Scott Billington


Scott Billington is an American record producer, songwriter, record company executive and blues musician.

Biography

Billington's career began in Boston in the early 1970s, when he managed the New England Music City record store and edited the music magazine Pop Top. He was a member of the Boston Blues Society, which staged concerts by Son House, Mance Lipscomb, Johnny Shines and other first-generation bluesmen. In the mid 1970s he joined the staff of Rounder Records, where he first worked in the record label's sales, promotion and art departments.
In 1978, he and author Peter Guralnick edited live Boston Blues Society tapes to produce the Johnny Shines' album, Hey-Ba-Ba-Re Bop. He began producing for musicians in genres of music such as blues, Cajun, jazz and zydeco. His 1981 production of bluesman Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown won the first Grammy Award for Rounder Records. In the mid-1980s, he created the Modern New Orleans Masters Series for Rounder. Over the years, he has produced Charlie Rich, Solomon Burke, Johnny Adams, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Soul Rebels Brass Band, Irma Thomas, James Booker, Tangle Eye, Girl Authority among other artists on Rounder and other labels. His records have won a total of 3 Grammy® Awards and 11 Grammy® nominations.
As a harmonica player, Billington has recorded with Irma Thomas, Boozoo Chavis, Sleepy LaBeef, Johnette Downing, Theryl deClouet and others. He has toured with Nathan Williams & the Zydeco Cha Chas, a Louisiana-based zydeco band, appearing at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, the Efes Pilsen Blues Festival and the Montreal Jazz Festival. He played harmonica on the soundtrack to the Henry Fonda/Myrna Loy ABC-TV film, Summer Solstice, and on the PBS-TV series Zoom and Nova.
Billington's writing has appeared in Yankee, the Oxford American, Gambit and The Boston Globe. He has also written liner notes for many of his recordings. He has lectured at Harvard University, the New England Conservatory of Music, and Loyola University, as well as at several Grammy in the Schools events. As a graphic designer and art director, Billington created hundreds of album covers for Rounder and other labels.
Billington is employed as vice president of A&R for Rounder/Concord Records. He lives in New Orleans with his wife, the children's musician and author Johnette Downing, with whom he performs as the duo Johnette and Scott.

Awards

2017
Grammy Award
2011
Offbeat Lifetime Achievement Award
2010
Grammy nomination
2007
Sweet Soul Music Award, awarded by the Porretta Soul Festival, Porretta Terme, Italy
Grammy Award
2002
Keeping the Blues Alive Award for Producer, awarded by The Blues Foundation
1996
Offbeat Magazine Best Producer Award
1990
Nominated as Producer of the Year, Boston Music Awards
1989
Nominated as Producer of the Year, Boston Music Awards
1987
Communication Arts Magazine Award of Excellence
1985
Appointment as Colonel on the staff of Louisiana Governor Edwin W. Edwards
1984
Communication Arts Magazine Award of Excellence
1982
Grammy Award

