Bon Scott

Bon Scott - Died Young, Facts and Childhood

Violet FieldHome › AustralianBon ScottJuly 9, 1946531 views

0 based on 0 rates
Bon Scott Biography Stories 

Bon Scott's Personal Details

Bon Scott was a rock musician famous for serving as the lead singer and lyricist of the hard rock band AC/DC

InformationDetail
BirthdayJuly 9, 1946
Died onFebruary 19, 1980
NationalityAustralian, British, Scottish
FamousDied Young, Musicians, Singers
SpousesIrene Thorton
SiblingsDerrek, Graeme
Known asBon Scott
Universities
  • Sunshine Primary School
  • North Fremantle Primary School
  • John Curtin College of the Arts
Cause of death
  • Drug Overdose
Birth PlaceForfar
Born CountryScotland
GenderMale
FatherCharles
MotherIsa
Sun SignCancer
Born inForfar
Died at Age33

// Famous Died Young

Selena

Selena

Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, famously known as the ‘Queen of Tejano music’, was a Mexican-American singer, composer, actress, spokesperson and fashion designer. This biography profiles her childhood, life, music career, achievements and timeline.

Steve Irwin

Steve Irwin

Steve Irwin was a famous Australian naturalist best known for his wildlife show ‘The Crocodile Hunter’. To know more about his childhood, career, profile and timeline read on

Sid Vicious

Sid Vicious

Sid Vicious was an English musician known for his work with the band ‘Sex Pistols’. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about him.

Bon Scott's photo

Who is Bon Scott?

Ronald Belford “Bon” Scott was an Australian musician of Scottish origins who rose to fame as the leading singer and songwriter of the hugely popular hard rock band AC/DC during the 1970s. He loved music from a young age and was a highly creative and rebellious youngster. As is common with unruly teenagers, he often found himself in trouble with the authorities. He dropped out of school at 15 and had brushes with the law which had him sent to the Riverbank Juvenile Institution. Labeled as a social misfit, he was denied a position in the Australian army. He worked at several odd jobs to support himself after leaving school. He started playing drums during his adolescent years and formed his first band The Spektors, in 1964. He played for some other bands as well before joining AC/DC as their lead singer. The band’s popularity reached new heights after Scott joined them; the band’s debut album ‘High Voltage’ was a big hit. Within a year the band brought out the single, ‘It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)’ which soon became known as the quintessential rock anthem. However the promising young musician soon got caught up in the shackles of alcoholism which put an abrupt full stop on his career by snuffing out his life.

// Famous Singers

Billie Eilish

Billie Eilish

Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell is an American singer and songwriter. Check out this biography to know about her childhood, family, personal life, birthday, etc.

Isaak Presley

Isaak Presley

All about American actor and singer Isaak Presley including his age, birthday, family life, girlfriends, net worth, and some fun facts.

Sophia Montero

Sophia Montero

Sophia Montero is an American singer and YouTuber. Let’s have a look at her family and personal life including age, date of birth, net worth, relationships, and fun facts.

Childhood & Early Life

He was the son of Charles Belford Scott and his wife Isabelle Cunningham. He was born in Scotland though the family later migrated to Australia.

He attended North Fremantle Primary School and went to the John Curtin College of Arts. He was however never interested in studies much and dropped out when he was 15. He had learned to play the drums as a member of the Fremantle Scots Pipe Band.

He had a record as a troublemaker—he spent time in Fremantle Prison’s assessment centre and was committed to the Riverbank Juvenile Institution for nine months on charges of theft and sexual misconduct.

Career

He worked at a number of odd jobs such as a postman, bartender and truck packer for sometime. He formed his first band, The Spektors, in 1966 in which he played the drums and sang occasionally.

The Spektors merged with another band, the Winstons to form a new band The Valentines in 1967. The new band was doing well and recorded several songs before a drug scandal erupted that tarnished the reputation of the band causing it to break up in 1970.

He joined the rock band Fraternity in 1970. The band played at the Festival of Australian Progressive Music in 1971 and released the LPs ‘Livestock’ and ‘Flaming Galah’.

