Cigar Box Scott Press Kit
High-Energy Roots Music
Cigar Box Scott brings folk and blues music to new audiences with dynamic, crowd-pleasing performances.
Electronic Press Kit Contents:
Winner of the Columbus Blues Challenge 2025
“His bluesy, rock-forward takes on traditional roots music had the tent rocking, stomping and buzzing with energy for his entire set!”
- Central Ohio Folk Festival, Columbus, OH
Live Video Sampler
Take 90 seconds to see Cigar Box Scott in action!
Live Videos
Darling Corey
Wade in the Water
The Moonshiner
Lining Track
Audio
Darlin’ Cora
Eliza Jane
The Moonshiner
Oh Death
Cigar Box Scott Featured Performances:
Central Ohio Folk Festival, Columbus, OH
Todd’s Fork Revival Music Fest, Cincinnati, OH
Westerville Music & Arts Fest, Columbus, OH
Travis Bowlin’s Cigar Box Guitar Fest, Blue Ridge, GA
FARMETTE Official Showcase (Indiana’s Folk Conference), IN
Arts in the Park Fest, Kent, OH
NC Cigar Box Guitar Fest, Robbinsville, NC
Blues, Brews & BBQ, Mount Vernon, OH
Folk Songs, Cigar Box Scott Style
Old Songs Made New: Scott wraps traditional folk songs in driving, crowd-pleasing rhythms
As Cigar Box Scott, Scott Atkinson presents traditional and classic folk and roots music in a completely new way. With strong rhythms and a driving beat, he takes songs he loves and gives them new life, making them accessible for audiences of all types on cigar box guitar and his homemade foot stompbox.
The cigar box guitar brings the songs to life: Think ‘‘Banjo-meets-Delta-blues-guitar'‘
A longtime folkie and musician, when Scott got his hands on a cigar box guitar for the first time in spring 2022, it changed everything. “I could finally play these old songs the way I’ve always wanted.” Unlike most cigar box players who focus on blues and rock, Scott took to it like it was a banjo, combining melodies and rhythms for old-time, bluegrass, blues, and folk songs. Old songs get new rhythms, chords, and sometimes completely new melodies.
Scott’s Folk Pedigree: Managing Editor at Sing Out! Magazine
Scott worked at iconic folk music journal Sing Out! Magazine from 2000 - 2006. Under the mentorship of Mark D. Moss, he gained an even greater appreciation for this music. Scott had the pleasure of working with Pete Seeger and was the organizer of the Pete Seeger Tribute Concert, Where Have All the Flowers Gone, featuring Pete ,Natalie Merchant, July Collins, Janis Ian, Bruce Cockburn, and many others.
Author of a Traditional Songbook
Scott is the author The Essential Bluegrass & Old-Time Songbook, a collection of 50 traditional songs for jamming and song circles with melodies, chords, lyrics, and stories and background. He has several other songbooks of traditional songs planned.
Reviews: What they’re saying about Cigar Box Scott
“Cigar Box Scott wowed the crowd with his gritty, soulful mastery of the cigar box guitar. He brought a raw, rootsy energy that electrified the room!”
- Columbus Blues Alliance, Columbus, OH
“His eclectic mix of blues, folk, and traditional music kept the crowd rocking and rolling through the whole set.”
-Justin Williamson, Todd's Fork Revival Music Festival, Morrow, Ohio
“Cigar Box Scott's bluesy, rock-forward takes on traditional roots music had the Bailey tent rocking, stomping and buzzing with energy for his entire set!”
-Jon Levy, Bailey Tent Coordinator, 2024 Central Ohio Folk Festival, Columbus, OH
“His distinctive sound and style added a unique flair to the stage and he was an excellent addition to our entertainment.”
-Ann Weisent-Page, Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival, Mt. Vernon, Ohio
“An absolute blast! … DANG... that was fun!!!! He just killed it that night. JUST AMAZING...”
-Brian Young, Fest Coordinator, Bowling Green Porchfest, Bowling Green, OH
Video interview with Cigar Box Scott
Cigar Box Scott talks about music, musicians, cigar box guitars, and more with Arch, host of “Killing Time with Arch.” Scott demonstrates his unique stompbox and cigar box sound, plus how he rearranges traditional songs.
Blues Roots - Where Blues meets Country music
Keep your blues show fresh with Scott’s Blues Set digging the roots of the blues.
Cigar Box Blues Videos
Lining Track
Mississippi Bollweevil Blues
Wade in the Water
Walkin’ Boss
Careless Love
How Long Blues
Crawdad Song
Stewball
Blues Set Song Examples
Frankie & Albert
Walkin’ Boss
How Long Blues
Long John
Working on a Building
Cocaine Blues (Rev. Gary Davis)
Baby Please Don’t Go
Stealin’
Deep River Blues
In the Pines
The Crawdad Song
Gallows Pole (Hangman)
Wade in the Water
Spike Driver Blues (Take this Hammer)
Careless Love
Alabama Bound
Lining Track
When I Was a Cowboy
The Jugband Song (She Brings Me Gasoline)
Cigar Box Scott Photos
For Bookings & Press
Scott Atkinson
info@cigarboxscott.com
(484) 554-8339
1325 Covent Road
Troy, OH 45373