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Calvin
Scott distinguished himself as a one of a kind musical artist
whose vocal style was instantly recognized for its blend of soul
power and smooth sophistication. Calvin is that rare performer who
used his natural interpretive skills to create a mood, to convey a
feeling and to tell a story. Calvin replaced normal singing/voicing
techniques with pure authentic feeling.
In
Atlantic Records Studio |
Calvin
has worked with, performed, and recorded with some of the best the
music world has to offer, like the late great Melba D. Liston, Joe
Sample and Wilton Felder(The Jazz Crusaders), Kim Weston, Clarence
Carter, and one time Stevie Wonder Producer Clarence Paul.
In
STAX Recording Studios | In
the 1970's Calvin opened for performers like comedian Redd Foxx and
baritone singer Arthur Prysock at the world famous Apollo Theatre in Harlem, New
York. In the late 60’s and early 70’s Calvin was a signed recording artist
for Fairlane Records, Duke Records, Atlantic Records, STAX Records company,
and Universal Duchess Records(now MCA).
CALVIN'S STORY IN HIS OWN WORDS
I was born January 6, 1938
in Tuskegee, Alabama near the old army airport. At the age of
three, my father and mother moved our family to Tallassee, Alabama
so that my father could begin working at a cotton mill.
 Way
Back Home Tuskegee, Alabama | I
started playing piano before I entered school at the age of 5, in fact I would
say that it was a gift from GOD. My brothers would take me around the
neighborhood and the people that they knew who had a piano in their home would
invite us in so that they could listen to me play. In
August of 1946 our insurance agent everyone called him Mr. Ollie, told my
parents and I about a school for the deaf and blind in Talladega, Alabama. He
convinced my mother and father to allow me to attend the school to get an
education. In September of that year at his own expense Mr. Ollie drove my
family and I to the school for the deaf and blind in Talladega and my parents
registered me in that school. Attending this school so far away from home meant
that I would only be with my family during the summer months and two weeks for
Christmas.
The first 3 years of school was hard for
me having to learn to communicate with the deaf students and getting used to
being away from my family. I was blessed with wisdom and knowledge to learn to
read and write Braille very easily. With the help of Clarence Carter who was
there at the school two years prior to my arrival, I learned to adjust and learn
my way around the campus. In 1949 the Alabama State Board in charge of the deaf
and blind, moved the deaf student’s campus to start a separate school for the
deaf. In school we learned the basic school subjects along with vocational
classes for us to learn handcrafts such as chair canning, basket making , making
leather belts, bill folders, brooms, and mops. Additionally, learning to tune
and repair piano’s was taught for those who wanted to learn how.
Our music teacher, Mrs. Elsie Hendricks
taught us piano and voice lessons. In 1951 a school band was started and I
learned to play the alto horn. A group of students and myself formed a dance
music band using the school instruments. Our supervisor would drive us around in
the school bus from city to city and other counties on weekends where we would
perform at school proms and other school affairs to earn us some badly needed
money. In this band I played the bass drum, sang, and I also played piano on
occasions while Clarence Carter played the trumpet. In our school chorus group I
sang first tenor. Most of the time when we had visiting schools or other
organized groups of people the principal would always chose me to lead the
entertainment. In 1948 I met Calvin Pugh who also played the piano. He and his
grandmother lived on the same street as my family back home in Tallassee,
Alabama. Pugh and I began to play and sing together regularly. In June of that
year we met Kitty Mann(Ms. Kitty) and her husband Judson Mann. She also wrote
country music songs, sang, and played piano. They invited us to their home
weekly for practice up until Calvin Pugh decided to leave Tallassee. Not knowing
at this time, but in years to come Kitty and Judson Mann would be the first to
help Clarence Carter and I to get our first big music break on a major recording
label.
When WRMA , the first black radio
station in Montgomery, Alabama came on the air, Calvin Pugh and I on some
Saturday mornings would get on highway 14 and hitch rides to Montgomery, Alabama
to play and sing live on the Saturday Morning Talent Show. No prizes were given
away but it was good exposure for us to be heard and it was exciting to us to be
heard singing and playing on the radio. After Calvin Pugh left Tallassee,
Alabama Ms. Kitty still was performing nightly at a night club in Montgomery and
would invite me to participate on some of her shows.
