Biography
Scott Wolfson and Other Heroes sings the music of, by and for outcasts and outliers.
When Scott Wolfson and Other Heroes take the stage, they’re not just playing a show. Their vibe is party, reunion, and catharsis in one – the energy of their tunes is hard to miss, but each song carries the weight of humanity’s dark corners. Taking inspiration from past and present – folk and roots rock artists like The Limeliters, The Band, and The Byrds, and more recent flag-bearers like R.E.M., The Decemberists, and Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit, Scott Wolfson and Other Heroes take a folk rock canvas and weave in big helpings of Broadway, Jazz, Blues, and Country, giving them a sound both familiar and unique, distinctly American and part of a broader world.
As much as fans love Scott’s songwriting for lifting up the lives of the unsung, newcomers are often surprised by the range and tight musicianship of the band. No Depression wrote, “Listen to these dudes…these people are magicians…wizards…”. Skyler Bode, Kirk Siee, Matt Laurita, Chris Kelly, and Mike Bell are not only skilled players, but musical shapeshifters. And they’re total characters to boot, with personalities born of shared histories as outliers. Listeners on the lookout for wicked humor and off-beat sensibilities to call home, will find more than they bargained for here..
The Alternate Root Magazine calls them “…an Indie Folk music that could work on street corners or big stages.” While the band loves the circus they bring to festivals, visitors to their house concerts and listening rooms soon realize that their intensity works in smaller settings too. As John Platt of WFUV said, they’re “…a talent-laden band. They’re equally comfortable going electric or acoustic.” And it’s just not a Scott Wolfson and Other Heroes show until the good-natured ribbing starts. The band thrives on it, and loves the connection such intimate shows bring with an audience.
A Scott Wolfson and Other Heroes show is an exercise in the unexpected. As No Depression said, “…Wolfson will not only defy the norm, but all expectations as well.” Their mix of talent and wit has brought acclaim as Most Wanted Artists in the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, Formal Showcase Artists at the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance, and frequent performers at The Philadelphia Folk Festival.
With their just released album, Flying Backwards, the group once again gives voice to the voiceless with their most ambitious and expansive work yet. The original songs on this new release weld several uniquely American musical traditions together into an acoustic/electric songbook, a multifaceted chronicle of moments at the brink of transformation or tragedy, when your life flashes before your eyes.The group’s previous album, 2016’s Welcoming the Flood, rose to # 9 on the Roots Music Report Alt Folk charts, and # 23 on the Folk DJ charts. It spawned two top-40 alt folk singles- “Unloved Daughter” and “We Will All Die Together.”