About
Phillip-Michael Scales was born in Metro Detroit, forged in Chicago, and polished in Nashville. He grew up with B.B. King calling him nephew and calls his music "Dive Bar Soul," a blend of Indie Rock storytelling and the passion of the blues.
In April of 2025, Phillip-Michael released his sophomore LP, Good to Be Here produced by Grammy nominated producer, Dan Knobler (Allison Russell, Lake Street Dive, Bahamas).
“Phillip Michael Scales bounces between tall tales and biographical stories while a folk-pop band churns up some rootsy, rollicking noise in the background...Get ready for storytime, folks.”
Notable Moments
Main support for Keb’ Mo’ (May-June 2024)
Performed on The Ellen Show
Main support for Jerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains) April-May 2022
Main support for Caravan Palace Jan-Feb 2022 *
Single "Find A Way" hit #65 on AAA Radio
Recipient of The Salt Lick Incubator Grant
Played The Rock Boat (2021)
Festivals
Blues Passions (Cognac France), Summerfest, MusikFest, Mile Of Music, Taste of Chicago, Taste of Randolph, Ann Arbor Top of the Park Festival.
Radio And Playlisting
Spotify Editorials
Blues Roots - Leaning on the Altar
Retro Soul - Better Than you, Something bout you, My Oh My, Be My Own Man
Blue Ballads - How Many Times
In the Name of the Blues - Your Love’s Working Me to the Bone
Find a Way - WXRT/Chicago- ADD MED rotation. KCSN/LA- ADD. WRLT/Nashville- ADD WOXL/Asheville -ADD. Sirius XM Spectrum Shortlist ADD
Featured on: KBCO/Denver. KCMP/Mpls, KRCL/SLC, & WQKL/Ann Arbor
Live performances
Listen
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On Road Again Touring
Aurelie Roquet
aurelie@ontheroad-again.eu -
Brooklyn Basement Records |Susan Hamilton susan@brooklynbasementrecords.com
“Is it too early to anoint the Chicago native as one of America’s great soul singers? We don’t think so. If anything, we’re too late in making such a pronounced statement because the young man is a talent.”
“Scales has an incredible vocal style that takes the lead on a groove-heavy, fun track about perseverance. If you or someone you know is going through a difficult time (hmm?), this is the kind of music that will get you moving and thinking hopefully about finding a way to survive. It’s fantastic!”
“From the very onset, the retro-soul track Find A Way by Nashville’s “dive bar” soul artist Phillip-Michael Scales, feels supremely funky and ultimately cuts a deep, deep grove that cuts a wide cultural and cross genre’d swath.” - ”
BIO
As a kid, Phillip-Michael Scales didn’t understand what it meant that his aunt’s close friend, the guitar player who called him “Nephew” and he called “Uncle B,” was B.B. King. Once Phillip-Michael began guitar lessons, the significance became so clear that he shied away from soloing and most things blues. Instead, he fell in love with songwriting when an English teacher told him “A great writer can make their reader identify with anyone.” The trouble was he couldn’t find his story in the blues.
With a fierce independent streak and a passion for performing, Scales fronted his own indie bands, wrote and recorded his own music, and worked to make a name for himself on his own terms. All the while, his “Uncle B” just smiled a knowing smile and encouraged him to “stay with it.” Their relationship grew closer as Scales began to discover “the blues” in his personal and professional life.
When his Uncle B passed away, Scales began incorporating more of the blues into his music as a way to honor him. “These days I’m finding more of my story in the blues. A lot has led me here between politics, my identity, and the idea of Legacy.” The result is a sound he calls “Dive Bar Soul” which takes a bit of indie rock storytelling and couples it with the passion of the blues.
His single “Find a Way” attracted national radio attention in 2022 and garnered an invite to perform on the Ellen Degeneres Show. His music has taken him all the way to the Middle East, as well as festivals across Europe and North America. He has opened for Milky Chance, Jerry Cantrell (Alice In Chains), Caravan Palace, Fantastic Negrito, The New Respects, Anderson East, Guster, The Record Company, and Cory Brannan.
