Charting in Excel to Charting on iTunes: An office worker bee becomes a rising country star

The unlikely rise of country recording artist John Scargall

John Scargall had an ordinary job. He got up early every weekday morning. He donned his white dress shirt outfit and headed out to Boeing, and ultimately, to his cubicle where he’d enter data into Excel spreadsheets for nearly eight hours. He was going insane from the monotony of passionless work. Then one day, his life changed.

Scargall quit his job. He quit to pursue music without ever having written a song before. And as soon as his life stopped making sense, that’s when the magic began.

“I knew I just had to do it [quit his job], even though it didn’t make rational sense,” Scargall said, “What followed was nothing short of magical, spiritual, whatever you want to call it, things just started happening!”

Almost immediately, Scargall was signed to record label Phosphorylative Entertainment Group, where he linked up with 6-time Grammy award winning recording engineer Glenn Barratt. As fortune would have it, Barratt agreed to help mix Scargall’s debut record.

A few months later, Scargall experienced his first regional FM radio hit. After leaking his song “That Wind’s Always Gonna Blow” to A.I. duPont Children’s Hospital for use in their annual radiothon, the song trended #1 on 93.7FM WSTW. On-air live interviews and performances followed, but his rise had only begun.

NASCAR came knocking. Game developer DMi Games requested Scargall’s song, “Leave It On the Track”, for use as the theme song to the NASCAR ‘15 video game. Now Scargall’s music would be heard all across the United States and internationally by millions of NASCAR fans.

That’s when the press came knocking too. Scargall was then featured on Examiner.com, SiriusXM Radio, PBS-affiliated TV, on regional magazine entertainment section covers and news TV broadcasts. He even landed a gig performing at NASCAR races, being featured at Bristol Motor Speedway, Kentucky Speedway, Michigan International Speedway, and more.

Now Scargall has just released his debut album, “Breakthrough”, and his incredible journey continues. His music debuted on the iTunes Top 100 Alt. Country Singles chart, as well as the Amazon.com Top 25 Hot New Releases chart for Alt. Country. As of November 2015, it’s still listed on the charts.

If Scargall never quit his job only a few short years ago, he would never be where he is today. His story shows that even an office worker bee with big musical dreams can make it happen. Now, he’s scheduled to tape an SI.com and SI VOD feature on his rapid rise and how NASCAR impacted it, with a tentative air date window of late November 2015. With promotion at country radio planned, John Scargall is poised to become a household name very soon.

 

Facts:

  • John Scargall worked at Boeing until late 2012, quits job to pursue music
  • After quitting, Scargall links up with 6-time Grammy winner
  • Scargall’s music now being heard by millions of NASCAR fans (US and International)
  • Scargall’s debut music currently charting on iTunes (As of Nov. 2015)
  • Scargall set to tape a Sports Illustrated feature on his rapid NASCAR associated rise

For more info on John Scargall, go to www.JohnScargall.com

Are you a die-hard NASCAR fan? Follow every lap, every pit stop, every storyline? We're looking for fellow enthusiasts to share insights, race recaps, hot takes, or behind-the-scenes knowledge with our readers. Click Here to apply!

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SpeedwayMedia.com

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

SM SPEEDWAY SHOTS

Latest articles

BMW M Team WRT battles for upset IMSA victory at Indianapolis

BMW M Team WRT's No. 24 entry with drivers Sheldon van der Linde and Dries Vanthoor overtook Cadillac Whelen in the closign minutes to achieve its first victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Jorge Prado Prevails with Memorable Playoff 2 Victory After Captivating Battle in Los Angeles

Jorge Prado prevailed with his first postseason victory following a captivating battle in the 450SMX Class, adding to his points lead.

Team Penske NASCAR Cup Series Race Report – Bristol

Joey Logano and the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Dark Horse Mustang team proved they are one of the best closers in the NASCAR Cup Series garage by charging from the fourth position with nine laps remaining

Wood Brothers Racing – Race Report: Bristol Motor Speedway

With their sixth-place finish in Saturday night’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Josh Berry and the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing team earned their ninth top-10 finish of the season and seventh in the past eight races.

Best New Zealand Online Casinos