Stick Figure

A modern reggae act that fully embraces dub, Stick Figure is the inspiration of songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Scott Woodruff. While the music is influenced by dub’s deep rhythms and sense of space, Stick Figure’s melodies lean toward the more accessible side of roots reggae, and the lyrics reflect warmth, love, unity, and good times. The group initially gained attention in the mid-2000s, releasing a handful of more traditional offerings beginning with 2006′s The Sound of My Addiction. Starting with 2009′s Smoke Stack, Woodruff’s melodies became poppier and the production took on a more inventive, rock-influenced tone, with more attention given to his guitar work, a vibe they’ve continued to develop on albums like 2012′s Burial Ground and 2015′s Set in Stone. With 2019′s World on Fire, Stick Figure reached a milestone, topping the Reggae Albums chart and reaching 34 on the Billboard 200. It was creative high they further built upon with 2022′s Wisdom.
Woodruff launched Stick Figure in 2006 as a one-man band out of his hometown of Duxbury, Massachusetts. The moniker was inspired by his high school nickname, bestowed upon him due to his lanky physique. He debuted the project with 2006′s The Sound of My Addiction, which he recorded himself, playing all the instruments on the sessions. A sophomore album, Burnin' Ocean, arrived in 2008, followed a year later by Smoke Stack. Stick Figure had developed an online fan base, and the record eventually peaked at number eight on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart.
It was also around 2009 that Woodruff pulled up stakes and moved to San Diego, California. Eager to take the act on the road, he began adding musicians to his group, forming a four-piece version of Stick Figure and recording 2010′s The Reprise Sessions. In 2012, Burial Ground was released and the group supported the album by touring as the opening act for the Green. Warmly received by audiences, the band shifted gears and focused on live work with numerous festival appearances and tours with Passafire, John Brown's Body, Rebelution, and Iration. Life on the road kept the group out of the studio until 2015, when the album Set in Stone arrived with Collie Buddz and Slightly Stoopid as guests.
By this time, Woodruff had opened his own studio in Oakland, Great Stone Studios, where he could lay down ideas whenever inspiration struck. 2019′s World on Fire, recorded at Great Stone, mixed reggae grooves and jam-band vibes, and included guest spots from Slightly Stoopid, Citizen Cope, and TJ O'Neill. The album finished out the year as the top seller on Billboard’s Top Reggae Albums chart and reached 34 on the Billboard 200. Woodruff also produced 2022′s Wisdom, mixing the tracks with bandmate Johnny Cosmic. An equally vibrant sonic blend of dub reggae, pop melodies, and organic and electronic instrumentation, the album again featured a handful of guest spots, including contributions by longtime associates Slightly Stoopid, Barrington Levy, and Collie Buddz. ~ David Jeffries