Last year the Dalton Convention & Visitors Bureau asked several local musicians to write a brief bio of their music career. The DCVB wishes to highlight these great local artists as part of our Dalton Music Scene series.
Ryan Scoggins
Music has been a big part of my life since I was very young. I grew up listening to my grandfather, mother, aunts, and uncles play and sing in church. I learned my first song, Amazing Grace, when I was around 8 years old. The first time I ever played in front of an audience was with my grandfather in church. As much as I loved music, sports were more my focus while growing up. It wasn’t until I was 21 or so, hanging out with my buddies who were in the band Sunday Project, that I started to really get back into guitar. I would sit and listen to their practices and I would quietly try to play along with the songs they were playing. Not knowing many chords, the guys were always there to answer any questions I had and show me things I wasn’t familiar with.
In 2011, Tyler Hord, Johnny Briggs and myself started a “new grass” type of band called Train Hits Wagon. This is the time that I started to write original music. Tyler Hord, who is now a signed artist and goes by the name Porch Matthews, wrote songs for the band. I started collaborating with him in writing and eventually started writing my own music as well.
A proud moment from the Train Hits Wagon days was a song Tyler and I wrote, “Broken Bones” which was featured on US101’s Backwoods Country program and we were asked to come in for a live studio interview.
Train Hits Wagon stayed together for about a year and it was decided that we all wanted to try something a little different. Tyler went on to do his Porch Matthews career while Johnny and I started a duo, first playing weddings and parties. This was the beginning of Blackbird Revival. Not long after playing as a duo, our good friend Richard Hall came on board to play bass for Blackbird Revival. We did a couple of shows and parties together and then at an open mic we met Craig Pratt who would soon join the band as our lead guitarist. The four of us were together around four years, played many shows and even recorded an album.
Today, Blackbird Revival has gone back to its roots and is once again Johnny Briggs and myself. We now collaborate with other artists and have been playing shows with the band The Dead Trees which features Greg Parton and Tiffany Beavers. I’m excited about all that is happening and all that is to come. This has been the first year I have ever played solo gigs as well. Although very nerve racking and frightening to begin with, I believe solo gigs have given me a sense of confidence that I feel can be beneficial to me as an artist.
– Ryan Scoggins
To learn more about ALL of the live music events around town visit www.DaltonEvents.com