Friday, July 25, 7:00 pm
Presented By: Levitt AMP St. Johnsbury Music Series
Levitt AMP St. Johnsbury Music Series
Friday, July 25, 7:00 pm
This concert is located on Railroad Street in St. Johnsbury and is family friendly. This event is happening in conjunction with St. J Final Fridays. Visit discoverstjohnsbury.com for a full schedule. Bring your lawn chair for sitting, and feet for dancing! Food vendors will be on-site, and there is a beer garden for alcohol purchases – no off-site alcohol permitted. Cash is recommended, as not all vendors accept credit cards. Parking is available in the lot behind Whirligig Brewing (between Railroad Street and Pearl Street), in the lot next to the Star Theater, and at the Welcome Center. Please submit any questions to info@catamountarts.org.
Location:
Railroad St.
St. Johnsbury, VT
Admission: FREE!
Meet Nashville Based Singer-Songwriter Phillip-Michael Scales
Fifteen seconds into his forthcoming 2nd album, “Good to be Here,” Phillip-Michael sings “Toes pointed toward the road Hard times picking at my bones” outlining the odds he’s facing before barreling into an anthemic chorus; “I couldn’t walk away if I tried I’m gonna light up the Sky.” It reads like a mission statement, setting the tone for the album.
When Phillip-Michael Scales moved to Chicago he immediately began cutting his teeth as a musician. In 2018 he played 308 gigs. Phillip-Michael swears that “Chicago taught me how to hustle” which came in handy when he moved to Nashville and quickly found himself in rotation on the number one AAA radio station, Lightning 100. From there he released his debut album “Sinner-Songwriter,” toured Europe, had a song on national radio, played the Ellen Degeneres show, and opened national tours for Keb’ Mo’ and Caravan Palace. Eventually, he caught the attention of Grammy-nominated producer, Dan Knobler (Lake Street Dive, Allison Russell, and Bahamas) who would team up with Scales on his latest Album, “Good to Be Here” (out April 25th).
“One of the next great American soul singers”
— The Revu.
Without a record label, strong financial backing, or a viral hit; commercial success as an artist is a mountain that very few people scale. Staying true to yourself and continuing to climb when plagued by false starts, setbacks, and crippling doubt is a much longer and lonelier path. Being self-managed for the majority of his career, he’s no stranger to 8-hour drives behind tour buses, prepping for shows in closets or stairwells, getting off big stages to immediately sell his own merch, or pouring through books to learn more about the business. Perhaps that’s the reason his record feels like a modern take on Stax-era Soul where you could hear the blood, sweat, and tears of blue-collar artists singing their way to stardom.
Scales also catalogs the mental aspects of the journey asking the kind of questions that keep you up at night. “Is this truly what you want? How are you getting in your own way? Is it really worth the finite time away from the people you love?” Make no mistake, throughout the album, there is an undercurrent of hope and a sense that Scales is truly enjoying himself whether he’s finding love in “Can’t Get Enough” or getting his swagger back in “Be My Own Man.” “Good to Be Here” is the narration of a person building their dream brick by brick and everything that comes with it. “I wouldn’t say that I’ve ‘arrived’ but when you’ve learned everything the hard way, you get more confident and enjoy the ride because you know that you got yourself here and it’s good to be here!”
*Phillip-Michael grew up with his Aunt’s friend, B.B. King calling him “nephew” but that’s neither here nor there.
Phillip-Michael Scales Video 1
Phillip-Michael Scales Video 2
The Levitt AMP St. Johnsbury Music Series is supported in part by the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, which partners with changemakers and nonprofits across the country to activate underused outdoor spaces through the power of free, live music—bringing people together, fostering belonging, and invigorating community life. Presenting high caliber talent and a broad array of music genres and cultural programming, Levitt concerts are welcoming and inclusive destinations where people of all ages and backgrounds come together.
