Bio - LORIN ROWAN

LORIN'S BIO

Lorin Rowan, Singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist, was born and raised in the rural suburban New England town of Wayland, Massachusetts, 20 miles west of Boston, along with his two older brothers Peter and Chris. Around the age of 12, self-taught and learning to ‘play-by-ear’, Lorin started out on a Harmony tenor 4-string guitar before he learned how to play 6-string. Peter’s early interest in Bluegrass helped inspire Lorin to play mandolin. In fact, Lorin still has and plays the Gibson ‘A’ Junior that Peter sold him for $25 many years ago! As his musical chops were developing, Lorin’s instinct and talent for songwriting began to emerge.

After graduating from high school in 1970, Lorin moved to Marin and has lived in Mill Valley for the past 38 years. At that time Lorin and his brother Chris formed ‘The Rowan Brothers’. Within a year they were signed by Clive Davis on Columbia Records and recorded their first album.

Lorin and Chris then teamed up with brother Peter as “The Rowans” and were signed by David Geffen to record three albums on Warner/Asylum; ‘The Rowans’, ‘Sibling Rivalry’ and ‘Jubilation’ respectively. The country-rock arrangements featured their sterling three-part harmonies.

In the 80’s, Lorin and his partner Jimmy Dillon formed a local San Francisco rock-reggae group called “The Edge”. They recorded several independent releases and packed the local club scene. They often shared the bill with Huey Lewis and The News.

Additional Discography and Credits

Tree on the Hill 1994, Peter, Chris & Lorin, Sugar Hill Records
My Father’s Son 1996, 1st solo album, Black Dahlia Records
Rebel Sons 1997, German/European label, Taxim Records
Lorin Rowan Trio-Live 1999, included Doug Harman cello and Jeremy Cohen violin, Indie Label
Crazy People 1999, with Peter, Chris and Lorin, A Train Records
Now and Then 2004, Lorin & Chris, Boss Music
Rowan/Cunningham Band 2010, Lorin, Chris and Sue Cunningham on fiddle, Apple Music
New Horizons 2012, Lorin, Chris & Sue Cunningham on fiddle, Apple Music
Love and Freedom, 2012 The San Francisco Music Club with Jimmy Dillon, Apple Music
Outside the Box 2017, Rattle Box with Barry Sless & Doug Harmon, Apple Music
Deep Blue Jam 2018, Indie Label

His songs have been covered by such diverse artists as rock pioneers Marty Balin of Jefferson (Airplane) Starship and Bluegrass group, Northern Lights. Also, Lorin’s song “Soldier of the Cross” is the title track of Ricky Skaggs Grammy winning Gospel/Bluegrass CD (2001)

BENEFITS

Campfire Benefit 2018
Roots of Peace
Bread & Roses
Jamaican Orphanage Benefit
Larry The Hats neighborhood block party
Blue Star Music Camp Events
Friends of the Library
CASA annual benefit for the past 10 years
Wine, Women, and Song – breast cancer benefit

Lorin performed at the Mill Valley Film Festival many times over the years.

In 1995 he received the Marin County Buck Fund Foundation music artist award

He also was in the Marin County Visitors Bureau promotional video for tourism.

He also is the recipient of the 2019 Milley Award for music.

Lorin has his music on numerous TV shows and film including:

The Hallmark Channel, NCIS, Sons of Anarchy, The Young and Restless, HBO and the music for an audio book, Three Corner Rustlers to name a few.

Musicians performed or shared the stage with include: Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, Phil Lesh, Jim Keltner, Levon Helm, Steve Cropper, Marty Balin, Steve Miller, Norton Buffalo, Willie Nelson, Lucas Nelson, Pablo Cruise, Dobbie Brothers, Jerry Douglas, Little Feat, Roy Orbison, Beach Boys, Toots and the Maytalls, Jesse Colin Young and Dan Hicks, Taj Mahal, Judy Collins, Merle Haggard, Shawn Colvin, and Mary Chapin Carpenter.

Lorin’s unabashed enthusiasm for playing guitar and singing (especially harmonies with his brothers) started with Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly and The Crickets, The Everly Brothers, The Kingston Trio and then especially Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Beach Boys and The Band. Early on, he especially liked the lead guitar styles of George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Robbie Robertson, and Duanne Allman and Dickey Betts’ slide guitar. Later on he also picked up on ‘30’s & ‘40’s swing styles by favorites Eddie Lang and Gjango Reinhardt.

As his musical chops were developing, Lorin’s instinct and talent for songwriting began to emerge. However, during his middle school years, his first band consisted of him on electric rhythm guitar, a lead guitarist and a drummer (no bass!). They called themselves “The Tresspassers”. They played songs by “The Ventures”. Lorin wanted very much to sing, but the rest of the band wasn’t sure if he could. Lorin eventually sang two songs, “She’s Not There” by The Zombies and “Tired of Waiting” by The Kinks.

