PHILLIP-MICHAEL SCALES ANNOUNCES TOUR DATES W/ KEB' MO', THE HEAVY HEAVY, & ERIC GALES
PHILLIP-MICHAEL SCALES ANNOUNCES NEW TOUR DATES WITH
KEB’ MO’, ERIC GALES, & THE HEAVY HEAVY
WATCH: “LIGHT UP THE SKY”
TOUR DATES
5/6 - The Ark - Ann Arbor, MI*
5/7 - The KING of CLUBS - Columbus, OH*
5/8 - The Vogue - Indianapolis, IN*
5/9 - Bell’s Eccentric Cafe - Kalamazoo, MI*
5/11 - Jergel’s Rhythm Grille - Warrendale, PA*
5/28 - Center for the Arts of Homer - Homer, NY^
5/29 - Essex - Rochester, NY^
5/31 - Sandler Center for the Performing Arts - Virginia Beach, VA**
6/4 - The Palace Theatre - Greensburg, PA**
6/5 - Longwood Gardens - Kennett Square, PA**
6/7 - Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center - Westhampton Beach, NY**
6/8 - The Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts - Westport, CT**
6/10 - Count Basie Center for the Arts - Red Bank, NJ**
6/11 - Nashua Center for the Arts - Nashua, NH**
6/12 - Waterville Opera House - Waterville, ME**
6/14 - Cape Cod Melody Tent - Hyannis, MA**
6/15 - Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center - Great Barrington, MA**
6/16 - Point of the Bluff Vineyards - Hammondsport, NY**
6/17 - Kalamazoo State Theatre - Kalamazoo, MI**
6/20 - MGM Northfield Park - Northfield, OH**
6/21 - The Lerner Theatre - Elkhart, IN**
6/22 - Orpheum Theater - Madison, WI**
*w/ Eric Gales
^w/ The Heavy Heavy
**w/ Keb’ Mo’
Nashville-based artist Phillip-Michael Scales has announced new tour dates supporting blues icon Keb’ Mo’. The tour begins on May 31st and will make stops along the East Coast and in the Midwest. “Keb’ Mo’ is an incredible songwriter and a total legend. I’m stoked to sit sidestage and LEARN. We’re actually playing a venue that my Uncle B played,” says Scales, who grew up with blues legend B.B. King as a close family friend. He will also open dates with blues artist Eric Gales, and with retro-inspired rock group, The Heavy Heavy, in May. See below for a complete list of shows.
Scales, who has dubbed his particular style of blues-meets-rock, “Dive Bar Soul,” has performed across the globe, sharing stages with Fantastic Negrito, Jerry Cantrell, Anderson East, Guster, David Cook, Billy Raffoul, Crystal Bowersox, and more, and performed on The Ellen DeGeneres show during its final season. Since releasing his breakout LP, Sinner-Songwriter, in 2021, Scales has released a series of well-received singles - “Better Than You,” “My Oh My,” and his latest, “Light Up The Sky,” an anthemic roots-rock mission statement that nods to Stax Records while showcasing Scales’ unique songwriting.
“There are a lot of highs and lows in this business. It takes so much to make an artist's career viable enough for an industry person to take a chance on them,” Scales says. “Most of the artists you’ve seen play 25 minutes before your favorite bands in 2000-cap rooms have worked incredibly hard to get there. After that, you’ve got to work twice as hard to stay there, let alone rise. Losing money, relationships, time with their families, sleep, and faith all in the name of this dream that’s supposed to be fun. But we do it because we’re compelled to. I wrote ‘Light Up the Sky’ when I was in one of those valleys and it became my anthem,” he continues. “I remember walking around Detroit on Christmas Eve, singing it to myself as I hung posters in 20-degree weather. I knew I had to get the word out and no one would do it for me. It’s my personal little motivator.”
“Light Up The Sky” is also the first single from his forthcoming LP, Good To Be Here, produced by GRAMMY-nominated Dan Knobler (Allison Russell, Lake Street Dive), due later this year. Today, he unveils a performance video for “Light Up The Sky,” featuring Knobler (guitar), Mary Hull (keys), Terence F. Clark (drums), Alec Newnam (bass), Nikki Morgan (backing vocals), Larry Jenkins (trumpet), Amber Woodhouse (tenor saxophone), and TJ Blake (baritone saxophone).
Growing up, Phillip-Michael Scales had an “uncle” who played guitar for a living. He knew it was a big deal but didn’t understand the significance that his name was B.B. King. Even though Scales played guitar, he shied away from soloing and most things blues. Instead, he fell in love with songwriting after a teacher told him, “A great writer can make their reader identify with anyone.” The trouble was he couldn’t find his story in the blues.
Born with a fierce independent streak and a passion for performing, Scales fronted his own indie bands, wrote and recorded his own music, and worked to make a name for himself on his own terms. All the while, his uncle just smiled a knowing smile and encouraged him to “stay with it.” As Scales began to discover “the blues” in his private and personal life, their relationship grew closer. It wasn’t until his King passed away that Scales began incorporating more of the blues into his own music. “These days I’m finding more of my story in the blues,” he says. “A lot has led me here between politics, my identity, and of course: Legacy.” This is “Dive Bar Soul” - indie rock storytelling coupled with the passion of the blues.
Good To Be Here is available for pre-order HERE.