Partial credits

For complete credits please see
2013
Skydog: The Duane Allman Retrospective, Duane Allman
Swamp People
American Radical Patriot, Woody Guthrie
2012
Meet Me at Mardi Gras
St. Peter & 57th St., Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Twenty Dozen, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
Unlock Your Mind, The Soul Rebels
2010
Live in Boston, 1982, George Thorogood & the Destroyers
2009
My Dusty Road, Woody Guthrie GRAMMY® NOMINEE
The Soul Queen of New Orleans: 50th Anniversary, Irma Thomas
2008
Pretty Runs Out, Amanda Shaw
Simply Grand, Irma Thomas GRAMMY® NOMINEE
2007
City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music
Road Trip, Girl Authority
2006
After the Rain, Irma Thomas GRAMMY® WINNER
Girl Authority, Girl Authority
Hang It High, Hang It Low, Nathan Williams & the Zydeco Cha Chas
The Great Johnny Adams R&B Album, Johnny Adams
2005
A Celebration of New Orleans Music to Benefit the Musicares Hurricane Relief
Daily Bread, Corey Harris
The Complete Library of Congress Recordings, Jelly Roll Morton
The Great Johnny Adams Blues Album, Johnny Adams
2004
Alan Lomax's Southern Journey Remixed, Tangle Eye
Sense of Light, Clarence Bucaro
Soul of the Night
The Essential Collection, Bill Morrissey
2003
Box of the Blues
2002
Cajun Music: The Essential Collection
Live! The Loom's Desire, Laura Nyro
Righteous! The Essential Collection, The Holmes Brothers
Zydeco: The Essential Collection
2001
Any Woman's Blues
Down Home on Dog Hill, Boozoo Chavis
If You Want It, Come and Get It, Irma Thomas
Keep It Rollin': The Blues Piano Collection
Mardi Gras in New Orleans
Rockabilly Blues, Sleepy LaBeef
Roots Music: An American Journey
The Best of Beau Jocque & The Zydeco Hi-Rollers, Beau Jocque & The Zydeco Hi-Rollers
The Best of the Crawfish Years, 1985–1991, BeauSoleil
The Houseman Cometh!, Theryl DeClouet
Wake up Call, Michelle Willson
2000
Best Kept Secret, Chris Ardoin & Double Clutchin'
Give Him Cornbread, Live!, Beau Jocque & The Zydeco Hi-Rollers
Johnnie Billy Goat, Boozoo Chavis
Let's Go, Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas
My Heart's in Memphis: The Songs of Dan Penn, Irma Thomas
On the Prowl, Walter "Wolfman" Washington
Swingin' the Blues, Claude "Fiddler" Williams
The Toughest Girl Alive, Candye Kane
The Ultimate Collection, Buckwheat Zydeco
There Is Always One More Time, Johnny Adams
1999
Allons en Louisiane: The Rounder Records Guide to Cajun Music, Zydeco & South Louisiana
Good Day for the Blues, Ruth Brown GRAMMY® NOMINEE
Love Like Yours & Mine, Davell Crawford
The Whop Boom Bam, All That
Tryin' to Make a Little Love, Michelle Willson
Who Stole My Monkey?, Boozoo Chavis
1998
Ain't No Funk Like N.O. Funk
B-3 and Me, Davell Crawford
Check It Out, Lock It In, Crank It Up, Beau Jocque & The Zydeco Hi-Rollers
Funk Is in the House, Walter "Wolfman" Washington
La Chanson Perdue, Geno Delafose
Man of My Word, Johnny Adams
Modern New Orleans Masters
Sing It!, Marcia Ball, Irma Thomas, Tracy Nelson GRAMMY® NOMINEE
To the Country, Bluerunners
Turn the Page, Chris Ardoin
1997
Funknicity, New Orleans Nightcrawlers
Gon' Be Jus' Fine, Chris Ardoin & Double Clutchin'
I'm a Zydeco Hog: Live at the Rock 'N' Bowl, New Orleans, Nathan Williams & the Zydeco Cha Chas
Promised Land, The Holmes Brothers
R+B = Ruth Brown, Ruth Brown GRAMMY® NOMINEE
Z-Funk, Li'l Brian & The Zydeco Travelers
1996
Africa Worldwide: 35th Anniversary Album, Tabu Ley Rochereau
Gonna Take You Downtown, Beau Jocque & The Zydeco Hi-Rollers
Mood Indigo, New Orleans C.A.C. Jazz Orchestra
One Foot in the Blues, Johnny Adams
That's What I'm Talkin' About!, Geno Delafose
The Barber's Blues, Chuck Carbo
You'll Never Get to Heaven, Bill Morrissey