When I got to the 10th grade,
even though I lived on the campus of ASNB(Alabama School for Negro Blind), my
class had to attend Westside High School. The reason for that was that the
school for the blind did not have enough state credits to become an official
graduating school. When we finished the 10th grade at Westside high
the ASNB wanted my class to repeat the 10th grade again, so that they
could enroll us in their school to give them their first graduating class.
Needless to say, I left Westside High School in Talladega, Alabama as fast as I
could and moved down to Montgomery, Alabama and immediately enrolled in Booker
T. Washington High School. I graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in
May of 1959.
I married my first wife Rose Marie in
the summer of 1959. During the five years of marriage to Rose Marie we had 3
children, Diedra Melinda, Lidia Renee(passed at 6months of age), and Lisa Renee.
We separated in 1963 and our divorce was final in 1964. However, in 1961 Mrs.
Kitty Mann and her husband Judson at their own expense drove Clarence and myself
to Atlanta, Georgia where we got our first recording contract with Fairlane
Record Company. We also recorded on Duke Records, but we never had fame and
success on either recording label.
In
1963 our contract with Duke Records was almost ready to expire.
However, Clarence Carter and I continued to perform and write music.
Clarence and I were performing with our four piece band which consisted
of Marcus Daniel(guitar) and Wilbur Terrell(drums) one night at the Elks Club in
Talladega, Alabama where I met my soul mate Gladys Olivia Prather.
 Gladys Olivia
Prather
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Gladys and I had met a few years earlier at Westside High School in
Talladega, Alabama so we were not strangers and we soon fell in love. While
still dating Gladys convinced me to move to Montgomery, Alabama in 1964 and
that’s where we were married. It brings a smile to my face to be able to say
that she has been the best thing that has ever happened to me.
We have been married now for over 38 years.
From this marriage we produced 4 children; Nadine, Donna, Calvin Jr., and
Toshima Rashad Scott. I am thankful
to GOD that they have all done well in life.
Over the next year or so Clarence Carter and I wrote a song called
“Step By Step” and we paid Rick Hall at Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals,
Alabama to record our song along with another tune called “Rooster Knees and
Rice” around 1965. “Step By Step” is a slow heart felt ballad in which I
sang the intro, the first verse, background vocals, and played the badly out of
tune piano provided by Fame Studios. We
took a copy of “Step By Step” to a popular radio disc jockey in Atlanta, GA
named Zenas Sears at WAOK radio. Zenas
Sears contacted Atlantic Records Director Jerry Wexler and he was so impressed
with what he heard that he decided to release “Step By Step” on Atlantic
Records subsidiary label ATCO which was originally created for Atlantic Records
founding member Herb Abramson. Even
though the songs received some radio airplay we still did not achieve the fame
and recognition we had expected. In
1966, Clarence Carter and I named our 4 piece group “Clarence & Calvin and
the Mello Men”. We were
performing regularly at the 2728 Club in Birmingham, Alabama every Friday and
Saturday night. In June 1966 on our
way home from the club Marcus Daniel was driving and as we exited off of highway
65 to highway 31 the car skidded through a pile of gravel at a transportation
trailer park and he lost control of the vehicle.
The car went under one of the transportation trailers and was totaled.
I was thrown against the door of the car while sleeping and my skull was
busted open. In those days there
were very few hospitals that blacks were allowed to be served. So, I was rushed
to another city some 115 miles south of Birmingham to Prattville, Alabama’s
General Hospital where a Dr. Teal saved my life. I stayed unconscious for over a
week. Dr. Teal was worried that too
much air had gotten inside my brain and could cause me to be disabled
permanently, but GOD pulled me through. Once I became conscious I awoke with my
wife by my side and I asked her “What happened and why am I in the
hospital?” I also asked what
happened to the rest of the band and I was told that their injuries were minor
and they were able to walk away from the wreck.
The next few months were real strange because I never received a phone
call or a letter from any of the members of our band(who I thought were my
friends) the entire time I was hospitalized and this continued on for the next 12
months while I was under a doctor’s care.
