Stick Figure

Stick Figure arose as a present-day reggae ensemble wholly immersed in dub aesthetics, the brainchild of songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Scott Woodruff. Although shaped by dub’s profound rhythms and atmospheric expanse, the melodies favor the more approachable facets of roots reggae, while the lyrics convey warmth, love, unity, and good times. The act first drew notice in the mid-2000s through a series of conventional releases that opened with 2006’s The Sound of My Addiction. From Smoke Stack onward in 2009, Woodruff’s melodies grew more pop-oriented and the production assumed a bolder, rock-inflected character, spotlighting his guitar work—an approach sustained and refined on Burial Ground in 2012 and Set in Stone in 2015. The 2019 album World on Fire marked a breakthrough, claiming the top spot on the Reggae Albums chart and reaching 34 on the Billboard 200; that creative momentum carried forward into 2022’s Wisdom.

Woodruff inaugurated Stick Figure in 2006 as a solo project in his hometown of Duxbury, Massachusetts. The name originated from his high-school nickname, earned for his lanky frame. He launched the endeavor with The Sound of My Addiction, which he recorded alone, performing every instrument. Burnin’ Ocean followed in 2008, then Smoke Stack a year later; by then an online audience had formed, and the album climbed to number eight on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart.

Also around 2009, Woodruff relocated to San Diego, California. Eager to perform live, he recruited additional musicians, assembling a four-piece lineup and documenting the change on 2010’s The Reprise Sessions. Burial Ground arrived in 2012, and the group toured in support as openers for the Green. Strong audience response prompted a full commitment to live work, encompassing festival dates and co-headlining runs with Passafire, John Brown’s Body, Rebelution, and Iration. Road schedules postponed further recording until 2015, when Set in Stone appeared with guest spots from Collie Buddz and Slightly Stoopid.

By then Woodruff had established Great Stone Studios in Oakland, allowing ideas to be captured whenever inspiration arose. World on Fire, tracked there, fused reggae grooves with jam-band energy and featured appearances by Slightly Stoopid, Citizen Cope, and TJ O’Neill. The set finished the year as the top seller on Billboard’s Top Reggae Albums chart and reached 34 on the Billboard 200. Woodruff produced 2022’s Wisdom, mixing alongside bandmate Johnny Cosmic. The album again delivered a vibrant combination of dub reggae, pop melodies, and organic plus electronic instrumentation, with further contributions from longtime associates Slightly Stoopid, Barrington Levy, and Collie Buddz.