The band went on a tour of the U.K. in 1973 and played there under the name ‘Fang’. However the band went on a hiatus after returning to Australia.

He got involved in a serious motorbike accident in 1974 which left him in a coma for three days. His friend Vince Lovegrove helped him by giving him odd jobs during his recovery. He also introduced the struggling musician to the band AC/DC who were looking for a new lead singer.

The hard rock band AC/DC was formed by the Young brothers, Malcolm and Angus. Scott joined the band in September 1974 and changed the fortunes of the band for the better.

Within a month of his joining, the band released its album ‘High Voltage’ in October 1974 in Australia only. Scott had contributed lyrics to the songs featured in the album. The band released the single ‘It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)’, which became their signature song.

The band went on an international tour of Europe in 1976 which was called the ‘Lock Up Your Daughters Summer Tour’. The band grew in popularity and supported leading rock bands such as Black Sabbath, Aerosmith, and Kiss.

The band’s album ‘Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap’ was out in 1976. It was originally released in Australia and later an international version was also released. The album was an international super hit.

In 1977, the album ‘Let There Be Rock’ was released. It featured the tracks ‘Dog Eat Dog’, ‘Let There Be Rock’, and ‘Bad Boy Boogie’. The very next year, the album ‘Powerage’ was released.

The late 1970s was a very busy time for the band as they released albums in quick succession. ‘Highway to Hell’, released in 1979 went on to become one of the most popular albums. It was the last one to feature Scott who died the next year.

Major Works

‘Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap’ was one of the most popular albums on which Scott had collaborated with the Young brothers in writing the lyrics. The album was accredited multi-platinum with over six million copies being sold the world over.

The last album to feature Scott, ‘Highway to Hell’ was a super hit with the fans. With a sales figure of over seven million copies, the album was listed among the list of ‘500 greatest albums of all time’ by ‘Rolling Stone.

Personal Life & Legacy

He married Irene Thornton in 1972 and divorced in 1978.

He was an alcoholic and had drunk too much in a London club on 19 February 1980. He was so drunk that he passed out in the car where he was left to spend the night by a friend. The next day he was found lifeless and taken to the hospital where he was pronounced brought dead. The official cause of his death was listed as acute alcohol poisoning.

This musician’s grave site is considered the most visited grave in Australia and the National Trust of Australia has included it on its list of classified heritage places.

Trivia

A bronze statue of this hard rock musician was unveiled at Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour in Western Australia in 2008.

// Famous Musicians

Ted Nugent

Ted Nugent

Ted Nugent is a hard rock musician known for his hits ‘Stranglehold’ and ‘Cat Scratch Fever’. This biography of Ted Nugent provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.

Muddy Waters

Muddy Waters

Muddy Waters was a blues musician referred to as the 'father of modern Chicago blues.' Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about him.

Travis Bacon

Travis Bacon

Travis Bacon is an American musician and actor, better known as the son of veteran actors Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick. Find more about his family, birthday, etc.