In 2025, the Levitt Foundation is supporting 650+ free concerts in 50+ towns and cities with a total audience of nearly 1 million people. In addition to supporting free concerts, the Levitt Foundation is dedicated to advancing equitable music ecosystems through research and partnerships. www.levitt.org
Friday, July 25, 7:00 pm
This concert is located on Railroad Street in St. Johnsbury and is family friendly. This event is happening in conjunction with St. J Final Fridays. Visit discoverstjohnsbury.com for a full schedule. Bring your lawn chair for sitting, and feet for dancing! Food vendors will be on-site, and there is a beer garden for alcohol purchases – no off-site alcohol permitted. Cash is recommended, as not all vendors accept credit cards. Parking is available in the lot behind Whirligig Brewing (between Railroad Street and Pearl Street), in the lot next to the Star Theater, and at the Welcome Center. Please submit any questions to info@catamountarts.org.
Location:
Railroad St.
St. Johnsbury, VT
Admission: FREE!
Meet Nashville Based Singer-Songwriter Phillip-Michael Scales
Fifteen seconds into his forthcoming 2nd album, “Good to be Here,” Phillip-Michael sings “Toes pointed toward the road Hard times picking at my bones” outlining the odds he’s facing before barreling into an anthemic chorus; “I couldn’t walk away if I tried I’m gonna light up the Sky.” It reads like a mission statement, setting the tone for the album.
When Phillip-Michael Scales moved to Chicago he immediately began cutting his teeth as a musician. In 2018 he played 308 gigs. Phillip-Michael swears that “Chicago taught me how to hustle” which came in handy when he moved to Nashville and quickly found himself in rotation on the number one AAA radio station, Lightning 100. From there he released his debut album “Sinner-Songwriter,” toured Europe, had a song on national radio, played the Ellen Degeneres show, and opened national tours for Keb’ Mo’ and Caravan Palace. Eventually, he caught the attention of Grammy-nominated producer, Dan Knobler (Lake Street Dive, Allison Russell, and Bahamas) who would team up with Scales on his latest Album, “Good to Be Here” (out April 25th).
“One of the next great American soul singers”
— The Revu.
Without a record label, strong financial backing, or a viral hit; commercial success as an artist is a mountain that very few people scale. Staying true to yourself and continuing to climb when plagued by false starts, setbacks, and crippling doubt is a much longer and lonelier path. Being self-managed for the majority of his career, he’s no stranger to 8-hour drives behind tour buses, prepping for shows in closets or stairwells, getting off big stages to immediately sell his own merch, or pouring through books to learn more about the business. Perhaps that’s the reason his record feels like a modern take on Stax-era Soul where you could hear the blood, sweat, and tears of blue-collar artists singing their way to stardom.
Scales also catalogs the mental aspects of the journey asking the kind of questions that keep you up at night. “Is this truly what you want? How are you getting in your own way? Is it really worth the finite time away from the people you love?” Make no mistake, throughout the album, there is an undercurrent of hope and a sense that Scales is truly enjoying himself whether he’s finding love in “Can’t Get Enough” or getting his swagger back in “Be My Own Man.” “Good to Be Here” is the narration of a person building their dream brick by brick and everything that comes with it. “I wouldn’t say that I’ve ‘arrived’ but when you’ve learned everything the hard way, you get more confident and enjoy the ride because you know that you got yourself here and it’s good to be here!”
*Phillip-Michael grew up with his Aunt’s friend, B.B. King calling him “nephew” but that’s neither here nor there.
Phillip-Michael Scales Video 1
Phillip-Michael Scales Video 2
The Levitt AMP St. Johnsbury Music Series is supported in part by the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, which partners with changemakers and nonprofits across the country to activate underused outdoor spaces through the power of free, live music—bringing people together, fostering belonging, and invigorating community life. Presenting high caliber talent and a broad array of music genres and cultural programming, Levitt concerts are welcoming and inclusive destinations where people of all ages and backgrounds come together.
In 2025, the Levitt Foundation is supporting 650+ free concerts in 50+ towns and cities with a total audience of nearly 1 million people. In addition to supporting free concerts, the Levitt Foundation is dedicated to advancing equitable music ecosystems through research and partnerships. www.levitt.org