Scott Stapp biography
Scott Alan Stapp (born Anthony Scott Flippen ; August 8, 1973) is an American musician, singer-songwriter, and philanthropist best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the rock band Creed, of which he is a founding member. His debut solo album, The Great Divide, was released in 2005. A second album, Between Lust and Love, is currently in production. In addition to his career as a musician, Stapp is also an author, currently at work on a memoir that will be published in October 2012.
Despite various controversies and criticisms, Stapp is recognized as one of the most successful artists of the modern rock era and has won numerous awards and accolades including a Grammy Award for Creed's song "With Arms Wide Open" and numerous RIAA certifications. In 2006, Hit Parader ranked Stapp as the 68th greatest heavy metal vocalist of all time.
Early life
Stapp was born as Anthony Scott Flippen on August 8, 1973 in Goldsboro, North Carolina, to his mother Lynda, a school teacher and his biological father, about whom little is known. He was adopted by Steven Stapp, a dentist who married Scott's mother, and decided to take his stepfather's last name. However, upon realizing that his initials would spell out the word "ass," he took his middle name as his first and took the name he is now known as, Scott Alan Stapp. Stapp grew up in a very religious household because his stepfather was a Pentecostal minister; when punished, he would be forced to copy passages from the Bible. At one point, he grew so desperate to seek freedom from the strict rules of his religious stepfather that he snuck out of his home in the middle of the night and stayed at a friend's house for a month before finally returning home. In an attempt to impress his stepfather, he attended Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee, but he was expelled for smoking marijuana. He subsequently attended Valencia Community College in Orlando, Florida, Tallahassee Community College, and finally Florida State University.
Career
1995-2004: Creed and early mainstream success
Stapp is a founding member of the American hard rock band Creed. After developing an acquaintance with his then-future band mate Mark Tremonti at Lake Highland Preparatory School in Orlando, Stapp reunited with Tremonti while both attended Florida State University, and they quickly developed a friendship based on their mutual passion for music. Stapp formed Creed with Tremonti in 1995 with fellow members Brian Marshall and Scott Phillips joining as bassist and drummer, respectively. Rhythm guitarist Brian Brasher was also briefly a member in 1995 when the band was known by its original name, Naked Toddler. While often criticized and parodied, Creed is recognized by many as one of the major acts of the post-grunge movement of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Tremonti and Stapp have been collectively recognized as one of the most prolific songwriting teams in all of rock music.
« previous 1 2 3 4 5 next » Biography from 
, the free encyclopedia.
It may not have been reviewed by a professional editor, and recent changes may not show up straight away. See the latest version of this article. Used under licence. Subject to disclaimers.