But by High School, his next group featured his singing and early original songs with sisters Maddie (MacNeil) Sifantus on harmony and Bonnie on cello, along with guitarist Carl Armstrong, who also switched on bass. After that he formed a duo with a piano player, Bill Elliott. They called themselves “Boswell”, named after the beloved Rowan family beagle/basset hound.Today; Lorin still has continuing musical friendship with Bill and Maddie.

After graduating from high school in the early ’70s, Lorin and brother Chris teamed up as a vocal/guitar pop duo with brother Peter’s ex – “Earth Opera” partner, mandolinist David Grisman. Together they moved to Marin County, California in the San Francisco Bay Area where they met up with Grisman’s old bluegrass friend, Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead. Garcia played steel guitar with the brothers on some of their demos and gigs, as well as on their first record album on Columbia Records, “Rowan Brothers”, produced by David “Diadem” Grisman. They were signed by Clive Davis. One of their first gigs was opening for The Grateful Dead to a packed house at the closing of the Fillmore West, an infamous music venue run by the late music impresario, Bill Graham.

Lorin and Chris then teamed up with brother Peter as “The Rowans” to record three records on Warner/Asylum; ‘The Rowans’, ‘Sibling Rivalry’ and ‘Jubilation’ respectively. The country-rock arrangements featured their sterling three part harmonies. Incidentally, they once did a back-up vocal session for Terry Dolan (and The Pirates) with John Cipollina producing and playing guitar.

In the 80’s, Lorin formed a local San Francisco rock-reggae group called “The Edge”. They recorded several independent releases and packed the local club scene. They often shared the bill with Huey Lewis and The News. Funkster Rick James (“Super Freak”) was a big fan.In 2013, Lorin & co-founder Jimmy Dillon recorded a new CD of The Edge band under the name “San Francisco Music Club” to rave reviews.

In 1994, billed as Peter Rowan and The Rowan Brothers -‘Tree on a Hill’ (Sugar Hill label), Peter, Chris and Lorin reunited for a CD steeped in acoustic American-roots.

1995 Lorin received Marin County Buck Fund Musical Artist Grant.

Lorin’s first American solo folk-rock CD, “My Father’s Son” was released in 1996 on Black Dahlia Music, produced by Dick Olsher. It features a stellar band of musicians including Dave Jenkins (guitar, vocals), Doug Harman (cello), Kevin Wells and Jeff Myers (drums and percussion), Kincaid Miller (piano), Jerry Cortez (guitar) and his brothers Peter (mandola/vocals) and Chris (vocals).

His next CD,”Lorin Rowan Trio-Live” features Lorin on 12 string/vocals, Doug Harman (cello, vocals) and Jeremy Cohen (violin/vocals). The CD was recorded live in Ukaia, CA.

Lorin’s CD, “Rebel Sons”, is on the German/European label, Taxim. He produced and engineered it himself at his home studio “Tower Hill”. He sings all the vocals and harmonies and also plays all the instruments except where noted. The songs on this latest effort reflect Lorin’s finger-pickin’ roots in folk and country along with his acoustic/electric slide and rock lead guitar.

His songs have been covered by such diverse artists as rock pioneers Jefferson (Airplane) Starship and Bluegrass group, Northern Lights. Also, Lorin’s song “Soldier of the Cross” is the title cut of Ricky Skaggs new Grammy nominated Gospel/Bluegrass CD (2001).

Other CD projects include:

“Crazy People”, acoustic swing /reggae-billy with all three Rowan brothers. “Now & Then” a duo with brother Chris and band members Barry Sless (steel guitar), Robin Sylvester (bass) and Brent Rampone (drums) and guest artists Phil Lesh, Jim Keltner, Jerry Garcia.

Currently, Lorin’s main original music projects:

“Deep Blue Jam” band featuring Lorin Rowan & co-founder/ co-writer Kirk Casey’s original songwriting-mandolin/guitar based Americana “Bluezgrass”-Roots/Rock/Funk fusion with fellow band members, Eric McCann/bass and Matt Willis/drums, all of whom have played with a wide variety of virtuoso musicians from Vince Herman (Leftover Salmon), Phil Lesh, David Grisman, Jerry Garcia, Levon Helm, Bill Kreutzman, Jim Keltner, Steve Cropper, Clarence Clemmons, Bonnie Raitt, The Drifters and many others.

“Rattlebox” featuring Lorin (guitar/vocals),Doug Harman (cello/vocals), Barry Sless (pedal steel).

Rowan Brothers-Lorin & Chris

His instruments include:

Acoustic guitars: