Official MusicFest Artist

Wade Bowen
Years at MusicFest:
21
Releases:
Solid Ground (2018), Then Sings My Soul…Songs for My Mother (2016), Hold My Beer, Vol 1 (2015, with Randy Rogers), Wade Bowen (2014), The Given (2012), Live at Billy Bob's (2010), If We Ever Make It Home (2008), Lost Hotel (2006), Blue Light Live (2003), Try Not to Listen (2002), Just For Fun (2001)

After nine studio albums and a decade-plus of touring, Wade Bowen has amassed a string of regional hits and awards, as well as a passionate fan base. Since Bowen launched his career at Stubb’s Barbecue in Lubbock, Texas, he’s risen from collegiate greenhorn to the top of the Texas music circuit. Wade’s baritone is dense and concentrated, with traces of whiskey and smoke and autumnal warmth. His sound is one hundred percent country, rife with pedal steel and vivid emotion, but it’s also music that could easily find a home with fans of Bowen’s rock idols – folks like Bruce Springsteen and Jackson Browne. While at school in Lubbock, Bowen began to channel a lifelong love of writing into songs, and when college ended he made two major decisions. He took on the role of solo artist, and he moved to Austin. Try Not To Listen is the album Wade regards as his true debut, the project that kicked off a life and living made of 200-plus nights a year on the road and patient grassroots fan development. He achieved another landmark in 2010, when he was invited to add his name to the roster of great artists who have made a Live At Billy Bob’s recording at the iconic club in Fort Worth. In 2014, he released his self-titled album before quickly following up with a joint-project with Randy Rogers, titled Hold My Beer, Vol. 1, in 2015. In 2016, he recorded a gospel album for his mother titled Then Sings My Soul, who deemed it too good not to share with his fans. With the release of yet another studio album Solid Ground in 2018, it’s clear that Wade Bowen has no intentions of slowing down! His song swap with Jack Ingram and friends, “806 Crew” and Hold My Beer and Watch this with Randy Rogers has Wade sharing his exceptional talent and voice at many of the MusicFest stages. Plus, Wade’s annual MusicFest finale show has become a very popular tradition for many MusicFest artist and fans… ONLY at MusicFest.