Scott Sharrard brings guitar grace to Songbirds
I am approaching my 26th year in Chattanooga and in that time there have been many fine music venues, but few have shown the kind of relentless commitment to raising the bar in the music scene the way Songbirds has.
Their concert schedule this year alone has been packed with genuine musical legends but on Oct. 30th the venue plays host to Southern Rock Royalty as they welcome Scott Sharrard in support of his latest album, Saving Grace.
Sharrard’s musical bona fides are long and impressive but he is undoubtedly best known as a lead guitarist, singer, co-writer, and musical director for the Gregg Allman Band. In a well-worn quote, printed and published many times over, Allman had this to say about Sharrard:
“I know all about guitar players—I’ve seen the very best—and Scott Sharrard is the perfect guitarist for my band. He understands that you don’t need to play just for the sake of playing; Scott isn’t one of those guys who thinks they’re getting paid by the note. He never steps on the vocals, and leaves plenty of room for everyone else to do their thing, but when it’s time to solo, Scott delivers, boy.”
It’s a nice bit of praise but the real depth of the sentiment is easy to miss. Good lead guitar players are a dime a dozen, if by good you mean technically capable and flashy.
Great lead players are rare and what separates the good from the truly great comes down to one deceptively simple point, knowing when not to play. Maturity, restraint, taste; these are the marks of a truly great lead player and while the words of Gregg Allman certainly carry some gravitas, one need only listen to the Sept. 25th performance of his album’s title track (easily found on YouTube) to know that Sharrard is no mere technician. He makes the instrument sing.
For all his guitar playing ability, it would be a mistake to overlook his extraordinary vocal ability, reminiscent of Allman’s own. Powerful, rich and running the gamut from throaty to mellifluous, his vocal chops are easily the equal to his guitar playing.
The combination of guitar, vocals, and superb song-writing ability make Sharrard one of the new standard-bearers of the genre. George Jones was speaking of country music when he asked, “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes?” But in the case of soulful, gut-wrenching southern rock, Sharrard isn’t merely filling anyone’s shoes, he’s leading the way for a whole new generation.
The album features the talents of the Hi Rhythm Section as well as David Hood, Spooner Oldham and Chad Gamble, all well-known Muscle Shoals musicians and includes Gregg Allman’s last original song, “Everything a Good Man Needs,” co-written with Sharrard.
Sadly, Allman’s health failed before he had the chance to record the track himself, but its inclusion here is a both a fitting tribute and a bridge from the old to the new.
Sharrard will be joined Ben Sparaco, a brilliant up and comer already making his own mark on the Nashville music scene. The show is scheduled for Tuesday, October 30th at 7 p.m. and tickets are available at Songbirds North and online now through Eventbrite.