Tributes pour in after bluegrass icon Ronnie Bowman dies in motorcycle accident
Country and bluegrass star Ronnie Bowman has died in a motorcycle accident aged 64.
The fatal accident occurred at Ashland City in Tennessee on March 21st, with Bowman later being pronounced dead at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville at 2:55pm local time on March 22nd, according to Bluegrass Today.
Tributes have begun to flood in from his musical peers, including Rhonda Vincent, who took to Facebook to share an image of them together alongside an emotional tribute.
She wrote, “Our hearts are broken to hear of the passing of the legendary Ronnie Bowman. Our love and prayers go out for his family. He was one of the kindest people I’ve met.”
Vincent’s eulogy continued, “An incredible vocalist, prolific award winning songwriter, but most of all just a beautiful person. He will be tremendously missed in not only the bluegrass community, but well beyond with all the lives he has touched.”
Alison Krauss, who has made two bluegrass records with Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant, also took to Facebook to remember her late friend, simply writing, “He was a joy to know.”
Meanwhile, Sierra Hull, one of the biggest contemporary stars in the bluegrass scene, shared an image of Bowman performing during her wedding to Justin Moses in 2017 and wrote, “SO devastated to say goodbye to our dear friend and hero, Ronnie Bowman. To know Ronnie was to love him deeply. Justin and I were so fortunate to spend a lot of time over the years hanging and making music with he and his beautiful wife, Garnet.”
She went on to say his solo albums are among her “ALL TIME favorites” and explaining “it always felt surreal when he would take time to work on any of my records”. Her post concluded, ‘I’ll miss him so much and my heart breaks alongside his wife, children, family and friends.”
John Carter-Cash also took to Instagram to write, All my love goes out to family of Ronnie Bowman. Ronnie was a friend and an amazing vocalist and musician. Love to all.”
Bowman, who was born in North Carolina in 1951, came from a musical family and first started performing alongside his siblings as a child. Upon co-founding The Lonesome River Band in 1990, Bowman found huge success before leaving to focus on his solo career.
He won several International Bluegrass Music Awards, including ‘Album of the Year’ in 1991 with The Lonesome River Band’s Carrying The Tradition.
Additionally, Bowman was an accomplished songwriter who co-wrote Chris Stapleton’s hit 2015 track ‘Nobody to Blame’, and also had his work recorded by huge names in the country world, such as Brooks & Dunn and Kenny Chesney.
He is survived by his wife, Garnet Imes Bowman, and their children.
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