Bon Scott, Legendary AC/DC Lead Singer, Would Have Been 62 Today

Growing up in a rural area, listening to music became an escape. Growing up during the 70's, it became a great escape.

One of the band's that led the escape was AC/DC, a hard rocking group out of Australia. Their lead singer was a vocalist whose stylings registered somewhere between nasally gravel and raspy whine, but when mixed with the simple-sounding chords played by Angus Young, quite catchy. You just had to like that sound. It sounded so simple. It sounded so different. And it was.

It still is...

Bon Scott originally was the band's chauffeur, taking over the lead vocals in 1974 (AC/DC formed in 1973) when the original lead singer, Dave Evans, refused to go on stage one night. Scott proved to fit in with the image the band was promoting -- violent, antisocial, crude, rude, and loud. In fact, Scott was rejected by the Australian Army as "socially maladjusted." He was also convicted of several minor criminal offenses. Scott's and the band's lyrics, music, stage shows and off-stage antics would propel AC/DC to the top.

But not with Bon Scott. Scott just missed reaching the top, something he sung about in "It's a Long Way To The Top If You Want To Rock 'n Roll."

Bon Scott recorded six studio albums with AC/DC, beginning with 1974's "High Voltage." It was shortly after the release of the somewhat foreshadowing sixth album, 1979's "Highway to Hell," that Scott died (February 19, 1980). In keeping with his rowdy persona, the official coroner's report stated that Scott had drank himself to death. "Highway to Hell" sold over a million copies during its initial run (it has sold seven million to date) and climbed to place at No. 17 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart.

The band's next album, a tribute to Bon Scott, "Back In Black," with new lead singer Brian Johnson, would go on to sell 22 million copies (U.S. only and ranked fifth in all time sales) but never get higher than No. 126 on the charts. In fact, only a few AC/DC albums have charted higher than "Highway To Hell": 1988's "Blow Up Your Video" (#12), 1990's "The Razor's Edge" (#2), 1995's "Ballbreaker" (#4), and 2000's "Stiff Upper Lip" (#7).

Ronald Belford "Bon" Scott was born July 9, 1946 in Scotland. Had he lived, Scott would have been 62.

"Highway To Hell" was the first AC/DC album this writer ever heard in its entirety. Classmates played it on the bus on our way to school, alternating it with Led Zeppelin IV. It was an album of boisterous fun, sexual bravado, and raucous mischief. Perfect for a bunch of teenagers in the late 70's, early 80's. And when Bon Scott died, the young man who owned the tape recorder refused to play anything else for weeks. Knowing all the lyrics, we would all (the other bus riders)sing along.

You just had to like that sound. It sounded so simple. It sounded so different. And it was.

It still is...

Bon Scott Discography:

1975 -- "TNT"

1976 -- "High Voltage"

1976 -- "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap"

1977 -- "Let There Be Rock"

1978 -- "Powerage"

1978 -- "If You Want Blood You've Got It" (Live)

1979 -- "Highway To Hell"

Sources:

"AC/DC," Billboard.com

"Discography," Billboard.com