Search - Richard Bowden with Moon & the Starz :: Rising Over Texas

A little about this band, its influences and this recording: When Richard Bowden returned to his hometown of Linden, Texas after several years as half of the successful musical comedy team of Pinkard and Bowden, he arrived with dreams of making his hometown as important to people from out of town as it was to him and his friends. He took an active role in the community and joined forces with a group of his friends that were dreaming of restoring the town's vacant American Legion hall to serve a similar purpose as it had during their childhood. Local residents had often gathered to dance to the music of local musicians including Richard and his friends David Lovelace, Greg Attaway, John Early, Joey Hamilton, David Hulme and Pat Roberson. Many Lindenites would join in the new energy to bring those memories to a new life, one now known as Music City Texas Theater. And before 2003 it would become the center of their lives as musicians once again. A group assembled including Richard, David Lovelace, Greg Attaway, John Early and Joey Hamilton and they began a regular run of performances at the new theater. David would lose a long battle with his health and pass at much too young an age in 2003. Pat Roberson would join the group and David's brother Richard would occasionally sit in. By 2005, a Jefferson native, Mark Harrell, would join the band as a regular and Joey would leave for other pursuits. Then in 2007, Mark would find an increased demand for his talents keeping him close to the Dallas Forth Worth area and Southern California transplant Mark Vidito would be asked to fill in. The group decided to take to Robin Hood Studios in Tyler, Texas and assemble some of their favorite songs into an album. 'Rising Over Texas' is born. Recorded mostly over one weekend, the project includes the contributions of band members Greg 'Moon' Attaway on drums, percussion and vocals, Richard Bowden on guitar and vocals, John Early on guitar and vocals, Pat Roberson on bass guitar and vocals and Mark Vidito on keyboards and vocals. Close friend David Hulme makes a guest appearance on fiddle. Most of the songs in this CD are written by a band member or a close friend of the band. A cover of 'I Can't Stop Loving You' is included as a dedication to dear friend Charla Harris who loves the song and asked the band to play it. A different take on Dave Loggins' 'Please Come To Boston' highlights the comedic parody hand of Richard. The music here is centered in country but there are obvious departures into their eclectic influences of rock, R&B, blues, folk, bluegrass, gospel and comedy with even a little Latin added in. All those genres reflect their individual playing experiences with the likes of Chuck Berry, Jackson Browne, Burrito Brothers, Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen, The Drifters, The Eagles, Don Everly, Freddie Fender, Dan Fogelberg, Fool's Gold, The Alex Harvey Band, Don Henley, Hickory Hill, Doug Kershaw, Stevie Nicks, Roger McGuinn, Bonnie Raitt, Johnny Rodriquez, Linda Ronstadt and Sawyer Brown; a rather unique collection of influences. It's all good stuff with heart and it's also fun. Dedicated to David Lovelace, our brother. Produced by Robin Hood Brians, Richard Bowden and Moon & the Starz Engineered, Mixed and Mastered by Robin Hood Brians at Robin Hood Studios, Tyler, Texas Artwork Concept and Design: Brad Attaway