There are plenty of fun and exciting shows this weekend, plus some that may not fit into that category considering your taste and constitution, but overall, as usual, the scene is on it.
This weekend Julia’s Kitchen & Lounge celebrates a year in the business of serving food and showcasing live music. Many excellent entertainers have graced the lounge area, sending tasty tunes wafting throughout the restaurant, mingling music with the pleasing aroma of finely prepared dishes. Thanks to Julia and the wonderful staff for a good first year and here’s to many more to come. Also a belated thank you to Matt Skinner for booking all of us music makers in a fair and easy way. The gifted singersongwriter recently left to pursue a career as a performer in Texas.
Speaking of musicians leaving town, the lovely and talented Josie Lowder is making a break for it. Anyone with the pleasure of knowing Josie knows a good soul and caring person who lives to give and gives of her heart in every way, and none more than in making music. She grew up in a musical household, the daughter of Jaigh and Peggy Lowder and a sister to Bo. Always surrounded by not just music but working musicians, she, surprisingly enough, didn’t play much herself until she was about 23. By the time she took up guitar to accompany her vocal work, Josie had soaked up more music than she realized. Her chops came together fairly quickly and she played with several different combinations of bands in the last few years. She hosted a successful open mic at Donnie’s Homespun and, as a duo with Monica Morris, made two trips to the International Blues Challenge in Memphis.
Recently she decided to move to Boston, Mass., for a couple of reasons, but mostly as she says, “honestly, I’m in love and he’s there.” And there would be the famed Berklee College of Music, a top destination for serious musicians from around the world for over a half century. Her love interest is a Berklee student and Josie plans to study this summer to pass the audition and enroll in the fall.
Once a gifted singer, last year she physically lost her ability to sing, and that, in totally Josie-fashion, steered her toward another choice: to share and make music rather than giving up the whole deal. From the lofty heights of making it to the Hollywood-level singing on American Idol a few years ago, the throat affliction seemed tragic and devastating, but the forward-looking artist simply made the best of it and moved on.
“I started teaching guitar at the Rock Shop and that gave me another perspective on playing music. I had to think about what music is to me,” she mused. “Then I knew I just had to learn to sing on another instrument and wanted to do it in a college atmosphere.”
For her going away party this Saturday, Josie lined up an incredible array of Springfield area talent, with a good part of that excellent lineup consisting of her immediate family. She begins over at Julia’s for an acoustic show and later moves across the hall to Homespun Republic for the electric band doings. Featured artists include Monica Morris, Brooke Thomas, Dog of Panic, Jaigh Lowder (dad) and Jill Manning, Bo Lowder (brother), Peggy Lowder (mom) and many others. Special moments include a mother/daughter vocal duo on her favorite song written by her mom, “Keep Dreaming Dreams” and playing guitar with her dad on his composition, “Josie’s Bop.” Now’s that’s something special. Come celebrate with Josie as she sets off on the adventure of a lifetime.
Meanwhile, the outdoor music events are coming!
Contact Tom Irwin at [email protected].
