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Boz Scaggs to Play to a Sold-Out Crowd at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, July 20

July 19, 2013. On Saturday, July 20, at 8 p.m.  Singer and songwriter Boz Scaggs will play to a sold-out crowd at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets for the event went on sale on May 1 and the entire venue of 1,635 seats were sold out by the beginning of last week, said Megan Stage, marketing manager for Arts and Cultural Programs.

William Royce “Boz” Scaggs first came to prominence as a musician in the 1960s as a guitarist and occasional lead singer in The Steve Miller Band, but his tenure began in 1959 when Scaggs and childhood friend, Steve Miller formed the band Marksmen.  After Scaggs left school, he briefly moved to London and then to Sweden to pursue a career as a musician.

While in Sweden, he recorded his first solo album, “Boz,” which was not a commercial or critical success. In the late 1960s, Scaggs returned to America to be part of the burgeoning San Francisco music scene and rejoined Miller to play in The Steve Miller Band. He appeared on the band’s first two albums, “Children of the Future” and “Sailor,” before getting a solo contract with Atlantic Records.  He released his second solo album, “Boz Scaggs” in 1969.

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In 1976, he released his first commercially and critically successful album “Silk Degrees.”  Recorded with session musicians, who later formed the band Toto, the album reached #2 on Bilboard 200 and #1 on charts across the world.  Three hit singles were spawned from the album, “Lowdown,” “Lido Shuffle” and “What Can I Say,” as well as the MOR standard, “We Are All Alone,” which was later covered by Rita Coolidge and Franky Valli.

From 1981 to 1989, Scaggs took a hiatus from the industry but continued to tour sporadically.  In 1988, He opened the San Francisco night club, Slim’s.  He is still co-owner.  

In the 1990s, Scaggs began to record new albums which were mostly successful in spite of his extended absence from public consciousness.  On September 11, 2001, he released his album “Dig.”  It proved to be a solid album, but in the post-9/11 confusion and anxiety, the album was forgotten about.

Now, Scaggs tours every summer across Europe and the Americas.  The Appalachian Summer Festival concert is part of a tour promoting his new album “Memphis” which was released in early March.  The album was recorded at the Royal Studios which is famous for recording albums for Buddy Guy, Chuck Berry, and My Morning Jacket.

Scaggs and his wife Dominique own a vineyard and winery in Napa Valley, California.  His son Austin Scaggs is a music journalist for Rolling Stone. His column is called “The Smoking Section.” 

Boz Scaggs is one of a few shows which are already selling out fast. Lyle Lovett is almost sold out, with less than 50 seats remaining. Idina Menzel, which premiers tonight, has only one row of seats left for purchase.