The gifted singer and songwriter channel his considerable experience to call out some of the injustices of modern society.
Scotty Austin is part of an increasingly rare breed of musicians. As the frontman for the multi-platinum rock band Saving Abel, Austin has already achieved commercial success most artists can only dream of. Nonetheless, rather than be complacent or turn a blind eye to issues that don’t affect him, Austin uses his platform to speak out in support of the common man and against modern-day societal greed. Laser-focused on his craft, Scotty Austin repeatedly makes the conscious decision to create meaningful, melodic, and thought-provoking music.
Originally from Parsons, Tennessee, Austin was exposed to music from a young age when he read music in kindergarten and participated in the Church family band. An avid music student, he would expand his musical repertoire to include percussion and classical guitar. Austin was patient and dedicated, honing his skills until big breaks came in the form of band leader positions for the official Nascar Rolling Thunder band and placing fourth at the International Blues Contest.
Although an even bigger break would follow as Austin became the front man for Saving Abel, a common theme that would underline his musical expression would be the passion and authenticity that would come to characterize his sound, in addition to his willingness to call out injustice.
“Money” is the latest result of Austin’s creative muse. Tongue in cheek but also poignantly relevant, Austin describes “Money” as “about making fun of the greed in society right now. Big spending by our politicians, like there's endless money”. In Austin’s mind, that money should go towards important issues like mental health and drug addiction. As Austin powerfully growls, “Whose gonna give me money” over and over, there are parallels between Austin’s lyrics and society’s obsession with our worldly but ultimately shallow desires.
Scotty Austin’s “Money” is a powerful yet tongue-in-cheek take on our modern obsession with vapid desires. We have the song for you if you want your rock to mean something. Listen to “Money,” available now on all major streaming platforms.
We have to say we love “Money.” It was a really interesting take on the shallowness of modern society. We have to ask, what was the inspiration for this song? Was there any one event that triggered it, or was it something you’ve been thinking about for a while?
I was thinking about it for a while, but then the pandemic hit, stimulus checks were going out, and people wanted more and more and more.
So, you’ve already seen huge success as part of Saving Abel. What inspired you to take things solo, and what’s been your favorite musical experience since taking things solo?
As Saving Abel, we did a lot of shows. In the almost decade I fronted the band, we were hugely successful. We released a record, Blood Stained Revolution and people loved the music. Although people loved it, it didn’t sound like “Saving Abel.” Jared always had a different singing voice than me. When deciding to go solo, I was excited to be able to write my music the way I wanted my music without any stress behind how it “should” sound. So far, I have done great since going solo, and I can be more open with my music.
You mentioned that a goal you’ve kept for the music you make is that it can’t be empty, you know? It has to be thought-provoking. It has to have a little bit of a deeper meaning. Why is that, and how important is it for you as an artist to make music that does carry deeper meanings?
I feel like people want to hear music that they relate to. People slip deeply into their headphones when they hear a song that sounds familiar to maybe something they might be going through or maybe something they’ve thought of in the past. I enjoy making music about things that mean a lot to me because I am a one in a million and live the same life everybody else does in my world outside of touring.
You mentioned that you were exposed to music from a young age. Was music always something you wanted to pursue full-time, or was there a particular moment when something clicked, and you knew you wanted to be a musician?
Music has always been my passion. I started very young and played music with my pawpaw. As a kid, I told my music teacher I would be a rockstar. He told me I was not going to be. This shows that you can be anything you want to be if you work hard enough.
What’s next for Scotty Austin? Do you have any big goals for the new year?
I have a few big tours booked for 2023 with big-name national acts. In 2023 I want to continue releasing music that people love, tour a lot and spend time with my family. My big goal is to continue to make my mark on the music industry, one song and one show at a time.