Peggy Scott

Peggy Stoutmeyer was born in Opp, Alabama, and grew up in Pensacola, Florida. As a teenager, she toured with Ben E. King. Earlier in her career, she performed under the name Peggy Scott and recorded for SSS International Records.

Scott recorded several successful 1960s singles as a duet act with Jo Jo Benson, including "Lover's Holiday," "Pickin' Wild Mountain Berries," and "Soulshake." She left the music industry toward the end of the decade and worked as a lounge singer in Pensacola. After moving to California, she married Robert L. Adams Sr. in 1988; he died in 2005.

Singer-songwriter and producer Jimmy Lewis persuaded Scott to return to the studio. Their work led to her solo debut album, Help Yourself, released in 1996. The album reached number 72 on the Billboard 200, number 9 on the R&B chart, and number 1 on the Top Blues Albums chart.

The album's single "Bill" became Scott's signature recording. Initially sent to blues radio, it later received urban contemporary airplay, became a frequent request at major stations, and reached number 87 on the Billboard Hot 100. Its subject, a woman confronting a husband involved with another man, helped distinguish Scott's candid contemporary blues style.

Scott followed Help Yourself with Contagious in 1997 and Undisputed Queen in 1999. Her later releases included Live in Alabama & More in 2000, Hot and Sassy in 2001, and Busting Loose in 2003. Singles such as "When I'm With You" and "Sweaty Men" became hits.

Scott continued recording topical contemporary blues during the 2000s. Her first gospel album, God Can, And He Will, was dated to either 2004 or 2006, and she released Back To The Roots in 2009 on her independent Nora Records label. Her later album credits also included Life After Bill, released in 2012.

Peggy Scott-Adams died on March 27, 2023, in Pensacola, Florida, at the age of 74.