Bo-Keys

Biography

The Bo-Keys are a soul jazz band from Memphis, Tennessee, formed in 1998 by Scott Bomar, an Emmy Award-winning film composer and Grammy-nominated music producer. Bomar initially assembled the group as a backing band for Sir Mack Rice, a former Stax artist and songwriter, with the concept of creating an updated version of the quintessential Memphis sound that defined the city's musical legacy. The band's formation was rooted in Bomar's deep respect for Memphis's rich musical tradition, particularly the work of legendary session musicians like Charles "Skip" Pitts and Ben Cauley. In the spring of 2003, The Bo-Keys recorded their critically acclaimed debut album, The Royal Sessions, at Willie Mitchell's Royal Studio, establishing themselves as keepers of authentic Memphis soul and R&B.

The Bo-Keys' lineup features some of the most storied session musicians in American music history. The band includes Skip Pitts on guitar, a longtime bandleader for Isaac Hayes who played on the iconic Shaft soundtrack; drummer Howard Grimes from the legendary Hi Rhythm Section that backed Al Green, Ann Peebles, and Syl Johnson throughout the 1970s; keyboardist Archie "Hubbie" Turner, also a Hi Rhythm Section veteran; trumpeter and vocalist Ben Cauley, the sole survivor of the 1967 plane crash that killed Otis Redding and his Bar-Kays bandmates; and vocalist Percy Wiggins, who recorded for RCA Victor and Atco Records in the 1960s. Under Bomar's leadership, the band has become ambassadors of classic Memphis music, performing at prestigious venues including London's Barbican Performing Arts Centre, Lincoln Center's Midsummer Nights Swing Series, and The Ponderosa Stomp.

Beyond their own recordings, The Bo-Keys have contributed to major film and television projects, including performing the score for the Academy Award-winning film Hustle and Flow and recording "Kick It" for the Paramount/Nickelodeon animated feature Barnyard. The band has garnered multiple Blues Music Award nominations and maintained a prolific recording career spanning from 2004 to the present, releasing albums such as Got to Get Back! (2011), Heartaches By the Number (2016), and various EPs. Their work represents not a nostalgic recreation of the past, but rather a vital continuation of Memphis's soul and R&B tradition, blending the expertise of legendary session players with contemporary sensibilities.

Fun Facts

• Ben Cauley, The Bo-Keys' trumpeter and vocalist, is the sole survivor of the tragic 1967 plane crash in Madison, Wisconsin, that killed Otis Redding and the rest of his Bar-Kays bandmates, making him a living link to one of soul music's most pivotal moments.
• Floyd Newman, the 84-year-old baritone saxophonist who recorded with The Bo-Keys, appears in a famous photograph of B.B. King's entire orchestra on Beale Street, and he and B.B. King are the only two people still alive from that historic photo.
• Scott Bomar, the band's leader and bassist, is an Emmy Award-winning film composer and Grammy-nominated music producer who has worked with diverse artists including Al Green, Cyndi Lauper, and Samuel L. Jackson, demonstrating the band's connections to multiple genres and industries.
• Willie Mitchell, the legendary producer who guided The Bo-Keys' first album, refused to record digitally and remained a devoted proponent of tape recording until his death, influencing the band's commitment to analog recording techniques and authentic sound preservation.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Willie Mitchell - Record producer and studio owner who provided guidance on The Bo-Keys' first album and mentored Scott Bomar in production techniques and studio philosophy (The Royal Sessions (2004), various Al Green and Ann Peebles recordings) [2003-2010s]
• Stax Music Academy - Institution where Scott Bomar taught bass and met Skip Pitts and Willie Hall, reconnecting with the Memphis session musician tradition (Band formation and development) [2000s]

Key Collaborators

• Skip Pitts - Guitarist and bandleader who joined The Bo-Keys after meeting Bomar at Stax Music Academy; brings decades of session experience (All Bo-Keys albums from 2003 onwards) [2003-present]
• Howard Grimes - Drummer and Hi Rhythm Section veteran who provides the rhythmic foundation for The Bo-Keys' sound (All Bo-Keys albums) [2003-present]
• Ben Cauley - Trumpeter and vocalist, founding Bar-Kays member who brings authentic soul and R&B expertise to the ensemble (All Bo-Keys albums) [2003-present]
• Archie "Hubbie" Turner - Keyboardist and Hi Rhythm Section member who joined The Bo-Keys in 2008, contributing over 40 albums of session experience (All Bo-Keys albums from 2008 onwards) [2008-present]
• Percy Wiggins - Legendary vocalist who lends his voice and experience to The Bo-Keys' vocal arrangements (All Bo-Keys albums) [2003-present]
• Floyd Newman - 84-year-old baritone saxophonist from B.B. King's original band who contributed to The Bo-Keys' recordings (Recent Bo-Keys albums) [2010s-present]

Artists Influenced

• Contemporary Memphis musicians - The Bo-Keys serve as mentors and models for younger Memphis musicians interested in preserving authentic soul and R&B traditions (Band performances and collaborations) [2003-present]
• Film and television composers - Scott Bomar's work with The Bo-Keys has influenced contemporary approaches to soul and R&B scoring (Hustle and Flow soundtrack, Barnyard soundtrack) [2005-present]

Discography

Top Tracks

1. Colorful Hues (Colorful Hues)
2. Ola Mohon - Remastered (Ola Mohon)
3. Hu Tånga hao (Hu Tånga hao)
4. Hu Maguaiya Hit (Hu Maguaiya Hit)
5. Bob (Bob)
6. Oasis (Oasis)
7. Happy Friday! (HAPPY FRIDAY! The Album)
8. FiRE (FiRE)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia