Silk Degrees is the seventh solo album by Boz Scaggs, released on Columbia Records February 18, 1976. The album peaked at No. 2 and spent 115 weeks on the Billboard 200. It has been certified five times platinum by the RIAA and remains Scaggs’s best selling album.
Silk Degrees spawned four singles. “It’s Over” (No. 38), “Lowdown” (No. 3) and “Lido Shuffle” (No. 11) made the Top 40, while “What Can I Say” peaked at No. 42.
The front cover photograph was by Moshe Brakha of Scaggs at Casino Point, Avalon, California.
“Lowdown” reached the top 5 on the club play, black, disco, and pop charts and also did respectably on the AC chart, with its peak at number 3 on the pop chart. The song is an airplay staple to this day, particularly on AC, oldies, and smooth jazz radio stations. “It’s Over”, “What Can I Say”, and “Lido Shuffle” reached numbers 38, 42 and 11, respectively, on the pop chart. At the Grammy Awards of 1977, “Lowdown” won the Grammy for Best R&B Song. Scaggs also received nominations for Album of the Year, Best LP Package, Best Pop Vocal by a Male, and Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Male for “Lowdown” and Joe Wissert received a nomination for Producer of the Year.
- “What Can I Say” 3:01
- “Georgia” 3:57
- “Jump Street” 5:14
- “What Do You Want the Girl to Do” 3:53
- “Harbor Lights” 5:58
- “Lowdown” 5:18
- “It’s Over” 2:52
- “Love Me Tomorrow” 3:17
- “Lido Shuffle” 3:44
- “We’re All Alone” 4:14
Boz Scaggs – guitar, lead vocals, backing vocals (4, 7, 8)[10]
Fred Tackett – guitar
Les Dudek – slide guitar (3)
Louis Shelton – guitar, slide guitar (8), acoustic guitar (10)
David Paich – arrangements, acoustic piano (1-4, 7-10), Hohner clavinet (2), Fender Rhodes (5-8), Moog synthesizer (5, 6, 9), ARP synthesizer (6), Minimoog (6, 8, 9), Hammond organ (6, 9), Wurlitzer electric piano (7, 8), harpsichord (7)
David Hungate – bass
Jeff Porcaro – drums, percussion (4), timbales (8)
Joe Porcaro – percussion (1, 3)
Plas Johnson – tenor saxophone solo (1), saxophone (8)
Jim Horn – tenor saxophone (4)
Bud Shank – saxophone (8)
Chuck Findley – flugelhorn solo (5)
Sid Sharp – string conductor and concertmaster
Horns – Tony Terran, Vincent DeRosa, Jim Horn, Paul Hubinon, Dick Hyde, Plas Johnson, Tom Scott and Bud Shank
Backing vocals – Jim Gilstrap (1, 6), Maxine Green (4, 7, 8), Augie Johnson (1, 6), Marty McCall (1, 6), Pepper Swenson (4), Carolyn Willis (1, 6)
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