Bryan Bowers

The fine autoharp player and traditional singer, Bryan Bowers will be making his second appearance at Caltech. Born in Yorktown, Virginia, Bryan was profoundly affected by the singing of field and railroad workers, and this style of singing is an important part of his sound. It wasn't until college that he took up playing the autoharp, but he quickly became a master of the instrument that he has redefined over the years. He is as important to modern autoharp playing as Earl Scruggs has been to the banjo. In his hands, the autoharp has amazing capabilities of notes and chords, and his playing brings to mind a full orchestra, with its full-bodied and varied sound. He mixes a few original songs with some gospel, traditional, and songs of current songwriters, many of them very funny, such as "Zen Gospel Singing." Bryan's humor, easy manner, and natural storytelling abilities make his performances a pure delight.

If you caught him in 2002, you are already psyched to hear him again. He recently co-produced and played on a monumental 3-CD set called "Autoharp Legacy" which covers the autoharp world in the same way that the three volumes of "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" united some of the greatest bluegrass/country performers living. Along with Bryan, you'll hear 55 autoharp players and session musicians including Harvey Reid, John McCutcheon, Sam Bush, Stuart Duncan, Evo Bluestein, Tom Chapin, David Holt, Cathy Barton, and many others. The set includes 64 songs and tunes and is a very exciting event in the bluegrass/traditional music world.

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