I was under the Doctor’s care for an entire year and had no money to
support my new wife and baby boy. After
a few months Prattville General Hospital was threatening to sue me for failing
to pay the full cost of my surgery and stay at the hospital. Clarence who I
thought was my friend and had known for quite a number of years showed no
concern about me or my new financial burden with Prattville General hospital. I had to file a lawsuit against Clarence Carter(my
co-partner/employer) with Montgomery County court to get Clarence to assist with
getting my hospital bill paid in full. The
next year and a half was full of hard times but I was blessed to have a good
wife to help me during the time I was recovering.
In July 1967 after my wounds had healed, with the financial support of my
wife we purchased a new electric organ, a pa system that included microphones
& speakers, and we purchase a custom made trailer to haul the instruments
from gig to gig. I then auditioned and hired three new musicians and organized
my own band. I named the band Calvin and the Blockbusters.
The Blockbusters consisted of Stanford Burns-guitar, Roland Evans-drums,
and Arthur Franklin-bass. I played the electric organ and sang all lead vocals.
Together we were one of the grooviest and funkiest bands around.
Those guys really knew how to lay down a rock solid groove.
We performed throughout North and South Alabama, Tennessee, and the state
of Florida. In 1968, my wife drove
me to Atlanta , GA radio station WAOK and I talked with the station manager
Zenas Sears with whom I was familiar. Zenas then introduced me to Dave Crawford
another disc jockey who then became my manager and helped me to get a recording
contract with Atlantic Records. I
recorded 4 songs written by Dave Crawford and Roy Lee Johnson on Atlantic
Records. The songs were Sonny Boy
“ Be A Man”, Taking You Home To Mama, and I’m The Man For You”.
I rearranged a song Cry Like A Baby originally put out by a group called
the BoxTops. My first release for
ATCO/Atlantic Records was Sonny Boy(A-side) and Taking You Home to Mama(B-side).
The second release was Cry Like A Baby(A-side) and I’m The Man For
You(B-side). All those songs were recorded at Hi Record’s studio in Memphis,
TN by sound engineer and musician Willie Mitchell.
Shortly after those songs were released I never heard again from Dave
Crawford because after producing those 4 songs, Atlantic Records saw his talent
and hired him to do studio work for them somewhere else.
This move though a great opportunity for Dave left me out in the cold
without a manager. For the next two
years I never heard another word from anyone at Atlantic Records.
In 1970 I took another trip to Atlanta, Georgia to talk with Zenas Sears
at WAOK radio station. Once again Zenas came through by introducing me to an up
and coming artist manager named Sandy Newman in Los Angeles, California. Sandy
had heard some of my vocal arrangements before so she gladly became my new
manager. Sandy Newman went to work and before I knew it she had landed me a
recording contract with STAX Records in 1971. In a few weeks I was on a Delta
flight headed to Los Angeles, California. This first visit was for 2 weeks which
would give me time to select new songs, musicians, and singers for my album
project. I selected Joe
Sample-keyboards and piano, Wilton Felder-saxophone and bass, Stix Hooper-drums(These
three were the founding members of the trio “The Jazz Crusaders”, Arthur
Adams-guitar, and , Faye McGee, Jesse Smith, and Kim Weston(who had two gold duet hits with Marvin Gaye for background vocals.
Since in California a great deal of music hiring goes directly through
their musicians local union, we hired all the violin and string players from the
University of California Los Angeles(UCLA) and at least a dozen or more
outstanding musicians. Man was I so excited! I said to my self this time has got
to be the one! I flew back to
Montgomery, Alabama for a few weeks to practice and prepare my lyrics in Braille
for my next big trip back to Los Angeles. The
next trip to L.A. would be for the next 3 months. The album would be
recorded at Wolfman Jack Recording Studio in Los Angeles, California.
Upon my arrival my manager
Sandy Newman immediately introduced me to one of the finest musical arrangers
that has ever lived named Melba
Liston.
Melba
Liston |
Melba got her start in
jazz playing the trombone, writing, and arranging music with the likes of Count
Basie, Dexter Gordon, Dizzy Gillespie, Randy Weston, and Quincy
Jones. Melba arranged scores of music for Motown and artist like Marvin Gaye,
Ruth Brown, and many others. Before
my first week had ended Melba had nearly finished writing all of the parts for
the rhythm section, the singers, and the 30 piece orchestra. Throughout the next
3 months Melba would also play her powerful trombone along with the brass
section on my recordings. Then I was introduced to Clarence Paul the producer of
my new album. Clarence Paul was an
experienced producer and had just finished producing some tunes on Stevie
Wonder’s album. Jim Stewart was the Sound Engineer in charge of mixing all my
songs. I did not know at that time Jim had just repurchased STAX in 1970 along
with Al Bell and was the company President.
