Scott Holt puts emphasis on message, not genre, in his music

Scott Holt believes in the ability of music to transcend every border -- physical and cultural.

"You can play music, and people from different countries and languages can appreciate it and understand it," he said.

The Nashville-based musician will bring the Scott Holt Band to Southeast Missouri for a show at 8 p.m. Saturday at Stooges.

Holt grew up around music. The first time he expressed interest in learning guitar at age 12, his parents enrolled him in piano lessons after getting advice that instrument should be learned first. He quit piano after six months.

At age 19, he decided to finally try his hand at guitar. Soon, he found himself practicing around eight hours every day. During that first year, he met and received a short lesson from blues legend Buddy Guy.

At age 20, he was asked to join Guy's band. Holt played with the band for 10 years.

"That was my education," Holt said. "Everything I learned about performing and being an entertainer and a guitar player, I learned on the stage with Buddy Guy."

Now Holt leads his own band, which is made up of Holt, lead guitar and vocals; Dan Eubanks, bass guitar and background vocals; Marshal Weaver, drums; and Douglas "Truth" Smith, keyboard. Smith records with the band, but does not tour.

Holt said he and Guy keep in touch and try to play together when they can. Though both musicians fall into the blues category, Holt said he does not like to be stuffed into a specific genre.

"I write music," Holt said. "I don't like to depend on a genre, because then you're going to have people that won't want to hear it because they don't like that type of music."

Holt said he believes there's good in every genre. In his own music, instead of relying on a style, he relies on the message he wants to get across.

"I like to tell stories in my music," Holt said. "Everything we've written tells a story. I try to write about things that are relevant or people can relate to. You want to write about things people can understand."

Although Holt has lived in the South for most of his life, he said location, boundaries or nationality don't stand in the way of getting a message across to all walks of life.

"I've been in non-English-speaking countries performing, and even there they sing along to the lyrics," Holt said. "That was the most profound discovery and still continues to thrill me. In England, Paris, Toyko -- they all had the same cares and concerns I have. [Seeing this] gave me a broader understanding of how small we all are."

Holt's goal is to spread a positive energy with his music, believing if people can get along in a situation like a concert, they should be able to take that outside and spread it everywhere.

"We have to remind people love and harmony really do exist," Holt said.

That message is evident in The Scott Holt Band's upcoming seventh album, "Kudzu," which is set for release at the end of June or early July.

While Holt said he enjoys being on the road and the experiences he gains from performing, such as performing once with Eric Clapton while touring with Guy, Holt always enjoys returning home to his 10-year-old daughter, Olivia, and wife of 19 years, Buffy.

"The only place that really feels like home is Tennessee," Holt said.