Scott Merritt | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Origin | Brantford, Ontario, Canada |
Genres | Folk/pop/rock |
Occupations | singer-songwriter, record producer |
Years active | 1970s-present |
Scott Merritt is a Canadian singer-songwriter and record producer.[1] Most prominent in the 1980s, he was a shortlisted nominee for Most Promising Male Vocalist at the Juno Awards of 1986.[2]
Originally from Brantford, Ontario,[1] in the late 1970s Merritt launched a career as a folk music singer-songwriter,[1] performing both locally and on the folk festival circuit.[3] His debut album Desperate Cosmetics, released in 1979, was engineered by Daniel Lanois.[1]
He followed up with Serious Interference in 1983,[1] supported in part by a cultural exchange tour of the United States with artists including Brent Titcomb and Tamarack.[4] However, the album was not particularly successful, and Merritt began to pursue a more rock-oriented sound.[5]
He signed to Duke Street Records in 1985.[6] The label rereleased Serious Interference in early 1986, released his song "Transistor" as a single, and sent him out on tour as an opening act for Jane Siberry.[7] He followed up later the same year with his third album Gravity Is Mutual,[8] which was produced by Roma Baran and included guest contributions by Adrian Belew.[6] That album's lead single, "Overworked and Underprivileged", became Merritt's most successful song on radio.[1]
In 1990 his fourth album, Violet and Black, was released on Duke Street in Canada and IRS Records internationally.[1] The album was produced by Arthur Barrow.[9] However, both labels soon folded due to financial difficulties, leaving Merritt without a label.
He began at this time to concentrate on work as a recording engineer and record producer for other artists,[10] including Stephen Fearing, Grievous Angels, Ian Tamblyn, Lynn Miles, The Barmitzvah Brothers, James Gordon, Garnet Rogers, Suzie Vinnick and Fred Eaglesmith.[11] He continued to perform occasional live shows.[12]
In 2002, Merritt released The Detour Home on Universal/Maple Recordings, his first new album since 1990.[10]
His latest album, Of, was released in April 2015 as a limited edition vinyl and CD set.