Photo: Getty Images
Jake Owen shared a heartfelt tribute to late bluegrass legend Ronnie Bowman, who died in a motorcycle accident over the weekend. He was 64.
Owen paid his condolences to Bowman and his family, including the late singer-songwriter’s wife, singer Garnet Imes Bowman, and the couple’s daughter, Chassidy Bowman. The Barefoot Blue Jean Night artist also credited Bowman with co-writing “my favorite song I’ve ever recorded,” and he went on to play the ballad in Bowman’s honor in the clip he shared on Instagram on Monday evening (March 23).
“I send you all my thoughts and prayers and love, as does the whole community of Nashville — and the world, really — that was lucky enough to know Ronnie Bowman’s music,” Owen said to Garnet Imes Bowman and Chassidy Bowman. He remembered the late bluegrass artist as an “incredible singer, songwriter (and) guitar player, and it hit me hard when I heard that [he passed away] this weekend because I was really fortunate to have a song on my Barefoot Blue Jean Night album called ‘The Journey of Your Life,’ which has always been, and I’ve said this on stage for years, my favorite song I’ve ever recorded in my entire career. And Ronnie wrote that song with a great man, Mr. Troy Jones, who we also lost, tragically, a few years back.
“It’s been a song I’ve played at a lot of my shows for people because it’s the most important song I’ve ever recorded,” Owen said. “And I think a guy like Ronnie, that lived the life he did, this song’s a true depiction of who he was as a man. And I read in the [Nashville, Tennessee-based daily newspaper] Tennessean today that they wrote, you know, ‘Ronnie had a unique way of making people believe in themselves. Whether offering guidance to young songwriters or simply taking time to listen, Ronnie lifted others up and made them feel seen. His generosity of spirit helped shape not only great songs, but the community itself.’ And I know that those words couldn’t be truer.”
Owen strummed his guitar as he began to play “The Journey of Your Life,” dedicating the rendition to Bowman. “It’s a beautiful day out there today. And I know he’s up there in Heaven with Mr. Troy, and playing bluegrass songs and singing, and he will definitely be an angel in all of our country music lives.”
Dierks Bentley, John Carter Cash, Sierra Hull, Rhonda Vincent and Allison Krauss also shared tributes mourning Bowman’s loss. The North Carolina-born artist released solo music, plus projects with the Lonesome River Band and The Travelin’ McCoureys, and more throughout his decades-long career.
“Ronnie was beloved by so many in our music community, whom he loved so dearly… and we are beyond grateful for all of the love & outpouring toward us already,” Bowman’s family said in a statement shared by Rolling Stone. “Right now, as we process, we just covet your prayers. We have no words at this time, but thank you and graciously request that you honor our privacy while we try to put our heads around this and grieve.”
Watch Owen’s tribute to Bowman here: