John Lowell has been performing in the Mountain West for the past 43 years. He’s toured the world with his bands Kane’s River, Growling Old Men, Wheel Hoss, the John Lowell Band and Coppo, Kaerner and Lowell. John is a triple threat –songwriter, singer, guitarist and his smooth voice is heard on many albums. He performs worldwide, has been featured on Garrison Keillor’s “Prairie Home Companion” and is the 2024 recipient of the Governor’s Arts Award in Montana, the highest honor one can receive for work in the arts.
“Snow on the Wineglass” is John Lowell’s second recording project produced with
both the Acoustic/Bluegrass/Folk Music and the Western Music audience in mind.
The album features 10 original Lowell songs - including co-writes with Joe Newberry,
Tim Stafford, Thomm Jutz and Jim Schulz. The only cover is a new version of “Step it Up, Nancy” which was recorded by icons Robin and Linda Williams and
features their harmonies on the new version. His 2021 recording, “She’s Leaving Cheyenne” was nominated for four awards by the International Western Music Association and won Working Cowboy Song of the Year for his song “Angus Mackenzie.” He was nominated twice in the Song of the Year category as well as in the Songwriter of the Year and Album of the Year. “She’s Leaving Cheyenne” was named Album of the Year by Wyoming Public Radio. Click Here. 2021 was also the year that he won the grand prize in the Hazel Dickens Songwriting Contest, a national contest sponsored by the DC Bluegrass Union. Click Here.
2018 was spent recording in Lowell’s home studio and contacting a who’s who in music, and the project finally came together. “This Long Stretch Of Gravel” features 11 original songswith collaborators such as (in alphabetical order) Joy Adams, Darol Anger, Ron Block, Becky Buller, Greg Cahill, Chris Coole, Jeremy Garrett, Andy Hall, Chris Jones, Claire Lynch, Stephen Mougin, Joe Newberry, Bill Payne, Missy Raines, John Reischman, Ben Somers, Jason Thomas and Joe K. Walsh. IBMA engineer of the year Ben Surratt mixed the project.
John teaches at music camps in the US, UK, Canada and Europe and serves on the International Bluegrass Music Association songwriting committee. He’s recently performed at the Kerrville Folk Festival and the Lone Star Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Alpine, Texas, the Crossover Festival in Nottingham, UK and at the Finding Your Roots Festival in Ireland. He will perform in 2024 at the Cody Songwriters Festival and the Grand Targhee Bluegrass Festival among other touring dates in Florida, Kansas, Montana and Texas. He did his 11th European tour last fall, and has tours to the UK and Europe planned for 2024. John and his wife (and frequent musical partner) Joanne Gardner Lowell live in Livingston, MT.
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