Like most young writers who move to the songwriting capital of the world, it didn't take long for him to realize he was as green as a gourd. He still had a lot of learning to do, so he dug his heels in and began writing in earnest. He studied the craft of songwriting, trying to learn everything he could about what makes a great song great. Eventually, his music caught the ears of noted producers Norro Wilson and Buddy Cannon, who cut several tracks on him, hoping to score a record deal. That deal never materialized, but the experience was golden.
People began to pay attention the name Ray Scott and he landed a publishing deal with Tom Collins. The years of dedication to his craft finally began to pay off when Randy Travis ("Pray for the Fish") and Clay Walker ("A Few Questions") had hit singles with his songs.
He moved back to Raleigh after graduation and started another band. All the while, he kept getting advice to move to Nashville to advance his career. It took a near-mystical experience, however, for him to finally make the move. "A buddy and I were on our way back to Raleigh from a road trip," he explains. "I was driving through Nashville and I looked out over the skyline and got this really strange feeling. It was like a moment of clarity, telling me this was where I needed to be. Something seemed to saying, "No need thinking anymore about it, your mind's made up." Within another six months, I was here...
However, it was the hard-driving, attitude-drenched "Plowboy" that changed things for the better. It was the song that became his calling card, the one that prompted Paul Worley at Warner Bros. to give the green light on a record deal. It also knocked down the door of creativity and cleared the way for a batch of songs sure to establish Scott as a working class poet of the highest order.
The songs on his Warner Bros. debut, My Kind of Music, range from odes to the working man ("Dirty Shirt") and gut-wrenching ballads ("Fly With an Angel") to morning-after regrets ("Bear With Me Lord"). Mix in the earthy sensuality of "I Didn't Come Here To Talk" and personal manifestos like "Different Kind of Cowboy" and "My Kind of Music" and you've got all the ingredients of a classic album. One that will, like those of his heroes, stand the test of time. An album that will show country fans the world over that he's a different kind of cowboy. One who's always true to his roots, his heart, and his music. One you won't soon forget.
(Bio courtesy Warner Brothers Nashville)