Local Musician Ready to Rock Downtown Hoedown

West Bloomfield resident Austin Scott is ready to rock this weekend's Downtown Hoedown with a Nashville sound.

Scott, 29, will be backed by the Detroit Cowboy Association, which brings a 10-strong traditional pedal steel guitar player in the lineup. Scott, who hits the annual three-day country music festival stage at 4 p.m. Saturday, said that as a lyricist and singer, he’ll bring a positive message to Detroit's Hart Plaza.

“It’s interesting. I think I have a great time slot, because it’s a little more relaxed in the day time. People are there to have a good time, to drink, and dance and wear cowboy hats in public,” said Scott, who moved to West Bloomfield with his wife and manager, Rachel van Rossum, in the past year.

As a lifelong Detroit resident, Scott said he has a “natural” inclination toward rap music, including Eminem. However, Scott said, he’s able to combine that with an authentic Nashville sound that satisfies the strictest country music fan.

“I’m influenced by a lot of music. I try to incorporate everything from blues to bluegrass music with lyrics that are almost hip-hop, but it’s still country,” Scott said. “I just released my third album, Believe, which was recorded in Nashville, and I’m still working on projects in Nashville, especially song writing.”

The timing of the release of Believe is to coincide with the Hoedown, which is presented by 99.5 WYCD. “My single, ‘Better Than Me,’ was played on 99.5 just recently,” Scott said. “After that, I got to go to the station and sing for a live studio audience. Then I talked on the air and recorded a few voiceovers for commercials. It was a dream come true.”

Scott hopes his performance Saturday will be able to show off his wide range of skills. Scott, who is playing at the Hoedown for the fifth time in his career, is working as a songwriter in Nashville in addition to performing his material.

“I’ve got a lot going on right now. I’m working with a gentleman in Nashville on another project to start our own publishing company,” Scott said. “Nashville is all about songwriting. People think, if he can sing and he can write, why can’t we give him a deal?"

“I’ve walked through a lot of hoops to get to where I am. Now, I just want people to have a good time.”

The Downtown Hoedown at Hart Plaza in downtown Detroit starts 3 p.m. Friday and continues through 9:15 p.m. Sunday. The event is free of charge. For more information on the Hoedown, visit 99.5 WYCD's website. For more information on Austin Scott, visit his website.