Birmingham-native jazz musician receives honor of a lifetime

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - A huge honor tonight for a well-known jazz musician from Birmingham.

Flutist Kim Scott says she learned last week that Billboard Magazine has named her single “Shine” it’s smooth jazz song of the year.    

Scott says she and guitarist Adam Holly co-wrote the song in late 2021, for her fifth album which she released in February. She says she wanted to inspire people as they moved beyond the pandemic.

“I really was already in the vein of creating music that was empowering,” said Scott during an interview at the Alabama School of Fine Arts where she is Director of Student Services. “So the first single I’d written was ‘Back Together Again,’ coming out of the pandemic, having hope, being excited. So I really wanted to write a song that was a bright light. And when I finished writing it, I didn’t have a title at the time, but it was such a high energy spirited tune that I immediately thought of the word ‘shine.’ I was like, that’s it. The title’s gonna be ‘Shine.’”

Scott says she has a full travel calendar for next year with tour dates from California to Philadelphia to southern Africa. But first Scott, who has had three songs climb to number one on Billboard’s smooth jazz chart will celebrate this achievement with a free event at perfect note in hoover on Dec. 29.

“I’m so honored,” says Scott of her Song of the Year honor. “You know, we compose music, play music to bring joy, and when a song sticks like that to someone and really empowers people and they just, that’s all they want to hear. I feel like my job is, is been done with that song.”

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