Dick Bowden

Dick Bowden is one of the leading traditional bluegrass banjo pickers in New England. Starting in 1966 with The Bowden Family and The Fort Knox Volunteers, Dick helped establish bluegrass in his home state of Maine. He was a bench member of Joe Val’s New England Bluegrass Boys, and played five years with Herb Applin’s Berkshire Mountain Boys. Moving to New York in 1989, Dick played guitar with The Case Brothers – Martin & Gibson (two recordings) for 10 years, and played banjo on fiddler Joe Meadows’ final CD in 2001. With his encyclopedic knowledge of bluegrass styles and lyrics, Dick is the go-to guy to lead high-level bluegrass jam sessions or emcee concerts and festivals. He’s a frequent contributor to online and print publications and currently serves as Ringmaster of Dick Bowden’s Flying Circus, a high-energy revue of seriousness and silliness.