the bo keys

Biography

The Bo-Keys are a Memphis, Tennessee–based soul and soul-jazz band founded in 1998 by bassist, producer, and film composer Scott Bomar as an homage to the city’s classic Stax and Hi Records sound.[1][3][8] Bomar, who had previously led the instrumental combo Impala, formed the group after being asked to assemble a backing band for former Stax artist Sir Mack Rice, deciding to recreate and extend the 1960s Memphis instrumental and R&B tradition by recruiting many of the very musicians who had defined it in the first place.[1][2] Early lineups included trumpeter Mark Franklin and guitarist John Stivers, and the band’s core gradually expanded to feature veteran session players such as guitarist Charles “Skip” Pitts, drummer Howard Grimes, keyboardist Archie “Hubbie” Turner, trumpeter and vocalist Ben Cauley, and vocalist Percy Wiggins, all of whom brought direct ties to the original Stax, Hi, and Bar-Kays eras.[1][2][3][6]

In 2003 the Bo-Keys recorded their debut album The Royal Sessions at Willie Mitchell’s Royal Studio in Memphis, a project deeply rooted in the groove-driven, horn-laced Memphis soul sound that Mitchell had crafted for artists like Al Green and Ann Peebles.[1][2] Beyond their own albums—including The Royal Sessions (2004), Got to Get Back! (2011), and Heartaches By the Number (2016)—the group gained wider visibility by performing the score for the Academy Award–winning film Hustle & Flow and contributing the song “Kick It” to the animated feature Barnyard.[1][8] Stylistically, the Bo-Keys blend classic Southern soul, R&B, and soul-jazz with a modern sensibility, emphasizing tight horn arrangements, earthy rhythm-section grooves, and vocals steeped in gospel and blues traditions rather than attempting a purely nostalgic recreation.[1][2][3] Over time they have become a respected bridge between generations, appearing at events such as the Ponderosa Stomp, London’s Barbican Centre, Lincoln Center’s Midsummer Night Swing, and international festivals, and serving as a living continuation of the Memphis soul legacy through both their recordings and their members’ ongoing educational and session work.[1][3][6]

Fun Facts

• The Bo-Keys were initially assembled simply as a one-off backing band for Stax songwriter Sir Mack Rice, but the chemistry among the musicians led Scott Bomar to keep the group together as a full-time project.[1][2]
• Guitarist Charles “Skip” Pitts brought with him one of the most recognizable riffs in soul and film history: he played the iconic wah‑wah guitar line on Isaac Hayes’ 1971 Shaft theme long before joining the Bo-Keys.[1]
• Trumpeter and vocalist Ben Cauley, an original Bo-Keys member, was the only survivor of the 1967 plane crash that killed Otis Redding and most of the Bar-Kays, giving the band a direct personal link to one of soul music’s most storied tragedies.[1][7]
• The Bo-Keys not only record vintage-flavored soul albums but also crossed into film, performing the score for the Academy Award–winning movie Hustle & Flow and contributing music to the animated feature Barnyard.[1][8]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Willie Mitchell - Legendary Hi Records producer who guided the band during sessions at Royal Studio and heavily shaped their understanding of arranging, production, and the classic Memphis sound. (Produced or informally produced and advised on sessions for The Bo-Keys’ debut album The Royal Sessions and additional projects recorded at Royal Studio.) [Early 2000s until Mitchell’s death in 2010[1][2]]
• Stax and Hi Records session tradition (Booker T. & the M.G.’s, Hi Rhythm Section, etc.) - Stylistic and conceptual influence; Bomar explicitly modeled the Bo-Keys on 1960s Memphis instrumental R&B and soul, drawing on the sound and approach of these ensembles. (Overall conception of The Bo-Keys and the sound of The Royal Sessions and Got to Get Back!.[1][2][8]) [Primary influence from band’s formation onward (late 1990s–present)[1][2][8]]

