Bon Scott Biography

While vocalist Bon Scott’s time with AC/DC was limited, his vocal and lyrical style transformed AC/DC into rock legends.

AC/DC: Growing Up Bon
Bon Scott was born Ronald Belford Scott in Kirriemuir, Scotland, on July 9, 1946. When Bon Scott was six years old, he and his family moved to Sunshine, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia. Young Ronald Scott acquired the nickname “Bon” while in primary school due to the fact that he was from “Bonnie Scotland.” In 1956, Bon Scott’s family moved again to Fremantle, Western Australia, near Perth, where Bon Scott joined the Fremantle Scots Pipe Band, learning to play bagpipes and drums.

AC/DC: Bon Scott Finds Music
In an effort to better himself, Bon Scott tried to enlist in the Australian Army, but to no avail. An 18-year-old Bon Scott formed his first band, the Spektors. Eventually, the band merged with local group the Winstons to form the Valentines. With the Valentines, Bon Scott had a local Top 5 hit with the song “Every Day I Have To Cry.” In 1970, Bon Scott had moved to Adelaide, Australia, joining the psychedelic rock band Fraternity. As vocalist for Fraternity, Bon Scott released two albums Livestock and Flaming Galah before the group disbanded in 1973.

AC/DC: Bon Scott Meets AC/DC
While living in Adelaide and working as a driver, Bon Scott met Malcolm and Angus Young, who were on tour with AC/DC. The Young Brothers hired Bon Scott as their driver. By 1974, Malcolm and Angus Young had decided that their current lead singer, Dave Evans, was too glam-rock for AC/DC and promptly fired him. Malcolm and Angus Young hired Bon Scott as their lead singer by the fall of 1974. AC/DC, with Bon Scott on vocals, recorded and released their Australia-only debut album High Voltage in 1975. AC/DC would soon make history selling millions of albums and thousands of AC/DC tickets for their numerous concert tours.

AC/DC: Success with Bon Scott
Bon Scott and AC/DC would go on to record their second album T.N.T. along with Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. With albums like Let There Be Rock and the underrated Powerage, AC/DC’s success continued to climb as more and more fans flocked to buy AC/DC albums and AC/DC tickets. It wasn’t until AC/DC’s sixth album Highway to Hell that Bon Scott and AC/DC would break into the US Top 100 charts and solidifying their place as one of the top hard-rock acts around.

AC/DC: The Rest is History
Bon Scott died in London on February 19, 1980, from acute alcohol poisoning. In six short years, Bon Scott released seven albums with AC/DC, culminating with 1979’s rock’n’roll masterpiece Highway to Hell, which propelled AC/DC to the status of Rock legends. After Bon Scott’s death, AC/DC considered quitting, but the band knew that Bon Scott would have wanted them to continue to spread their hard-rock gospel throughout the world. Five months after Bon Scott’s passing, AC/DC recorded the album Back in Black as a tribute to the late Bon Scott.

Bon Scott’s rough and ear-shattering vocals became the target for which all great rock singers now strive. Bon Scott’s clever, often racy lyrics have helped sell AC/DC tickets and made AC/DC the band it is today. Fans with AC/DC tickets will always remember Bon Scott’s legendary influence with songs such as “The Jack,” “Whole Lotta Rosie” and “It’s a Long Way to The Top (If You Want to Rock’n’Roll),” all serving as perfect examples of how great rock’n’roll should sound.