The Damon Fowler Group
Interview with Damon Fowler
Words: Shawn Kyle
Photo: Courtesy of Damon Fowler

Appearing:
June 1, 2007
Skippers Smokehouse, Tampa

As more blues, rock and roll and jazz legends pass on or fade away into obscurity we are constantly left to wonder what will become of these distinct musical styles. As they are revised and revisited by subsequent generations of artists, occasionally a young musician will tap directly into the soul of the roots of these genres and emerge with something authentic and concentrated, reminiscent of the musicians of old. 

Damon Fowler is a musician that has evolved as he has matured in front of audiences, getting his feet wet in the local club circuit at the age of 14 and since becoming a mainstay at blues events and festivals. Now at the age of 28 as an accomplished guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter Damon has shared stages with an esteemed list of living legends like Bo Diddley, Buddy Guy, Derek Trucks, Johnny Winter, Greg Allman, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Vaughn, Son Seals, Little Feat, and Medeski Martin and Wood. A horrible thing to find out then, is in December of 2005, it was unsure if Damon would ever pick up a guitar again after a near fatal car crash that flipped the band's tour van on a highway mid-tour. I caught up with Damon recently to go over some of the past, present and future and also to talk guitars with a fellow aficionado with a nice southern drawl.

REAX:   Damon, obviously you have been touring and gigging again with your group, but not so long ago there was a lot of press out about the accident that had so many people worried...How are you doing?
Damon Fowler:  I am doing OK, I lost a piece of my deltoid, so I can't lift my arm all the way up in the air, but aside from that I am as good as I have ever been. There was a point where I didn't know if I was going to be able play again. When I first got out I started playing ukulele just to try and keep my hands busy, then I played a little bit of dulcimer, and eventually I could move it again.

REAX:   Did you ever feel a bit like Les Paul? (In his early recording and big band days Guitar Icon and recording artist Les Paul broke his arm and had the cast set in a permanent guitar playing position.)
DF:  Actually (laughs) I did think about that right when I got out, about how he had his arm set in a cast...you know it's funny you bring that up, a couple of weeks ago a buddy of mine had a spare ticket to see Les Paul up in New York and I almost cancelled a couple shows to go see him. Les Paul is definitely someone I want to see play before he passes away.

REAX:   Are you currently working on a new release or recording?
DF:  Yeah, I'm getting some new songs together. Lately I have been getting back to the roots, I have even bought a pedal steel and incorporated it into the live show.  Some people have taken that and gone the Robert Randolph style with it, but I am going into more of a George Jones approach. Lately man, I have been really digging into the acoustic guitar too.

REAX:   What approach do you take when you are writing your new material?
DF:  I want music to be a simple formula when writing, if you get too far out with it becomes difficult for people to relate.

REAX:   Any new style changes and sounds we should expect to hear on the new recording?
DF:  Some roots blues guitar, some really pretty acoustic, but there are also some really dirty nasty tones.

REAX:   It's pretty well known that you tour like crazy and are always on the road. Do you keep a running tally of your shows?
DF:  No. (Laughs) but it's been about 4-5 nights a week for about 7 years now.

REAX:   Your last release was a group of live recordings recorded in Tampa FL at Skipper's Smokehouse, and I saw that it received some great reviews.    
DF:  Yes, the live recording has done really well for us, gotten airplay on different radio stations; it's done better than any of our past records. Which is why I want to put out another studio record so bad. Every new record that you bring out, you feel like it's so much better than the ones before it, and then you want to have a new one that is even better...

REAX:   Have you ever felt limited by being categorized as roots music?
DF:  No, it’s where I’m coming from, we’re not just a 'blues' band or a roots band or whatever. What I really want to do, I want to play good music, it's what I like, it's really easy to get boxed into being a 'blues' band or 'Americana' or 'reggae' or whatever.  I really just want to be a band that plays good music. 

REAX:   When you first started out learning the guitar and listening to music, what struck you and influenced you to go the route that you are on now?
DF:  Willie Nelson.

REAX:   Why his music in particular?
DF:  His music is timeless.  And another thing that most people don't realize is that Willie's such an underestimated guitarist, and he never overplays, he never plays the wrong thing.

REAX:   The list of musicians you have either played with or opened for is staggering. Is there a particular one show or meeting with one of these greats that has stood out?
DF:  BB King. BB King was awesome. He was very cool to me. He is like Willie Nelson because he can play just 3 notes on the guitar and you know that it’s BB King playing on that recording.

The Damon Fowler Group will be performing at Skipper's Smokehouse on Friday June 1st w/ NewWest Recording Artist Randall Bramblett.  www.skipperssmokehouse.com .