Catching Up with John Bowman
John Bowman is a singer, songwriter and musician. John has played and sung with some of the top names in Bluegrass and Gospel music. He is probably most well-known for being a part of the Isaacs for 13 years. John has also played with with Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver and Alison Krauss and Union Station.
After John left the Isaacs, he was a founder and member of The Boxcars in 2010. During the time he was with them, the group received nominations for both Grammy and Dove awards. He moved on from the group after five years to pursue a solo career that also allows him opportunities to preach.
John was raised in a musical family where both grandfathers and grandmothers and cousins played music. His dad taught John to play the guitar when he was about 10. John says;I playedmy dad’s guitar when he was at work. But the first instrument I really played in a band was the
upright bass. I play other instruments but guitar is my main instrument. I can play banjo, fiddle, and mandolin as well."
Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver was the first full time group he played with, joining them in 1991. Doyle gave him a quick lesson in showing up and being ready to play at the highest level possible. Doyle, being a perfectionist, expected the guys to perform his material as close to flawless as they could. John notes, "I can never thank him enough for giving me the opportunity to play in the group."
One of Doyle’s comments was, “Keep your eyes on the ball and not the ladies.” A certain story about John and a lady has been told many times by Doyle Lawson, but I wanted to hear it from the person involved so I asked John to tell us about the moment that would change his life forever.
Quicksilver and the Isaacs were playing in Landisville, PA at a Mennonite campground. Jim Mills (Doyle’s banjo player) had told me how great the Isaacs were and they had two beautiful daughters! We had planned to be at the campground early to play softball with The Primitives and The Isaacs. We were late and missed the game.
“Doyle and I decided to get our gloves and throw the ball around before the concert. A beautiful lady came up and was talking to Jim, and my jaw literally dropped when I saw her. It was Becky [Isaacs]. At that very moment, Doyle threw the ball and hit me in the side of the head. I haven’t been right since!”
It wasn’t only the baseball that knocked John for a loop that day. That first sight eventually brought about the marriage of John Bowman and Becky Isaacs. Soon after, John joined the Isaacs and was with them for 13 years. He said, "We had a lot of great times and sorrowful times as a family. We suffered a lot of heartache, but at the same time saw God move in miraculous ways. They are some of the finest people and singers I’ve ever come in contact with. I admire and love them all very much.” Recently in Canton, GA, John was able to jump on stage with the Isaacs and play a song with them. John has also released a tribute album to his father-in- law, Joe Isaacs, which was nominated for a Dove award.
During John’s tenure with the Isaacs, he had the opportunity to be on tour with Bill Gaither. Kevin Williams had taken some time off from the Vocal Band to do some things in Nashville and Bill asked if he would do the guitar parts during the Homecomings. He said, "It was a thrill to get to play behind some of the finest groups in Southern Gospel. It has also been a real privilege to be included on many of the videos as well."
A lot is going on in John’s life both professionally and personally. He has quite a few hobbies that he keeps up with. His dad purchased a new ‘68 Mustang which he gave to John when he turned 16. He has restored it twice since then and it still runs, drives and looks great. In addition he has a baseball/football card collection he started when he was six, with about 50,000 cards.
Tim Moxley, a promoter, notes that John was an avid firearm man and that he knows everything there is to know about any firearm.
John and Becky have two children, Levi and Jakobi. Levi travels and sings with the Isaacs, and is following in his father’s footsteps as a preacher. John was 20 years old when he was saved and
began to preach in 1997. In 2014, he started evangelizing and preaching on his own. He is available to sing and preach anywhere the Lord leads and calls him to minister. His newest CD that came out December, 2015, is entitled Beautiful Ashes and on the Mountain Home Label. The current single has been in the Gospel music national charts and is titled The Reach of His Hand, written by Sonya Yeary and Tim Surrett.
John Bowman has played and sung with many of the best artists, but the winding road that led through the good and bad times has made him the artist that he is today and provided him with a platform that he can now stand on to sing and preach the Good News to anyone who will listen.
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