Kevin Bowe

Singer/songwriter Kevin Bowe was raised in rural Minnesota. As a young performer, the half-Irish half-Serb musician played in a host of Midwestern bands, including the Revelators, who released a CD of Bowe's songs called Blackie Ford's Revenge. The album created a buzz among publishers and producers and Bowe signed a deal with Bug Music. The Bowe composition "Riverside" ended up on blues-rocker Kenny Wayne Shepherd's popular debut album Ledbetter Heights. Subsequently, he signed with legendary songwriters Leiber & Stoller. Becoming widely known among producers for his Americana, roots-oriented writing, he placed a song on Jonny Lang's platinum-selling 1997 debut Lie to Me. Bowe has also co-written with the likes of Leo Kottke, Peter Case, Dan Wilson (of Semisonic), Robert Earl Keen, Chuck Prophet, Peter Himmelman, Duane Jarvis, and Colin James. In addition, he has played guitar on many major-label versions of his songs. Bowe also leads his band Kevin Bowe & the Okemah Prophets, who are based out of Minneapolis. After a period of writing and solo performing, Bowe put the group together to record demos and showcase songs at the popular industry fete South by Southwest in Austin, Texas. Pleased with the collaboration, Bowe and his group continued playing shows together and set out to record a CD, 2000's Restoration. The band, which is influenced by folks such as Steve Earle, the Replacements, and the Byrds, consists of Andy Dee (formerly of Molly & the Heymakers), who co-produced the debut and played lap steel, six-string bass, electric sitar, and electric guitar. Other Prophets include John Wright, Bongo, and Marv Gohman (who had formerly played with the Rembrandts). ~ Erik Hage