Ronald Belford Scott, also known as Bon Scott, was born on July 9, 1946, in Kirriemuir, Scotland, UK. The Scott family relocated to Australia in 1952, where Bon's early life and musical career would unfold.
Bon's distaste for authority led him to quit his studies at the age of 15, and he began his musical journey by playing both vocals and drums. His first notable musical endeavor was with the pop band The Valentines, whose single "Every Day I Have To Cry" reached the top five on the local charts.
However, The Valentines' career was cut short due to a September 1969 arrest for dope possession, which shattered their clean-cut image beyond repair. The band officially disbanded a few months later.
Within six months, Bon joined the blues-rock band Fraternity, but their efforts to achieve success in Europe were largely unsuccessful, and they returned to Australia disillusioned. A motorbike accident that left Bon in a coma for three days and in the hospital for several months eventually ended his association with Fraternity.
After recovering, Bon took on casual work until he was offered the chance to drive the bus for the young rock band AC/DC. Initially, he was supposed to drive the band's bus, but he persuaded the Young brothers that the band needed a better frontman, and he suggested himself as the ideal replacement.
When former singer Dave Evans failed to show up for a show, Bon seized his chance and took the stage. With Bon Scott as the frontman, AC/DC gained momentum, and the next five and a half years saw them becoming increasingly popular, ultimately achieving worldwide success with their million-selling album "Highway To Hell".
Bon Scott's legendary status as the lead singer of AC/DC is largely attributed to the period spent with him. However, his excessive drinking habits would ultimately lead to tragedy. After a night of heavy drinking, Bon died in a car parked outside a friend's flat in South London on February 19, 1980.
Bon Scott was pronounced dead on arrival at Kings College Hospital and was laid to rest in the Fremantle Cemetery's Memorial Garden in Australia.