I never knew he had lost everything a few years earlier in 1968 through a
contract deal prepared by Atlantic’s lawyers that Jim nor Jerry took the time
to thoroughly read and comprehend. This fatal contract signing with Jerry Wexler
and Atlantic Records gave away all the STAX master recordings for just $1! There
goes ownership of master recordings of hits like “Sitting On the Dock of the
Bay” by Otis Redding, “Green Onions” by Booker T & The MG’s, and
“Gee Whiz” by Carla Thomas, to name only a few. Now that Atlantic had sold
out to Warner Seven Arts(now Warner Bros.) there was nothing that Jerry Wexler
could do to give Jim Stewart back what he had worked so hard to build. Broke and
disgusted Jim sold what little he had left of STAX to the Gulf+Western
corporation. Gulf+Western had some good years owning STAX records with some big
hits from Booker T & the MG’s, Johnny Taylor, and William Bell but their
inexperience in marketing R&B music soon took its toll. This is when Jim
Stewart saw the opportunity to save his brain child STAX records so he
repurchased STAX in 1970 with now co-owner Al Bell.
So here we all are trying to get our next big break in the music
business. I went on to record eleven songs for my album that had a double fold
cover with all of the words to my songs, complete with pictures and credits.
(List names of songs recorded.) I recall asking Jim between sessions
“Man you don’t seem to be enjoying my session” and Jim replied “I’m
enjoying your session very much, I’m just a little worn down.” Knowing what
I know now, that statement by Jim was indeed an understatement. STAX Record
company(Jim Stewart & Al Bell) spent over $20,000.00 to produce and record
my new album.
Front
view of STAX Album Cover |
Although I did receive some national airplay, it seemed that the
$20,000.00 that was spent would just become another tax write off since they
didn’t put up the additional monies needed to properly promote my new album to
the radio stations since the old outlawed payola system was still in full
effect. Over the next year or so Al Bell had bought out Jim Stewarts share of
STAX records. Soon rumors were
spreading that STAX was going out of business because of deal between Al
Bell(STAX) and Clive Davis(Columbia Records) had gone sour after Columbia fired
Clive in 1973. Columbia began ordering large quantities of STAX record products
only to warehouse them instead of distributing them. Next, Al Bell
was indicted by the federal governement for bank fraud. So by 1975 STAX records had filed for bankruptcy protection with the
federal courts. At least this time Jim Stewart came out on the better end since
he had already sold his share for a couple of million dollars to Al Bell a few
years back, but for me it seemed that I had been at the right place but at the
wrong time.
In
1973 I took a business trip to New York City to get connected with some new
music promoters so I could perform and possibly land a new recording contract.
While in New York I got booked to perform at the famous Apollo Theater in
Manhattan and open for comedian Red Fox and baritone singer Arthur Prysock. Then
with the help of a independent record promoter named Preston Lassic I finally
got to visit the office of Atlantic Records on 42nd street to find
out why they were not promoting my records. While at Atlantic Records I met with
Jerry Wexler(A&R Director of R&B)face to face and he told me point blank
that they would not promote two blind artists at the same time. I asked Jerry
“What other blind artist are you talking about?” Jerry said Clarence Carter.
Then I said “What does one blind artists has to do with another
especially since Clarence Carter’s style of singing and musical talents were
in no way comparable to mine. The
only things we had in common musically were that we are both blind, we were once
a duo, we are both black, and we both are from the state of Alabama. True
Clarence had scored big with the tune “Slip Away” but we all know that
it’s because Atlantic Record company spent the money to promote his tunes up
the charts. All I am asking from
you Jerry is that you give me some of the same opportunities and promote my
songs that you have already recorded. Jerry just repeated what he had stated
earlier “we just are not going to promote but one blind artist at a time”.
Once again in my life it seemed like I was at the right place but at the
wrong time. I came to the realization that they were not going to do anything
for me so I asked Jerry Wexler for a contract release from Atlantic.
