▁ 1 9 4 4 ) ▁is ▁an ▁American ▁com ed ian , ▁music ian , ▁and ▁singer - song writer . ▁While ▁prominent ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁for ▁his ▁record ings ▁" Sp iders ▁& ▁Sn akes ", ▁" Sw amp ▁W itch ", ▁" Under ▁the ▁Sc ots man ' s ▁K ilt ", ▁" My ▁Girl ▁Bill ", ▁and ▁" W ild wood ▁We ed ", ▁Staff ord ▁has ▁head lined ▁at ▁his ▁own ▁the ater ▁in ▁Br anson , ▁Missouri , ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 0 . ▁Staff ord ▁is ▁self - t aught ▁on ▁guitar , ▁fiddle , ▁piano , ▁ban jo , ▁organ ▁and ▁harm onica . ▁ ▁Early ▁years ▁Staff ord ▁was ▁raised ▁in ▁Winter ▁H aven , ▁Florida . ▁In ▁high ▁school , ▁he ▁played ▁in ▁a ▁band ▁called ▁the ▁Leg ends , ▁along ▁with ▁friends ▁Bobby ▁Br add ock , ▁Kent ▁La V o ie ▁( also ▁known ▁as ▁Lob o ) ▁and ▁Gram ▁Par s ons ▁( of ▁the ▁By rd s ▁and ▁The ▁F lying ▁Bur rito ▁Brothers ). ▁ ▁Rec ording ▁history ▁Staff ord ' s ▁first ▁chart ▁hit ▁was ▁" Sw amp ▁W itch ", ▁produced ▁by ▁Lob o , ▁which ▁crack ed ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Top ▁ 4 0 ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁On ▁March ▁ 2 , ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁his ▁biggest ▁hit , ▁" Sp iders ▁& ▁Sn akes ", ▁pe aked ▁at ▁No