Katy Bowser

I don't try to keep secret the fact that I love ragtime and bluegrass, that I love the sound of Squirrel Nut Zippers and Billie Holiday, and that I love old country and early folk music. These things make me think of happy times and home. Cheesy? Honest.

Katy Bowser makes music that'll remind you of the genres and feelings and artists above as well as many more. Her songs deliver a wide enough variety of American musical styles to keep you wanting to listen over and over again but you're really going to come back for more because of Katy's candied sweet voice and because her songs can't help but inspire smiles. That she's found herself such an excellent collaborator in Kenny Hutson (from what I can tell a rather gifted player of stringed instruments) is just another great reason you should check out her recently released All Of My Friends EP. I often like to think of this kind of music as perfect music for lazy Summer evenings, but from my current perspective I'd say Katy Bowser's songs are just as fine for right now as you watch the warm days wash away and enjoy the crisp smell of autumn.

Of course, all of the words in the world can't convince you any better than your own ears can, so I suggest the two songs below to whet your appetite. "Come On Go On" is my favorite of Katy's songs that I've heard so far. The song brings jazzy bluegrass that sounds fresh while the lyrics and her 'I will survive' attitude act as a nice balance to the orchestra of mandolins, guitars, banjos, and who knows what else, but again - her voice! It's sassy and smiley and beautiful in an 'I can sound like Billie Holiday without even trying' kind of way and I love it. "All Of My Friends", on the other hand, seems to look back to an era that has long since passed. It reminds me of traditional songs like "You Are My Sunshine" and features the lovely Julie Lee on backup vocals. The song is like happiness in a bottle. Hey, you want to know a secret? It's a perfect song for just about any position on a mix tape/CD/thing - beginning, middle, end, whichever. So why don't you grab it, let Katy's music grab you, and then buy the EP and see her live.

Listen:
"Come On Or Go On"
"All of My Friends"

Visit Katy Bowser on MySpace.

Buy Katy Bowser's All Of My Friends EP on iTunes