Bon Scott

The Scottish-born Australian frontman who led AC/DC through their first seven albums and commercial breakthrough until his death in 1980.

Ronald Belford "Bon" Scott (9 July 1946 – 19 February 1980) was an Australian singer who was the second lead vocalist and lyricist of the hard rock band AC/DC from 1974 until his death in 1980. Born in Forfar in Angus, Scotland, he spent his early years in Kirriemuir before moving to Australia with his family in 1952 at the age of six. He formed his first band, the Spektors, in 1964 as drummer and occasional lead vocalist, and performed in several other bands including the Valentines and Fraternity before replacing original AC/DC lead singer Dave Evans in 1974. With AC/DC, Scott performed on the band's first seven albums: High Voltage (1975, Oceania only release), T.N.T. (1975, Oceania only release), High Voltage (1976, first international release), Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (1976, not released until 1981 in the United States), Let There Be Rock (1977), Powerage (1978) and Highway to Hell (1979). Their 1979 album Highway to Hell reached the top 20 in the United States and was their commercial breakthrough. Scott died on 19 February 1980 after a night out in London.

Quick Facts

Birth name

Ronald Belford Scott

Born

9 July 1946

Birthplace

Forfar, Angus, Scotland

Died

19 February 1980

Place of death

East Dulwich, London, England

Origin

Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia

Genre

Rock and roll
blues rock
hard rock

Spouse

Irene Thornton (1972–1977)

Lore & Background

Scott's tenure with AC/DC ended abruptly on 19 February 1980 after a night out in London with former musician and alleged drug dealer Alistair Kinnear. AC/DC briefly considered disbanding, but the group recruited vocalist Brian Johnson of the British glam rock band Geordie. AC/DC's subsequent album, Back in Black, was released only five months later and was a tribute to Scott. It is currently the second-best-selling album of all time. In the July 2004 issue of Classic Rock, Scott was ranked number one in a list of the "100 Greatest Frontmen of All Time." Hit Parader ranked Scott as fifth on their 2006 list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Vocalists of all time.

Reader's Guide

Bon Scott's vocals were inspired by his idol, Little Richard. He started his first band, the Spektors, in 1964 as drummer and occasional lead singer. In 1966, they merged with another local band, the Winstons, and formed the Valentines, in which Scott was co-lead singer with Vince Lovegrove. The Valentines recorded several songs written by George Young of the Easybeats. "Every Day I Have to Cry" made the local record chart. In 1970, after gaining a place on the National Top 30 with their single "Juliette," The Valentines disbanded due to artistic differences after a much-publicised drug scandal. Scott relocated to Adelaide in November 1970 after he joined the Sydney-formed progressive rock group Fraternity on lead vocals. They had local chart success with their version of Blackfeather's "Seasons of Change" (March 1971). Fraternity released the LPs Livestock and Flaming Galah before touring the UK in 1973, where they changed their name to Fang. During this time they played support slots for Status Quo and Geordie, whose front man Brian Johnson would eventually succeed Scott as the lead singer of AC/DC after his death. On 24 January 1972, Scott married Irene Thornton. In 1973, just after returning to Australia from the tour of the UK, Fraternity went on hiatus. Scott took a day job at the Wallaroo fertiliser plant and began singing with the Mount Lofty Rangers. During this time, Peter Head helped Scott with his original compositions. One of the songs from these sessions was a ballad called 'Clarissa,' about a local Adelaide girl. Another was the country-tinged 'Bin Up in the Hills Too Long.'

Did You Know?

Scott spent nine months at the Riverbank Juvenile Institution in 1963 relating to charges including stealing 12 imperial gallons (55 L) of petrol.
He attempted to join the Australian Army but was rejected and deemed 'socially maladjusted.'

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Bon Scott?

Bon Scott was the charismatic lead vocalist of AC/DC from 1974 until his death in 1980, replacing Dave Evans to become the band's iconic frontman. Born in Scotland and raised in Australia, he defined the group's early sound with his distinctive baritone voice.

Where did Bon Scott come from originally?

Although he spent his formative years in Australia where he formed his musical career, Scott was originally born in Glasgow, Scotland. He moved to Sydney with his family at a young age before eventually joining AC/DC in Melbourne.