Key Collaborators

• Scott Bomar - Founder, bandleader, bassist, producer, and principal organizer of the Bo-Keys; also an Emmy-winning composer and Grammy-nominated producer. (All core Bo-Keys releases including The Royal Sessions, Got to Get Back!, and Heartaches By the Number; scores and soundtrack work such as Hustle & Flow.[1][3][8]) [1998–present[1][3][8]]
• Charles “Skip” Pitts - Veteran guitarist known for Isaac Hayes’ “Theme from Shaft” who joined the Bo-Keys after meeting Bomar at the Stax Music Academy; became a key member and link to the classic Stax era. (The Royal Sessions and subsequent touring and recording with the Bo-Keys.[1][2]) [Early 2000s until his death in 2012[1][2]]
• Howard Grimes - Drummer from the Hi Rhythm Section who played on seminal Hi Records sessions; served as the Bo-Keys’ drummer and rhythmic anchor, bringing vintage Hi grooves to the band. (The Royal Sessions, Got to Get Back! and live performances.[1][6]) [2000s–2010s[1][6]]
• Archie “Hubbie” Turner - Keyboardist and member of the Hi Rhythm Section who joined the Bo-Keys, adding organ and piano textures rooted in classic Memphis soul. (Touring and recording with the Bo-Keys from around the time of Got to Get Back! and later releases; long-time presence in live shows.[1][3][5]) [Joined 2008; active with the band from late 2000s onward[3][5]]
• Ben Cauley - Trumpeter and vocalist, founding member of the Bar-Kays and sole survivor of the 1967 plane crash that killed Otis Redding and most of the Bar-Kays; original member of the Bo-Keys. (Early Bo-Keys recordings and performances, including work surrounding The Royal Sessions.[1][7]) [Late 1990s–2000s[1][7]]
• Percy Wiggins - Soul and gospel vocalist with 1960s recordings for RCA Victor and Atco who became the Bo-Keys’ featured singer, connecting the band’s instrumental core to classic vocal soul traditions. (Lead vocals on later Bo-Keys releases, notably Got to Get Back! and subsequent projects; extensive touring with the band.[1][5][6]) [Mid‑2000s–present[1][5][6]]
• Mark Franklin - Trumpeter who played with Bobby “Blue” Bland and was part of the original Bo-Keys lineup; one of the remaining early core members alongside Bomar. (Trumpet on The Royal Sessions and later recordings; regular live performances.[2]) [Late 1990s–present[2]]
• Willie Hall - Stax session drummer and member of the Bar-Kays and the Blues Brothers Band who worked with Bomar at the Stax Music Academy and played with the Bo-Keys. (Live and studio work with the Bo-Keys during the period when Bomar began incorporating more Stax veterans into the band.[2]) [Mid‑2000s[2]]
• Sir Mack Rice - Former Stax artist and songwriter for whom Bomar initially assembled the Bo-Keys as a backing band, providing the direct catalyst for the group’s formation. (Live backing performances in 1998 that led directly to the establishment of the Bo-Keys as an ongoing band.[1][2]) [1998 and shortly thereafter[1][2]]

Artists Influenced

• Younger Memphis soul and roots musicians (collective) - By bringing original Stax and Hi players together with contemporary bandleaders and appearing at educational institutions like the Stax Music Academy, the Bo-Keys have helped transmit classic Memphis soul performance practice to newer generations; this influence is broadly noted but not tied to specific named protégés. (Educational work at Stax Music Academy and the band’s catalog, especially The Royal Sessions and Got to Get Back!, which serve as modern reference points for the Memphis sound.) [2000s–present (inferred from their documented educational and heritage role).[1][2][3][6]]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Kick It
2. Hi Roller (Got To Get Back!)
3. Coming Home Baby (The Royal Sessions)
4. Writing on the Wall (Writing on the Wall (feat. Percy Wiggins) - EP)
5. Deuce and a Quarter (The Royal Sessions)
6. I'm Still In Need (Writing on the Wall (feat. Percy Wiggins) - EP)
7. Hi Roller (Dolemite Is My Name (Music from the Netflix Film))
8. Heartaches By The Number (feat. Don Bryant) (Heartaches By The Number)
9. I Threw It All Away (Heartaches By The Number)
10. Spanish Delight (The Royal Sessions)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia