mandolinist Wayne Benson, guitarist and vocalist Robert Hale, and bassist Ernie Sykes. [6] Vestal toured Japan with an acoustic jazz ensemble, and starred in Phyllis McBride's original musical production Cowboy Cafe. [3] [7]

In 1994, Vestal moved to Nashville and formed a band with Harley Allen and David Parmley. When Allen decided to focus on songwriting, the band became David Parmley, Scott Vestal, and Continental Divide. Over the next 5 years, the band recorded three albums and toured the US and Canada. [8] Vestal left Continental Divide in 1998. [9]

Vestal produced, engineered, and played on an annual series of instrumental albums for Pinecastle Records. The initial project started as a solo album for Mountain Heart guitarist Clay Jones. When Jones went another direction, Vestaal salvaged the project as an instrumental album. [10] [11]

The “Bluegrass Annual” series), which won the IBMA award for Recorded Event of the Year in 1996. This series of recordings continued from 1995 through 2001. [3]

Scott played on Johnny Staats’ mandolin project with John Cowan. From 1998 until 2003, Vestal and Cowan were in the John Cowan Band, and recorded two albums together. Vestal had the opportunity to incorporating a solid body electric MIDI banjo into their recordings and performances. [12]

In 2006, Vestal worked with David Lee Roth to promote the CMH Records Van Halen bluegrass tribute Strummin' with the Devil: The Southern Side of Van Halen , appearing on late night and daytime talk shows and at a concert at the Nokia Theater in New York City. [13]

Starting in 2006, Vestal recorded and toured with the Sam Bush Band along with Stephen Mougin (guitar), Todd Parks (bass), and Chris Brown (drums). [14] [15]

Recording and session work

As well as being a session player in Nashville, Vestal built Digital Underground, a recording studio where he engineers, produces, and performs on various projects. [16]

Vestal has worked with Bill Monroe, Tim O'Brien, Jim Lauderdale, Shawn Camp, Ricky Skaggs, Jerry Douglas, Tony Rice, Vassar Clements, Chris Thile, Hank Williams III, Kenny Chesney, Del McCoury, Dierks Bentley, Billy Ray Cyrus, Alan Jackson, Dolly Parton, [17] Dwight Yoakam, [18] and others.

Vestal and his wife, jazz singer Alice Newman Vestal, recorded the album Goin’ To The Dance. Steve Thomas (fiddle), Chris Brown (drums), Jeff Autry (guitar), Byron House (bass), and Randy Kohrs (resophonic guitar) assisted. [3] [19]

Solo career

Vestal wrote nine of thirteen songs on his first solo album In Pursuit Of Happiness and nine of twelve songs on his album Millennia.

On Vestal's 1992 album In Pursuit Of Happiness, the personnel are Curtis Vestal (bass), Jeff Autry (guitar), Wayne Benson (mandolin), and Greg Luck (fiddle). [20]

On Millennia, released in 2000, Vestal is joined by John Cowan on vocals, Reese Winans on keyboards, Pasi Leppikangas on drums, Jeff Autry and Jim Hurst on guitars, and Stuart Duncan, Kati Penn, and Rickie Simpkins on fiddle. [21]

Stealth Banjos

Vestal's banjo company Stealth Banjos sells instruments he has designed and developed. It features an innovative hidden 5th string and a streamlined neck and headstock. [22]

Awards

Scott was awarded Banjo Player of the Year in 1996 by the International Bluegrass Music Association (co-winner with Sammy Shelor), and 1998 Banjo Player of the Year by the Bluegrass Now Magazine Fan's Choice Awards.

