Scott Stapp

Scott Anthony Stapp Bio

Scott Anthony Stapp (born Anthony Scott Flippen; 8 August 1973) is an American singer and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Creed. He has also fronted Art of Anarchy and has released multiple solo albums, including The Great Divide (2005), Proof of Life (2013), and The Space Between the Shadows (2019). Stapp and Creed bandmate Mark Tremonti won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Song in 2001 for writing the Creed single “With Arms Wide Open.” He founded the With Arms Wide Open Foundation and lives in Franklin, Tennessee with his family.

Early Life and Background

Scott Anthony Stapp was born Anthony Scott Flippen on August 8, 1973, in Orlando, Florida. He was raised by his mother, Lynda, and his stepfather, Steven Stapp, a dentist, whose surname he later took. In his memoir, Stapp stated that his maternal grandfather was of Cherokee ancestry.

Musical influences shaped Stapp from an early age. His mother was a fan of Elvis Presley, and Stapp credited those early Elvis records with sparking his interest in singing. He joined the school choir performing Elvis songs and was further drawn to acts such as U2, Def Leppard, and the Doors. Stapp performed publicly for the first time at age nine, singing “Yesterday” by the Beatles at Bear Lake Elementary School.

Stapp graduated from Lake Highland Preparatory School in Orlando and went on to attend Florida State University, where he reconnected with a former high school classmate and future bandmate, Mark Tremonti. Their shared passion for music became the foundation for a creative partnership that would soon change the course of rock music in the 1990s.

Path to Music

Stapp formed Creed in 1994 with Tremonti while the two were attending Florida State University. They were joined by bassist Brian Marshall and drummer Scott Phillips. The band honed its sound on the local scene before entering a Florida studio to record its debut album on a modest budget, eventually catching the attention of Wind-up Records, which signed the group.

Creed released its debut album, My Own Prison, in 1997. The record was a mainstream success, eventually selling more than six million copies. Four singles from the album, including “My Own Prison,” “Torn,” “What’s This Life For,” and “One,” all reached the Top Three on Billboard’s Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, establishing Stapp as a leading voice in post-grunge and hard rock.

Building on that momentum, the band released its follow-up, Human Clay, in 1999. The album was certified diamond and eleven times platinum by the RIAA, and Stapp’s powerful vocals and lyrics drew comparisons to classic frontmen. Creed quickly became one of the most commercially successful rock acts of its era.

Scott Anthony Stapp Career

Early Career (1994–1999)

Stapp’s first major work with Creed came with My Own Prison in 1997, a debut that exceeded industry expectations by going multi-platinum. The success of the album positioned the band, and Stapp, as rising stars in the alternative rock and post-grunge scene, drawing widespread radio play and a growing touring circuit across the United States.

With the 1999 release of Human Clay, Stapp reached a wider audience. The album produced staples like “With Arms Wide Open” and “Higher,” both of which became anthems of the era. These early achievements cemented Stapp’s reputation as a powerful rock vocalist and helped Creed sell out arenas throughout North America.

Breakthrough (2001–2004)

The band’s third studio album, Weathered, arrived in 2001 and continued Creed’s commercial dominance, achieving multi-platinum status. That same year, Stapp and Tremonti were honored with a Grammy Award for Best Rock Song as the writers of “With Arms Wide Open.” The accompanying tour was one of the highest-grossing rock tours of the early 2000s, though it ended amid controversy at a Chicago concert that became a turning point for the band.

In 2004, Creed officially disbanded, citing growing tension between Stapp and the other members. The group released a Greatest Hits album in November 2004, closing a defining chapter of Stapp’s career and setting the stage for his solo work.

Notable Works and Milestones

Stapp’s signature work remains his tenure as lead vocalist of Creed, the band behind the diamond-certified Human Clay and the Grammy-winning “With Arms Wide Open.” His solo catalog, including the platinum-certified The Great Divide, also stands as a key milestone. In 2006, Hit Parader ranked Stapp as the 68th-greatest heavy metal vocalist of all time, a recognition of his lasting influence on the genre.

Scott Anthony Stapp Award Nominations

Throughout his career, Scott Anthony Stapp has earned recognition from the music industry, including Grammy nominations and other honors for his songwriting and vocal performances with Creed. He and Mark Tremonti were honored at the Grammy Awards for their work on “With Arms Wide Open,” and Stapp has received numerous RIAA certifications tied to multi-platinum albums and singles.

Scott Anthony Stapp Awards Won

Stapp and Creed bandmate Mark Tremonti won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Song in 2001 for writing the Creed single “With Arms Wide Open.” In 2006, Hit Parader ranked Stapp as the 68th-greatest heavy metal vocalist of all time. Stapp’s solo debut, The Great Divide, was certified platinum on December 14, 2005, and has since been certified double platinum.

Scott Anthony Stapp Family

Stapp was raised by his mother, Lynda, and his stepfather, Steven Stapp, a dentist, whose surname he took. In his memoir, Stapp shared that his maternal grandfather was of Cherokee ancestry. He has spoken about the impact of his upbringing on his music, faith, and personal journey.

Personal Life

Stapp married Hillaree Burns in 1997, and the couple divorced in 1998. They share a son, Jagger, of whom Stapp has full custody. On February 11, 2006, Stapp married 2004 Miss New York USA winner and model Jaclyn Nesheiwat. Together they have a daughter and a son, and they welcomed a third son in November 2017. Stapp has said he is a Christian and authored the memoir Sinner’s Creed, published on October 2, 2012. He lives in Franklin, Tennessee with his family.