Welcome to Bobby Sowell official website, online presence since 1999 .
Presenting easy listening piano solos featuring original compositions and classic covers in pop, blues, jazz, r&b, r&r, country, classical, gospel, christmas music genres and music from CWR Band.
Rather Bobby is in the studio working on his new music, solo or with the band, this is the one place you can always go to know the latest with Bobby and his music. *See RHOF Page
Musical taste? Depends on Bobby's mood? As he reviews his music playing history, Bobby went through periods of diversified preferences. He liked and played rockabilly, rock n roll, then he liked and played country music, then he liked and played blues and a little jazz, then he liked and played gospel, then he liked and played easy listening piano. Now at this stage of his life, he likes playing anything he wants to. Bobby agrees with Willie Nelson when he said there's only two kinds of music, good and bad.
Since 1959, Bobby played piano and organ in numerous rock n roll bands, piano in country bands and a pianist & composer solo artist
PIANIST AND COMPOSER, HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE.
Bobby is listed in the books, "HISTORY OF MEMPHIS BANDS" by author Ron Hall, "MEMPHIS BLUES MUSICIANS" available in bookstores everywhere. Listed in "THE MUSICIANS WHO'S WHO" and "THE HISTORY OF ROCK AND ROLL". Inducted into the "ROCKABILLY HALL OF FAME" for contributions made to Rockabilly music.
Growing up in Tennessee where the music influences were diversified. His Mom was from the bluegrass music of East Tennessee, his Dad from the blues of Memphis and growing up listening to the country tunes, rockabilly, rock n roll, 60's sole and blues shaped his music.
Bobby liked and admired all the piano players of his youth Ray Charles, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roger Williams, Fats Domino, Floyd Cramer. At the age of 16 Bobby met Floyd Cramer at a Memphis concert, Invited backstage after the show where Floyd gave him an autograph poster and sound advice. That encounter shaped Bobby's musical style of playing and can be heard in his music today.
Born July 8th, 1947 in Memphis, Tennessee, Bobby was named after a famous Southern Baptist preacher, Dr Robert G. Lee , Pastor Bellevue Baptist Church, See Letter
When Bobby was 12 years old, rockabilly music was really thriving in Memphis., he started playing in nightclubs with much older musicians. They would sneak him in the back door and hide him behind an upright piano where no one could see how young he was. Sowell also played a lot of Sock Hops, joined his first band 'The Red Notes' in 1959.
During the British Invasion, he had to adapt to playing organ, playing the bubble gum stuff but Bobby eventually return to his roots. and the piano.
listening to his Dad and Mom's music influences shaped Bobby's playing future. Now, the future is the present and the older he gets, the better the past sounds. It's a connection between a much simpler time and when music made sense. Yea, he loved playing rock n roll, jazz, show tunes, easy listening and the blues but playing them old country tunes connects him to a distant past, full of memories and much love.
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