In 2017, Vestal was awarded the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass. [23]

Discography

Solo albums

ASV (Scott Vestal and Alice Newman Vestal)

With Larry Sparks

With Southern Connection

With Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver

With Livewire

With David Parmley and Continental Divide

With John Cowan

With Sam Bush

Bluegrass Annual series

As engineer / mixer

As producer

Also appears on

197? - 1999

  • 197?: Pickin' Tymes - Bluegrass Past - Present - Future (Jackalope) - exact release date unknown
  • 1996: Barry Berrier - First Time with Feeling (Pinecastle)
  • 1996: Barbara Lamb - Tonight I Feel Like Texas (Sugar Hill)
  • 1996: Aubrey Haynie - Doin' My Time (Sugar Hill)
  • 1997: Chris Thile - Stealing Second (Sugar Hill)
  • 1998: Richard Bennett - Long Lonesome Time (Rebel)
  • 1998: Paul Craft - Brother Jukebox (Strictly Country)
  • 1999: Jeff Autry - Foothills (Pinecastle)
  • 1999: Phil Leadbetter - Philibuster (Rounder)
  • 1999: Nancy Moore - Local Flowers (Pinecastle)
  • 1999: Jon Randall - Willin' (Eminent)
  • 1999: Marshall Wilborn - Root 5: Bass and Banjo (Pinecastle)

2000 - 2009

2010 - present

Music instruction

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Cowan</span> Musical artist

John Cowan is an American soul music and progressive bluegrass vocalist and bass guitar player. He was the lead vocalist and bass player for the New Grass Revival. Cowan became the band's bassist in 1972 after the departure of original bassist Ebo Walker and was noted as being the only member of New Grass Revival not to come from a bluegrass background.

James David Van Cleve is an American fiddle player, songwriter, session musician, and producer. He is a founding member of the popular band Mountain Heart, and a Grammy winning session musician and Grammy nominated solo artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roland White</span> American bluegrass music artist (1938–2022)

Roland Joseph White was an American bluegrass music artist, performing principally on the mandolin.

Missy Raines is an American bassist, singer, teacher, and songwriter. She has won 10 International Bluegrass Music Awards for Bass Player of the Year. Missy Raines was the first woman to win IBMA Bass Player of the Year award. She won 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2019, 2020, and 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bluegrass Cardinals</span> American bluegrass band

The Bluegrass Cardinals were a Bluegrass band from Los Angeles, California. The group is credited with being the first bluegrass band to record bluegrass gospel in a cappella. Founded in 1974, the Bluegrass Cardinals disbanded in 1997 when founding member Don Parmley announced his retirement from music.

Mike Compton is an American bluegrass mandolin player. In addition to his solo albums and recordings with the Nashville Bluegrass Band and John Hartford, he has been featured as a performer and collaborator on numerous albums by other artists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Butch Baldassari</span> Musical artist

Jerome Henry "Butch" Baldassari was an American mandolinist, recording artist, composer, and music teacher.

Pinecastle Records is a record label based in Piedmont, South Carolina specializing in supporting and developing bluegrass music artists.

Larry Lee Stephenson is an American singer-songwriter. He sings, plays mandolin, and writes songs in the bluegrass tradition.

James Arnott “Jimmy” Gaudreau is a singer and mandolinist playing traditional and progressive bluegrass music. He is best known for his solo albums, and his work with The Country Gentlemen, Tony Rice, and J. D. Crowe.

Terry Baucom is an American bluegrass singer, banjo player, and band leader. He is nicknamed "The Duke of Drive" for his propelling banjo style. He leads his band, The Dukes of Drive, and was a founding member of Boone Creek, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, and IIIrd Tyme Out.

Donald Glen Rigsby is an American mandolinist, fiddler, guitarist, vocalist, and producer in the bluegrass tradition. He is known for his solo career, and for his work with the Lonesome River Band and Longview.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sammy Shelor</span> Musical artist

Sammy Shelor is an American banjoist in the bluegrass tradition. He is best known as leader of the Lonesome River Band and for his solo recordings, music instruction, and session work.

Ron Stewart is an American multi-instrumentalist in the bluegrass tradition. He plays fiddle, guitar, banjo, and mandolin, and has won the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) award for Fiddle Player of the Year in 2000 and Banjo Player of the Year in 2011.

Randy Alan Kohrs is an American multi-instrumentalist best known for his resonator guitar prowess, but he plays 13 instruments. He is also a Grammy-winning producer and recording engineer.

David L. Parmley is a bluegrass vocalist, guitarist, and award-winning bandleader. He is best known for being a co-founder of both the Bluegrass Cardinals and Continental Divide.

