Legendary music writer Jane Scott passed away on Monday after a long illness. Claimed to be the world’s oldest music critic up until her retirement in 2002, Scott covered over four decades of rock ‘n roll music, befriending many rock stars including Mick Jagger, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Jimi Hendrix, and Brian Wilson.
While working for Cleavland Plain Dealer In 1964, she made the move to music writing after covering The Beatles visit to her home town. At the time, she was writing for the social section of the newspaper, but decided to volunteer the coverage of the fab 4 when no one else wanted to. After that show she realised how much the music world was changing, and never looked back.
Scott remained a regular music writer for the newspaper, covering concert reviews and regular music features. In 2002, after 50 years with the newspaper, she finally retied, but continued to attend shows even after retirement.
Attending shows, she would bring her bag of gigging essentials made up of Kleenex tissues, peanut butter, a shower cap and earplugs. Kleenex was used for those inevitable moments when there’s no toilet paper at the venue; peanut butter to give her strength for the long night ahead; the shower cap was for those rain swept outdoor events; and the ear plugs would come out when things got a little too loud for her likings. Genius.
