Rowan, Peter

PETER ROWAN

  • From Wayland, Massachusetts.
  • Performs a variety of musical styles including bluegrass, rock, Tex-Mex, Irish, country, rockabilly, folk and reggae.
  • Began performing in junior high school with a rockabilly group called the Cupids, playing mostly Buddy Holly material.
  • 1963, began his professional career with Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys.
  • 1967, formed a rock group with David Grisman called Earth Opera. Toured with The Doors, other bands.
  • 1969, joined a California country-rock group called Sea Train.
  • 1973, performed with Old and In the Way with Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead and David Nelson of New Riders of the Purple Sage.
  • 1974, worked with Richard Greene, Bill Keith, Clarence White and David Grisman in Muleskinner.
  • 1975-1978, performed with his brothers Chris and Lorin as the Rowan Brothers. Recorded three albums including Tree On A Hill (Asylum). They reunited in 1992 for several shows.
  • 1978, released Peter Rowan album (Flying Fish).
  • 1978, formed two Tex-Mex groups: The Green Grass Gringos and the Mexican Air Force.
  • 1982, released The Walls Of Time album (Sugar Hill). Band included Ricky Skaggs, Alan O’Bryant, Eddie Adcock, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, others.
  • 1983, formed the Wild Stallions in Nashville.
  • 1984, formed The Free Mexican Air Force which at times included Tony Rice on guitar.
  • 1988, released New Moon Rising album with the Nashville Bluegrass Band (Sugar Hill).
  • 1990, released Dust Bowl Children album (Sugar Hill).
  • 1990, released The First Whipporwill album (Sugar Hill). Band included Bill Keith, Richard Greene, Sam Bush, Alan O’Bryant, Buddy Spicher.
  • 1991, released All On A Rising Day album (Sugar Hill).
  • 1995, released With The Red Hot Pickers album (Sugar Hill). Band included Tony Trischka, Richard Greene, Andy Statman, Roger Mason.
  • 1996, released Bluegrass Boy album (Sugar Hill). Band included Mike Munford, Charles Sawtelle, Laurie Lewis, Richard Greene, Roy Huskey Jr., Buell Neidlinger.
  • 2004, released You Were There For Me album with Tony Rice (Rounder).
  • 2006, formed The Peter Rowan & Tony Rice Quartet. Original group included Sharon Gilchrist and Bryn Davies (Bright). Mike Bub and Rickie Simpkins also played with this band.
  • 2007, released Quartet album (Rounder) featuring the Peter Rowan and Tony Rice Quartet.
  • 2007, formed The Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band with Keith Little and Jody Stecher.
  • Hobby: studying and painting Asian art. He is a devotee of Tibetan Buddhism.
  • 2010, released Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band: Legacy album (Compass).
  • 2013, released The Old School album (Compass) with guests Del McCoury, Bobby Osborne, Jesse McReynolds, others.
  • 2018, had to cancel several months of touring to recover from exhaustion.
  • 2018, released Carter Stanley’s Eyes album (Rebel).
  • Recent band configurations: the Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band, Peter Rowan’s Big Twang Theory (rockabilly), Peter Rowan’s Twang and Groove (Rhythm and Blues), Peter Rowan and Crucial Reggae (Reggae) and The Free Mexican Air Force (Tex Mex).