Alan Daniel Bibey is a mandolinist, singer, songwriter, and band leader in the bluegrass tradition.

John Wayne Benson is an American mandolinist and songwriter in the bluegrass tradition. He is best known for his unique approach to the mandolin, and his long-term involvement with Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rickie Simpkins</span> American singer-songwriter

Rickie Hal Simpkins is an American fiddler and mandolinist in the bluegrass tradition. He is best known for his solo albums and his work with the Lonesome River Band and the Seldom Scene.

Wyatt Rice is an American guitarist and bluegrass musician. He is best known for his solo albums and his work in his brother's group the Tony Rice Unit.

References

  1. ↑ Donald Nitchie (September 1, 2017). "Callous Thumb". Banjo Newsletter. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  2. ↑ Sean Daly (July 1, 2000). "Scott Vestal". JazzTimes. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Scott Anderson (June 1, 2010). "Scott Vestal". Banjo Newsletter. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
  4. ↑ Erlewine, Michael (1997). All Music Guide to Country: The Experts' Guide to the Best Recordings in Country Music. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN   9780879304751 . Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  5. ↑ Weisberger, Jon (April 30, 1999). "Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver - The Original Band". No Depression. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  6. ↑ Bay, William (Dec 10, 2015). Master Anthology of Mandolin Solos, Vol. 1. MEL BAY PUBN Incorporated. ISBN   9780786693733 . Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  7. ↑ "Ernie Sykes to Present Two Workshops". Hudson Valley Bluegrass Association. November 10, 2009. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  8. ↑ Duckman, David (October 19, 1995). "David Parmley, Scott Vestal & Continental Divide..." Chicago Tribune. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  9. ↑ Evans Price, Deborah (February 12, 2000). "Parmley Takes Act Back to Bluegrass". Billboard. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  10. ↑ Lawless, John (February 13, 2007). "More Ultimate Pickin from Pinecastle". Bluegrass Today. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  11. ↑ Evans Price, Deborah (October 5, 1996). "McCoury Leads IBMA Awards". Billboard. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  12. ↑ Michelle Nikolai (June 23, 2003). "The Long Journey Back: John Cowan Returns to His 'Grass' Roots". CMT. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  13. ↑ John Lawless (June 6, 2006). "David Lee Roth – TV update". Bluegrass Today. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  14. ↑ Edelstein, Art (March 31, 2016). "'Father of newgrass': Sam Bush". Rutland Herald. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  15. ↑ "John Cowan". The Amplifier. July 3, 2012. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  16. ↑ Jim, Moulton (June 4, 2010). ""Crying Heart Blues" - Audey Blaylock and Redline - A Review". No Depression. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  17. ↑ Lawless, John (May 15, 2014). "Dolly Parton talks Blue Smoke". Bluegrass Today. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  18. ↑ staff (August 2, 2016). "Dwight Yoakam to Release New Bluegrass Album, "Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars," on Sept. 23". KIIM. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  19. ↑ Jason MacNeil (October 3, 2006). "ASV: Goin' To The Dance". PopMatters. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  20. ↑ David Duckman (November 16, 1995). "Scott Vestal In Pursuit Of Happiness". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  21. ↑ Jonathan Colcord. "Scott Vestal: Millennia". Country Standard Time. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  22. ↑ Casey Henry (February 1, 1998). "Stealth Banjo Review". Acoustic Magazine. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
  23. ↑ Libbey, Peter (July 30, 2017). "Scott Vestal Wins Steve Martin Banjo Prize". The New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
  24. ↑ George Graham (March 22, 2000). "Scott Vestal: Millennia". The Graham Weekly Album Review. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  25. ↑ Gutch, Frank Jr. (June 19, 2015). "ASV - Goin' To the Dance". No Depression. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  26. ↑ "Livewire - Wired!". Rounder. March 1, 2011. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  27. ↑ "David Parmley, Scott Vestal and Continental Divide: On The Divide". Bluegrass Unlimited. June 1, 1997. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  28. ↑ Roy Kasten. "Continental Divide: Feel Good Day". Country Standard Time. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.