Myke Scavone
- Blues rock
- garage rock
- rock
- hard rock
- Vocals
- harmonica
- drums
- percussion
Myke Rocco Scavone (born 1949) is an American harmonica player and vocalist best known for his work with the bands The Doughboys, Ram Jam and The Yardbirds.
Early life and career
Scavone grew up in North Plainfield, New Jersey. He attended North Plainfield High School, graduating as part of the class of 1966, where he would meet the other future members of his first successful band, The Doughboys.[1][2]
Scavone joined his first band, the Apollos, in December 1964. He then joined The Ascots in 1965 with another member of the Apollos, guitarist Mike Farina. The band toured the United States opening for bands such as The Vagrants (which featured Leslie West on guitar) and The Hassles (which featured Billy Joel). They changed their name to The Doughboys in 1966 and secured a contract with Bell Records after winning a battle of the bands contest. Scavone was dismissed from the Doughboys in early 1968 when they decided to concentrate on instrumental music before disbanding at the end of that year.[3]
Following the disbandment of the Doughboys, Scavone began a career as a session drummer throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was performing on demos for producers Jerry Kasenetz and Jeffry Katz when he joined the newly formed Ram Jam, led by guitarist Bill Bartlett, in 1977.[4] The band had found success with a cover of the song "Black Betty". Scavone performed on both of the band's albums, Ram Jam and Portrait of the Artist as a Young Ram before the band disbanded in 1978. He did not perform on the band's only hit, "Black Betty", as it had been recorded by Bill Bartlett's band Starstruck and credited to Ram Jam following Starstruck's disbandment.[5]
Following a period of inactivity in music, Scavone joined a reformed version of The Doughboys in 2000 and still performs with them. The reunion was originally intended to be a one-off. It ended up being a full-time reunion and resulted in the recording of five new albums, Is It Now? (2007), Act Your Rage (2010), Shakin' Our Souls (2012) and Hot Beat Stew (2015), "Front Street Rebels" (2017), and Running For Covers (2019).
In 2015, Scavone joined The Yardbirds. He was recruited to play harmonica, percussion and backing vocals.[1] He continues to tour with them.[1]
References
- ^ a b c Makin, Bob. "Makin Waves with Myke Scavone of Doughboys, Yardbirds", Courier News, June 19, 2016. Accessed September 30, 2016. "Q: What are you looking forward to most about playing the North Plainfield High School class reunion on Sept. 9? A: That's my 50th high school reunion."
- ^ "The Doughboys @ North Plainfield High School in Plainfield, NJ". Facebook.com. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
- ^ "Myke Scavone – About". Facebook.com.
- ^ "Charismatic singer Myke Scavone talks about Ram Jam, Doughboys, Blues, 60s, and his long career". Blues.gr.
- ^ "Ram Jam – Biography – Billboard". Billboard.com.
- v
- t
- e
- Original members (1963–1968): Keith Relf
- Paul Samwell-Smith
- Chris Dreja
- Jim McCarty
- Top Topham
- Eric Clapton
- Jeff Beck
- Jimmy Page
- Later members (since 1992): John Idan
- Gypie Mayo
- Alan Glen
- Jerry Donahue
- Ben King
- Johnny A.
- Kenny Aaronson
- Myke Scavone
recordings
- For Your Love
- Having a Rave Up
- Roger the Engineer
- Little Games
- Birdland
- Five Live Yardbirds
- Sonny Boy Williamson and the Yardbirds
- Live Yardbirds! Featuring Jimmy Page
- Live! Blueswailing July '64
- The Yardbirds Greatest Hits
- Shapes of Things
- Ultimate!
- Glimpses 1963–1968
- Yardbirds '68
- Blow-Up – The Original Sound Track Album
- "I Wish You Would"
- "A Certain Girl"
- "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl"
- "For Your Love"
- "Heart Full of Soul"
- "Evil Hearted You"
- "I'm a Man"
- "Shapes of Things"
- "You're a Better Man Than I"
- "Boom Boom"
- "Over Under Sideways Down"
- "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago"
- "Ha Ha Said the Clown"
- "Ten Little Indians"
- "Let It Rock"
- "Who Do You Love"
- "You Can't Judge a Book by Looking at the Cover"
- "Too Much Monkey Business"
- "Smokestack Lightning"
- "Five Long Years"
- "The Sky Is Crying"
- "My Girl Sloopy"
- "The Train Kept A-Rollin'"
- "Spoonful"
- "The Stumble"
- "Dust My Blues"
- "White Summer"
- "Drinking Muddy Water"
- "Stealing Stealing"
- "Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine)"
- "Dazed and Confused"
- "Knowing That I'm Losing You"
- "I'm Waiting for the Man"
- Discography
- Members
- Cream
- Jeff Beck Group
- Led Zeppelin
- Renaissance
- Box of Frogs