Scott Ellison - Cold Hard Cash (2001)

A talented singer/songwriter, guitarist, and blues-rocker, Scott Ellison was born on February 13, 1954, in Tulsa, OK. By the '70s, Tulsa had become an unexpected hotbed of blues-based rock bands (as proven by both Eric Clapton and Freddie King's backing bands hailing from the area), which was around the same time that Ellison began playing with others, such as country singer Jesseca James (Conway Twitty's daughter) in 1977 and renowned bluesman Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown in 1981. Ellison relocated to Los Angeles by the mid-'80s, however, keeping his music career going by playing with the Box Tops, the Shirelles, the Coasters, and Peaches & Herb, and by the '90s he had formed his own blues band and opened for the likes of Joe Cocker, the Fabulous T-Birds, and Buddy Guy. It was also around this time that Ellison began issuing solo albums, including the titles Chains of Love and Live at Joey's. Shortly after returning back home to Tulsa, Ellison issued his third release, Steamin', followed by One Step From the Blues, which featured several other Tulsa musicians backing him. In addition to solo records and playing with other artists, Ellison has also penned songs that have appeared in such hit TV shows as Sister Sister, Eye on L.A., and the soap opera Santa Barbara, as well as the soundtrack to the Ben Affleck motion picture Reindeer Games. In 2001 Ellison issued his first release for the Burnside label, Cold Hard Cash, produced by longtime Robert Cray producer Dennis Walker.