Remembering Scott Ricciuti at JJ's

Longtime popular musician Scott Ricciuti, Marlborough resident who died in a car crash in April, left behind a legacy of music and a mass of friends wondering what to do next. A fulltime musician, Ricciuti also had many shows lined up in the area.

He had been scheduled to play this Thursday, Aug. 9, at

John Donovan and Rob Ledoux, seasoned musicians and two of Ricciuti's close friends, agreed to take on the date. Billed by the clubowner as a "Scott Ricciuti Memorial," Donovan and Ledoux are obliging by paying tribute.

"Scott had a lot of dates booked and some of us were asked to fill in on those commitments," said Donovan. "This happened to be one that Rob and I were happy and able to do. We were asked if we could do a couple of his songs and we said 'yes,' of course."

Ledoux and Donovan will perform some of Ricciuti's originals as well as cover songs that Donovan and he would often put into sets (Donovan and Ricciuti played weekly in a group called the Friday Farewells).  

"The biggest tribute part of it is that it's guys out working playing music to entertain people, which is what Scott was all about," said Donovan. "He would play anywhere, anytime, for anybody. That being said, what made Scott's music so special to me is its intimacy and inclusiveness. You can learn a lot about Scott's personality and day-to-day existence by listening to his lyrics.  He's very specific with the details, but there are very universal themes as well. And he would (and could) write an effective song about absolutely anything. Then he allowed the musicians who were playing with him to incorporate their own styles and personalities into that music. OF course, no personality was bigger than his own."

Donovan, not only a bandmate but close friend of Ricciuti's, said that his absence has left a "large musical and personal hole in my life."

"I miss the creativity and interaction of our gigs together," said Donovan, "and I just miss him dearly as a bandmate, friend, confidant and troublemaker. I think a lot of people in the Worcester music scene feel exactly the same way. He had a lot of best friends. I do think that we're all working a little bit harder to try and fill that hole, and we all feel like we should be doing something to keep bringing people together to make music for others. That's what keeps us going and playing. We will try to make Thursday night worthwhile for anyone who comes out."