The Bosco France Band: Painting the town Blue

by Nick Ducholz

On a still Tuesday night off Franklin Street, the frosty air was excited and diffused by the high wails and low chugs of a blues guitar. The voice intertwined with the guitar was rife with love, pain, anger and joy all mixed into a sultry, emotional gas that clouded the mind and stimulated the libido. It was just a pleasant scent to lure in listeners.

Upon entering to the source of this charming noise, Lamasco’s Bar & Grill, Boscoe France lead singer and vocalist of the Boscoe France Band entered into a meaty, mind-splintering solo that caught the attention of every patron in the building including myself. This was not the flighty, light guitar work of 80’s rock bands. This was high and low notes perfectly balanced in frequency each with girth and flavor of fine cuts of meat. Grabbing a seat among friends then deciding to forfeit an immediate drink I let my ears feast.

Boscoe France hails from Kentucky and had a family entrenched in music and frivolity. “I just grew up

with a guitar in my hands. My papaw played, my mamaw played and my uncle played. During family gatherings they would break out the instruments and the bottle and pass both of them around,” says France. At age three he was given his first guitar and by age 6 he began to get a true grasp on harmony using a Gibson Flying V his father had received as a trade for work.

“I started playing bars at age ten without any formal lessons. The first one I played in was Gloria’s Corral Club in Evansville,” says France. Prior to that France developed a love for rock and roll having Def Leppard’s album Pyromania. As time went on France’s taste musical taste broadened. “I got into my mom’s albums, she had an awesome taste in music. The Philmore, Skynard and a bunch of stuff Tom Dowd (Ray Charles, John Coltrane, Eric Clapton) produced,” says France.

His musical inspirations are vast but the most prominent was a family member. “My Uncle Duke only played three chords but he played the s*** out of ‘em and he also sang. He is my biggest musical influence without a doubt. It was because of him that I got my first chance to play in front of only adults when I was real young,” says France.

France is a homegrown, self-taught talent and a family man. Even to this day, in his mid-thirties, he is shy guy onstage because trying experiences when he was performing young. “I use humor and I joke

and kid and stuff but when I play my guitar and sing, I have my eyes closed. It’s just me and my guitar, that’s what I feel,” says France.

The Boscoe France Band is highly formidable musical farce in the tri-state area. While performing their craft they have very few peers. They have history in the area and a natural rhythm feeding of each other and accenting each others’ strengths. The Boscoe France Band is no joke!

Find Boscoe France on facebook.com for more information and upcoming shows.