1995
Creole Crossroads, Nathan Williams & the Zydeco Cha Chas
Fresh, Li'l Brian & The Zydeco Travelers
Git It, Beau Jocque!, Beau Jocque & The Zydeco Hi-Rollers
La Toussaint, Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys
Let Them Talk, Davell Crawford
Right on Time, Little Buster and the Soul Brothers
The Royal Family of Zydeco
The Verdict, Johnny Adams
Till the Night is Gone: A Tribute to Doc Pomus
1994
French Rockin' Boogie, Geno Delafose
Live! At the Habibi Temple, Boozoo Chavis
Muzina, Tabu Ley Rochereau
Pick Up on This!, Beau Jocque & The Zydeco Hi-Rollers
Strange Things Happening, Sleepy LaBeef
Willing & Able, Dalton Reed
1993
Beau Jocque Boogie, Beau Jocque & The Zydeco Hi-Rollers
Blues Stay Away from Me, John Delafose & the Eunice Playboys
Follow Me Chicken, Nathan Williams & the Zydeco Cha Chas
Good Morning Heartache, Johnny Adams
Jelly, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
Resurrection of the Bayou Maharajah: Live at the Maple Leaf Bar, James Booker
Soul Street, The Holmes Brothers
Spiders on the Keys: Live at the Maple Leaf Bar, James Booker
Walk Around Heaven: New Orleans Gospel Soul, Irma Thomas
1992
Gonna Stick and Stay, Paul Kelly
Jubilation, The Holmes Brothers
Old World Beat, Klezmer Conservatory Band
Open Up: Whatcha Gonna Do for the Rest of Your Life?, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
Pere Et Garcon Zydeco, John Delafose
Pictures And Paintings, Charlie Rich
True Believer, Irma Thomas
1991
Johnny Adams Sings Doc Pomus: The Real Me, Johnny Adams
Live! Simply the Best, Irma Thomas GRAMMY® NOMINEE
Louisiana Soul Man, Dalton Reed
Mardi Gras Party
Where It's At, The Holmes Brothers
Wolf at the Door, Walter "Wolfman" Washington
Your Mama Don't Know, Nathan Williams & the Zydeco Cha Chas
1990
In the Spirit, The Holmes Brothers
Spanic Boys, Spanic Boys
The New Orleans Album, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
Zydeco Shootout at El Sid O's
1989
Steady Rock, Nathan Williams & the Zydeco Cha Chas
Voodoo, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
Walking on a Tightrope: The Songs of Percy Mayfield, Johnny Adams
Zydeco Live!, Vol. 1
Zydeco Live!, Vol. 2
1988
Dreams of Love, Tony Dagradi
Jumpin' Night in the Garden of Eden, Klezmer Conservatory Band
Out of the Dark, Walter "Wolfman" Washington
Room with a View of the Blues, Johnny Adams
Steppin' Out, David Torkanowsky
Swing, Duke Robillard
The Way I Feel, Irma Thomas
You Got Me, Duke Robillard
1987
A Few Old Memories, Hazel Dickens
Buckwheat's Zydeco Party, Buckwheat Zydeco
Graciously, Alvin "Red" Tyler
1986
A Change Is Gonna Come, Solomon Burke
Heritage, Alvin "Red" Tyler
The New Rules, Irma Thomas
Wolf Tracks, Walter "Wolfman" Washington
After Dark, Johnny Adams
Hot Tamale Baby, Marcia Ball
Live: Mardi Gras in Montreux, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
Nothin' But the Truth, Sleepy LaBeef
1985
Too Hot to Handle, Duke Robillard
Waitin' for My Ya Ya, Buckwheat Zydeco Ils Sont Partis Band GRAMMY® NOMINEE
From the Heart, Johnny Adams
New Orleans Piano Professor, Tuts Washington
1983
By the Sweat of My Brow, Hazel Dickens
Soul Alive!, Solomon Burke
Turning Point, Buckwheat Zydeco GRAMMY® NOMINEE
Classified, James Booker
1982
Electricity, Sleepy LaBeef
One More Mile, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown GRAMMY® NOMINEE
1981
Alright Again!, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown GRAMMY® WINNER
1980
Hard Hitting Songs for Hard Hit People, Hazel Dickens
Mr. Blues is Back to Stay, Robert Jr. Lockwood and Johnny Shines
1979
Hangin' On, Robert Jr. Lockwood and Johnny Shines
1978
Hey Ba-Ba-Re-Bop, Johnny Shines
Living on the Hallelujah Side, Joseph Spence