Scott Anderson

In March of 2001 with the co-production help of Scott Vestal, Scott fulfilled a dream by recording his first solo project "Rivers" featuring some of his original tunes and some of the finest acoustic musicians on the planet: Wayne Benson, John Cowan, Shelton Feazell, Aubrey Haynie, Jim Hurst, Rob Ickes, Missy Raines, Gabe Valla, Scott Vestal and Darren Wainright. Soon after seeing this project come to fruition, he formed The Scott Anderson Band to bring the songs to life on stage.

Scott Anderson has been a fixture on the Southeastern bluegrass and gospel circuit for almost two decades. He began with the contemporary and Southern gospel of First Light, then played the traditional bluegrass sound of the Bluegrass Parlor Band, followed by the driving grungegrass of Endless Highway and the sweet gospel of Gentle River. Now he's melded these and other influences into the powerful acoustic sound of The Scott Anderson Band.

Scott was influenced by diverse musical styles from an early age. While he listened with his two older brothers to the popular groups of the '50's, '60's, and '70's he was simultaneously being exposed to the bluegrass and mountain music of Bill Monroe, the Stanley Brothers, Flatt and Scruggs, and many others by parents transplanted from southwestern Virginia, and at church he sang the songs from the Baptist hymnal. At age 12 he began learning guitar and at 13 started on banjo.

Scott attended his first bluegrass festival as a young teen at Lawtey, Florida. That's when his musical fire really began to burn. He played informally with friends and attended as many festivals as he could for the next few years. At 19 he began his musical career on banjo and guitar with First Light, a gospel group in his hometown of Palatka and at that time did his first session work.

While attending the University of Florida in 1989, he was offered a spot in Tom Henderson's Bluegrass Parlor Band as a bass player and vocalist. So he quickly learned to play bass for their upcoming southeastern tour. Later he switched over to the banjo spot. With the Bluegrass Parlor Band he appeared on "Two Colors" on the Pinecastle label.

In 1993, he co-founded Endless Highway which also included the the amazing talents of Gabe Valla, Greg Turner, Mike Hyde, Tuck Tucker, and Tim Higgins performing grungy bluegrass, soft ballads, and even some hot jazz. With that band Scott performed throughout the Southeast, was a winner in the Pizza Hut Bluegrass Showdown, landed a coveted IBMA showcase spot, and released one critically acclaimed project for Mid-Knight Records in 1996.

In 1999 he returned to Southern and bluegrass gospel and began performing with Gentle River in churches across North Florida. With this band he displayed more of his vocal skills, singing lead, tenor, and baritone parts.

In 2004, Scott was asked to join The Jim Hurst Band to play banjo and provide harmony vocals. With Jim, Scott has travelled all over the U.S. and as far away as Ireland, playing shows at many wonderful theatres and festivals in a number of exciting locales. All the while, he has also continued to play shows and festivals with The Scott Anderson Band.

Scott has also performed or recorded with Vassar Clements, Larry Rice, Byron Berline, Chubby Wise, Allen Shadd, Bill Grant and Delia Bell, Blue Angel, Chief Jim Billie, George Custer, The Sno Rogers Band and the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra (yes, with a banjo!) among others, and has been featured in Banjo Newsletter.

Now on to the original sound of The Scott Anderson Band. Should we call it "bluegrass"? There is a very strong bluegrass influence, but some purists might not agree with that term. Maybe just "acoustic music." Or maybe "Swampgrass."

A native Floridian, Scott was born in Palatka, Florida on January 26, 1965. A self-taught multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter, he is also a pharmacist, an amateur photographer, and a mediocre surfer.


There is a second artist with this name:
Scott Anderson is the vocalist for Rainbow Butt Monkeys and Finger Eleven.