Phillip-Michael Scales at the Raccoon Motel -- November 15.
Wednesday, November 15, 7 p.m.
Raccoon Motel, 315 East Second Street, Davenport IA
Praised by The Indy Review for his “hauntingly soulful” voice and by The Revu as “one of the next great American soul singers,” Nashville-based singer/songwriter Phillip-Michael Scales headlines a November 15 concert at Davenport's Raccoon Motel, the artist's talents leading Rock and Blues Muse to advise its readers: “Stop what you’re doing and listen.”
As stated at his PhillipMichaelScales.com Web site: "As a kid, Phillip-Michael Scales didn’t understand what it meant that his aunt’s close friend, the guitar player who called him 'Nephew' and he called 'Uncle B,' was B.B. King. Once Phillip-Michael began guitar lessons, the significance became so clear that he shied away from soloing and most things blues. Instead, he fell in love with songwriting when an English teacher told him 'A great writer can make their reader identify with anyone.' The trouble was he couldn’t find his story in the blues. With a fierce independent streak and a passion for performing, Scales fronted his own indie bands, wrote and recorded his own music, and worked to make a name for himself on his own terms. All the while, his 'Uncle B' just smiled a knowing smile and encouraged him to 'stay with it.' Their relationship grew closer as Scales began to discover 'the blues' in his personal and professional life.
"When his Uncle B passed away, Scales began incorporating more of the blues into his music as a way to honor him. 'These days I’m finding more of my story in the blues. A lot has led me here between politics, my identity, and the idea of Legacy.' The result is a sound he calls 'Dive Bar Soul' which takes a bit of indie rock storytelling and couples it with the passion of the blues. His single 'Find a Way' has begun attracting national radio attention and he released his debut album Sinner-Songwriter on French Blues Label Dixie Frog Records in October of 2021.
"His single 'Find a Way' attracted national radio attention in 2022 and garnered an invite to perform on The Ellen Degeneres Show. His music has taken him all the way to the Middle East, as well as festivals across Europe and North America. He has opened for Milky Chance, Jerry Cantrell (Alice In Chains), Caravan Palace, Fantastic Negrito, The New Respects, Anderson East, Guster, The Record Company, and Cory Brannan."
Phillip-Michael Scales plays his Davenport engagement on November 15, admission to the 7 p.m. concert is $12, and tickets are available by visiting TheRaccoonMotel.com.