Atlantic Records wrote it up and we all signed the release.
Here is a little history on Atlantic Records and their
relationships with blind music artists. Atlantic
Records signed Ray Charles from 1952-1968 and he had his first big hit in 1954
with “I’ve Got A Woman”. Atlantic
lost Ray Charles to ABC Records around 1969.
In 1968 after the terrible fallout between Jim Stewart(then owner of STAX
Records) and Jerry Wexler of Atlantic Records, Jerry made an agreement between
Atlantic Records and Rick Hall of Fame Records in Muscle Shoals, Alabama to
record and produce Atlantic’s R&B Artists.
So Atlantic began to promote blind artist Clarence Carter through Rick
Hall at Fame Records from 1969-73 where he had much success as an artist, song
writer, and arranger.
Now
that the music industry was not giving me an opportunity to support my family I
had to make some tough decisions. My
wife Gladys encouraged me to go back to school and learn a trade/skill that
would better help me support family.
Alabama
School for the Blind in Talladega |
So from
1975-1976 I attended the Adult
School For the Blind in Talladega, Alabama where I learned several different
production and manufacturing skills. It
was tough living away from my family for the next twelve months but with God’s
help I made it through. After
graduating I returned home to my family in Montgomery, Alabama where I found
work with a state government agency. Though the money was good I still had the
burning desire deep down inside to play the piano and sing.
Everywhere I would go in public people would ask “aren’t you the
Calvin Scott that started out with Clarence Carter? I remember you! Man you are
a great singer and piano player. Why did you stop performing?” So later that
year with the help and assistance of my wife Gladys’s I started playing solo
gigs and made more money performing at country clubs, private parties, hotels,
and college campuses. With the aid of technological advancements in the music
industry I was able to perform solo but yet still sound like a full five piece
band. Sure it was hard singing and
playing the piano all night and having to get up the next morning and go to work
at the state but for me music was not work, it was a labor of love. I have to
tell you that I owe it all to my wife Gladys. You see Gladys would book the
gigs, type of the contracts, handle the money, as well as design and sew my
performance outfits. While all along she would be my eyes, work full time as a
kindergarten teacher, cook and clean our home, and raise our younger two
children Calvin Jr.(12) and Rashad(2). My wife Gladys is a godsend and
is truly an amazing woman.
By
this time, my son Calvin Jr. entered into Cloverdale Junior High School and
joined the school band. My wife
Gladys purchased him a tenor saxophone and Calvin Jr. quickly learned how to
read and play music through the teachings of a local legend and awesome trumpet
player Mr. Wilbur Jackson. Calvin,
Jr. went on to become the band’s president and he received numerous county and
state band awards. Wilbur Jackson
later said that Calvin Jr. was one of the best students that he had ever taught
throughout his 25 year career as a music teacher.
After just a few practice sessions with me covering jazz, R&B,
country, and blues standards Calvin Jr. had nearly mastered the tenor saxophone
by the age of 14 and was now ready to go on the road with me.
We had an amazing type of chemistry when performing that some might
describe as magical, we would feed off of each other’s solos and riffs and we
would have the dance floor on fire! Calvin Jr. performed with me for the next 4
years through high school graduation. He then moved away to Atlanta, Georgia to
attend school at DeVry Institute of Technology to study electronics and computer
systems. As the old saying goes,
all good things must come to an end. Sure
I was proud of what my son was accomplishing but it was hard letting him go to
Atlanta and it was even harder performing gigs without him. In retrospect, out
of all the years I spent in the music industry trying to earn money,
recognition, and fame the years I cherish the most are the 4 years I spent
performing with my son.
Today,
I still work for the State of Alabama and live a pleasant enjoyable life with my
lovely wife of 42 years Gladys in Montgomery, Alabama. Together we have 4 grown
children (Nadine, Donna, Calvin Jr., and Rashad), 6 grandchildren, and 1 great
grandchild. Although I still perform
live from time to time, I mostly use my musical talents to assist my son Calvin
Scott, Jr. who resides in Atlanta, Georgia with his own current and upcoming
music recording projects.
*Check
back for an update on my first book project about my life. My
complete autobiography titled "I'm Not Blind, I Just Can't See - The
Calvin Scott Story" which I hope to publish before end of 2008*
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CALVIN
SCOTT.com
