Scott Fagan, born in New York, spent his early years in the Virgin Islands before returning to New York at 19. A gifted singer-songwriter, he was discovered by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, with whom he collaborated on songs like “I’m Gonna Cry Til My Tears Run Dry”. In 1968, Fagan released his debut album, South Atlantic Blues, on Atco Records. A visionary blend of folk, soul, and Caribbean influences, the album narrates his impoverished Virgin Islands upbringing. Despite its artistic brilliance, the album was overshadowed by industry politics, though pop artist Jasper Johns immortalized it in his 1970 artwork, Scott Fagan Record.
Fagan later wrote Soon (1971), a groundbreaking rock musical featuring Richard Gere and Vicki Sue Robinson. In 1976, he released Many Sunny Places, a calypso-infused album under RCA. After decades in obscurity, Fagan was rediscovered when his son, Stephin Merritt of the Magnetic Fields, uncovered their connection.
