Bryan Bowers in Concert, Saturday, May 10

evenFrom his rather unglamorous beginning as a street singer, Bryan Bowers has become a major artist on the traditional music circuit. He has redefined the autoharp and is also well known as a singer-songwriter. Bryan has a dynamic outgoing personality and an uncanny ability to enchanta crowd in practically any situation. His towering six foot four inch frame can be wild and zanyon stage while playing a song like `Dixie' and five minutes later he can have the same audience singing `Will The Circle Be Unbroken' in reverence and delight. 

In 2006 Bryan’s landmark recording, Bristlecone Pine, was released on Seattle Sounds withdistribution assistance by Plectrafone Records. Autoharp partner and close friend, Ron Wall, directed and created the recording. Several of Bryan’s friends from through-out the years offered musical assistance, including: Tim O’Brien, Sam Bush, Mark Howard, Alan O’Bryant, PatEnright, Dennis Crouch, Stuart Duncan and Ron Wall. A feature story on Bryan in theFeb/March 2007 issue of Dirty Linen stated, “Like the venerable pine of the title track, autoharpvirtuoso Bryan Bowers’ vocal style and instrumental prowess have grown in depth and geniusover the decades...to listen to this recording is to experience all the colors and emotions of alifetime. Truly Bowers’ finest work to date…”

For over five decades, Bryan Bowers has been to the autoharp what Earl Scruggs was to the five string banjo. He presents instrumental virtuosity combined with warmth, eloquence, expression and professionalism."Bowers is widely regarded as the leading virtuoso on the autoharp... Bowers also has distinct gifts as a singer and songwriter. -PEOPLE MAGAZINE"

A brilliant, innovative autoharpist & powerful songwriter-the festival's single most powerful performance." -THE BOSTON GLOBE"

For all the acclaim Bryan Bowers has won as the master of the autoharp, what radiates from the instrument under his touch is not flash but warmth and brilliance." "You get a good feeling being a member of Bryan Bowers' audience, the good feeling that comes from watching someone doing just what he needs to do and doing it well and for all the right reasons."-THE PHILADELPHIA FOLK SONG SOCIETY