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SPECIAL EVENT - No Fooling! April Fool's Day Concert
Fort Collins-- Autoharp Hall of Fame member, and acclaimed singer and storyteller
Bryan Bowers will present a concert at 8:00 pm at Avogadro's Number, 605 S Mason
St Fort Collins, CO 80524-3007 on Friday, April 1, 2004, $15.00 Cover at the
door (see map below)
Bowers is a veteran of nearly 40 years as a touring
musician. "Once I held the autoharp to my chest and felt that music in
my heart, I fell in love. I never could have predicted where it would
lead me," Bowers said at a recent festival.
A creative and energetic performer, Bowers' towering
six-foot four-inch frame can be wild and zany on stage while playing a song
like "Dixie" and five minutes later he can have the same audience singing "Will
the Circle Be Unbroken" in quiet reverence and delight. Bryan has been
an autoharp innovator whose inventions (like fine tuners) have become standard
on many instruments being built today. But his joy is bringing fine acoustic
music to diverse audiences. "I want to have a good time and I want people
to have a good time, no 'woe is me' trip. I want the joy of bringing people
together and communicating....if I can say it like I see it, I can bring happiness."
Based in the Seattle area, Bowers grew up in New Bohemia, Virginia where he
tagged along with the field workers and gandy dancers and learned to sing old
call-and-answer songs. After his beginning playing for coins in
the street and passing the hat in bars, Bryan took to the road where his music
was introduced by the Dillards, Sam Bush, Curtis Burch and Courtney Johnson
of the New Grass Revival to bluegrass musicians whose support helped to launch
his career.
Bowers' creativity and talent have won him induction into Frets Magazine's first
Gallery of the Greats after five years of winning the styringed instrument,
open category of the magazine's readers' poll. In 1993, Bryan was inducted
into the Autoharp Hall of Fame to stand only with Maybelle Carter, Kilby Snow,
and Sara Carter. At a recent 
festival
he exclaimed, "I would trade all these honors and recognitions for the pride
and joy I've had in being associated with the recording Autoharp Legacy ."
This 3-CD set gathers all the shining lights, the living legacies and the up-and-coming
players into one delicious collection.
Bowers has 5 of his own critically acclaimed recordings, originally released
on Flying Fish Records, now distributed by the Rounder label.
Reporters can call Scott O'Malley & Associates, LLC, (719)635-7776
(somagency@aol.com) to schedule a telephone interview with Bryan on the road.
Owl Mountain Music, Inc. is presenting the show. Call Steve
Eulberg (970)472-1352 or (970)222-8358 (cell) for more information