Bon Scott biography timelines

  • // 9th Jul 1946
    He was the son of Charles Belford Scott and his wife Isabelle Cunningham. He was born in Scotland though the family later migrated to Australia.
  • // 1966
    He worked at a number of odd jobs such as a postman, bartender and truck packer for sometime. He formed his first band, The Spektors, in 1966 in which he played the drums and sang occasionally.
  • // 1967 To 1970
    The Spektors merged with another band, the Winstons to form a new band The Valentines in 1967. The new band was doing well and recorded several songs before a drug scandal erupted that tarnished the reputation of the band causing it to break up in 1970.
  • // 1971
    He joined the rock band Fraternity in 1970. The band played at the Festival of Australian Progressive Music in 1971 and released the LPs ‘Livestock’ and ‘Flaming Galah’.
  • // 1972
    He married Irene Thornton in 1972 and divorced in 1978.
  • // 1973
    The band went on a tour of the U.K. in 1973 and played there under the name ‘Fang’. However the band went on a hiatus after returning to Australia.
  • // 1974
    He got involved in a serious motorbike accident in 1974 which left him in a coma for three days. His friend Vince Lovegrove helped him by giving him odd jobs during his recovery. He also introduced the struggling musician to the band AC/DC who were looking for a new lead singer.
  • // 1974
    The hard rock band AC/DC was formed by the Young brothers, Malcolm and Angus. Scott joined the band in September 1974 and changed the fortunes of the band for the better.
  • // 1974
    Within a month of his joining, the band released its album ‘High Voltage’ in October 1974 in Australia only. Scott had contributed lyrics to the songs featured in the album. The band released the single ‘It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)’, which became their signature song.
  • // 1976
    The band went on an international tour of Europe in 1976 which was called the ‘Lock Up Your Daughters Summer Tour’. The band grew in popularity and supported leading rock bands such as Black Sabbath, Aerosmith, and Kiss.
  • // 1976
    The band’s album ‘Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap’ was out in 1976. It was originally released in Australia and later an international version was also released. The album was an international super hit.
  • // 1977
    In 1977, the album ‘Let There Be Rock’ was released. It featured the tracks ‘Dog Eat Dog’, ‘Let There Be Rock’, and ‘Bad Boy Boogie’. The very next year, the album ‘Powerage’ was released.
  • // 1979
    The late 1970s was a very busy time for the band as they released albums in quick succession. ‘Highway to Hell’, released in 1979 went on to become one of the most popular albums. It was the last one to feature Scott who died the next year.
  • // 19th Feb 1980
    He was an alcoholic and had drunk too much in a London club on 19 February 1980. He was so drunk that he passed out in the car where he was left to spend the night by a friend. The next day he was found lifeless and taken to the hospital where he was pronounced brought dead. The official cause of his death was listed as acute alcohol poisoning.

// Famous Drug Overdose peoples

Sid Vicious

Sid Vicious

Sid Vicious was an English musician known for his work with the band ‘Sex Pistols’. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about him.

Chris Farley

Chris Farley

Chris Farley was an American comedian and actor who made millions of people laugh with his lively comic acts. This biography of Chris Farley provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.

Pamela Courson

Pamela Courson

Pamela Courson was the long-term companion of the American singer Jim Morrison. Check out this biography to know about her childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about her life.

Layne Staley

Layne Staley

Layne Staley was an American rock musician who was a member of the American rock band ‘Alice in Chains’. Read this biography to learn more about his childhood, life, works, achievements and timeline

Jean-Michel Basquiat

Jean-Michel Basquiat

Jean-Michel Basquiat was an American graffiti artist who was one of the leading lights of the neo expressionist era in the 1980s. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.

Janis Joplin

Janis Joplin

Janis Joplin was an American singer-songwriter, also known as the ‘First Lady of Rock n Roll’. This biography of Janis Joplin provides detailed information about her childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.

Bon Scott's FAQ

  • What is Bon Scott birthday?

    Bon Scott was born at 1946-07-09

  • When was Bon Scott died?

    Bon Scott was died at 1980-02-19

  • Where was Bon Scott died?

    Bon Scott was died in Fremantle Cemetery

  • Which age was Bon Scott died?

    Bon Scott was died at age 33

  • Where is Bon Scott's birth place?

    Bon Scott was born in Forfar

  • What is Bon Scott nationalities?

    Bon Scott's nationalities is Australian, British, Scottish

  • Who is Bon Scott spouses?

    Bon Scott's spouses is Irene Thorton

  • Who is Bon Scott siblings?

    Bon Scott's siblings is Derrek, Graeme

  • What was Bon Scott universities?

    Bon Scott studied at Sunshine Primary School, North Fremantle Primary School, John Curtin College of the Arts

  • What is Bon Scott's cause of dead?

    Bon Scott dead because of Drug Overdose

  • Who is Bon Scott's father?

    Bon Scott's father is Charles

  • Who is Bon Scott's mother?

    Bon Scott's mother is Isa

  • What is Bon Scott's sun sign?

    Bon Scott is Cancer