Scott was born in New Orleans in 1890 and died in Los Angeles in 1981. He performed and recorded on guitar and banjo in New Orleans, Chicago and California with many great musicians and bandleaders including Freddie Keppard, Kid Ory, Buddy Bolden, John Robichaux, King Oliver, Erskine Tate, Jimmy Noone, and Mutt Carey. (See Al Rose and Edmond Souchon, New Orleans Jazz: A Family Album, p. 115)
You can find out more on Bud Scott’s Wikipedia page or on his profile on Red Hot Jazz.
Bud Scott played banjo on one of the most famous early jazz recordings: Dippermouth Blues by King Oliver from 1923. I am not sure if it is true, but I have found a few sources that claim that it is Bud Scott that sings out the famous “Oh play that thing!” during a break at the end of the track. Listen here:
And here is a recording of Jimmy Noone’s band from Chicago recorded in 1928 which includes Bud Scott playing his driving rhythm banjo:
