Scott Bradshaw, who records as Scott B. Sympathy, is a Canadian indie rock and alternative country musician. He released several albums with his eponymously named band in the 1990s, and subsequently became a member of Stratochief following the 1999 death of that band's singer Greg McConnell.
Background
Originally from Brantford, Ontario, Bradshaw moved to Toronto at age 20. He began performing on the Queen Street Westclub scene in the 1980s, both as a solo artist under the name Scott B. and with the band Scott B. Sympathy. The name "Scott B. Sympathy" was originally intended as the name of the band, with his own stage name simply being "Scott B." However, this was so frequently misunderstood by fans and music journalists that when crediting the band's 1996 album Long Way Down to "The Sympathy" still failed to resolve the confusion, Bradshaw eventually relented and adopted "Scott B. Sympathy" as his own stage name.
Career
The band began as a regular act at Elvis Mondays, a regular alternative rockclub night in Toronto organized by William New; Bradshaw also played as a supporting musician in New's own band Groovy Religion. The band's debut album, 1990s Neil Yonge Street, was titled with a pun combining Toronto's Yonge Street with the name of one of Bradshaw's idols, Neil Young. At this time the band had a rotating lineup, with Bradshaw as the only consistent member; Neil Yonge Street included contributions from Ian Blurton, Gord Cumming, Terry CarterDon Kerr, Mike Duggan, Alisdair Jones, John Borra and Willie P. Bennett. The band followed up with Drinking with the Poet in 1993, garnering radio airplay on alternative rock and campus radio stations and MuchMusic with the album's title track. By this time the band had a more stable lineup, including guitarist Gary Robertson, bassist Ron Bock and drummer Dave O'Sullivan. The same lineup remained in place for the band's 1996 album Long Way Down, which was credited to The Sympathy. The band's final album, Unfinished Sympathy, was again titled with a pun, referencing Schubert's famous "Unfinished Symphony". The album included contributions from Ashley MacIsaac, Bazil Donovan, Tyler Yarema, Michelle Josef, Oh Susanna and Cindy Church. Following the band's breakup and McConnell's death, Bradshaw joined Stratochief for a number of years, recording two albums with that band. In 2010, he was playing in a duo with Cumming under the name "Massey Harris".
Discography
Albums
Neil Yonge Street
Drinking With the Poet
Long Way Down, as The Sympathy
Unfinished Sympathy
Home Movies, as Scott Bradshaw
Other Releases
El Seven Nightclub, track 13: "Sitting On Top Of The World", as Scott B.
