This week’s artist, Phillip-Michael Scales , has a connection to a gentleman I worked with a couple of times over his illustrious career: the late, great B.B. King.
The legendary bluesman was a close friend to Scales’ aunt and he even called the young man “nephew.” I learned this when I got the press release that spoke about Scales upcoming opening position for another singer-songwriter-guitarist, Keb’ Mo’ at the Waterville Opera House next Wednesday, the 12th. It was kind of neat to be able to continue a “relationship” with King by chatting with his “nephew,” Scales when he called me on May 16.
Q: Where are you calling from? A: I’m at home in Nashville. Q: Could you talk a little bit about the gentleman you’re opening for at the Waterville Opera House — how’s it going on tour with Keb’ Mo’? A: We are going to meet on that tour, for sure. My people got in touch with his people and they decided that it would be a good fit, so I’m super excited.
I think that my story of growing up with my Uncle B as a presence in my life, I sort of quickly realized that being the bluesy guitar slinger wasn’t necessarily calling my name so I went to songwriting. I was listening to a lot of Beatles, I was listening to a lot of up-and-coming indie songwriters, but I kept talking to my Uncle B and I kept going to the shows, and I kept sort of keeping in touch with him. So the more we spent time together, my bluesy tint, my bluesy lean was more of a head-nod to hi.
