Geo Bowman

Geo Bowmen and House Party closes out the series with a pure blues dedication. An icon of the blues society, Geo is at the center of the Phoenix Blues Community. George Bowman was born on December 4th—ain’t nobody’s business what year – in Edwards, Mississippi , east of Jackson. Although this area is a hotbed of Blues culture, and Geo sang in the church choir as a boy, music became important in his life only after his family relocated to Phoenix in 1965. 1960s – As chance would have it, Geo met Arlester Christian, who was also known as Dyke of Dyke and the Blazers, the hottest R&B band on the Phoenix scene in the late 1960s. Geo became friends with Dyke, and was invited to a few of the band’s gigs at a club called Swing City. That experience inspired Geo to become a professional R&B singer. He befriended a couple of other local musicians and formed a band called Memphis Soul. The band enjoyed great popularity for years, opening for top artists like Buddy Miles, Tommy James, Taj Mahal, and Dr. Hook. Recently Numero Group, an archival label from Chicago, re-released a Geo Bowman composition, “Don’t Down Me People”. 1970s – In the mid-1970s, Geo was the lead singer for the bands Soul on Ice and Everyday People, where he developed projection and delivery that defines a great vocalist. Tragically, his mother passed away in 1996 and Geo gave up his music. 1990s – Geo returned to music and won the Arizona Blues Showdown in the International Blues Showdown in 1999. This annual event sponsored by the Arizona Blues Society seeks the best blues bands in Arizona to compete for a chance to represent the state at the International Blues Challenge, held each year in Memphis, it was here that he opened for Charles Brown at the Saturday Night Dance Party, a post Blues Blast event. 2000s – Geo focused his attention on songwriting. In 2002, he released his first album of all-original music, Feel Sorry for the Next Man. Released in 2004, Hoochie Coochie furthers this trend of original compositions. In 2006, Geo Bowman was inducted into the Arizona Blues Hall of Fame. He continued performing with various local artists and organizing fundraising events for other musicians down on their luck. 2010s – In 2010, Geo created the Baddboyz Bluez Band and was featured in the 2011 Phoenix Blues Blast and the 2011 Glendale Jazz and Blues Festival. Geo released his third solo album, All Wanna Do (sing the blues), and is currently working on his fourth album. In 2016 Geo formed his current band, Rhythm & Blues with Geo, and is playing to excited crowds locally with a blend of blues and rhythm and blues cover songs and original songs.

https://geobowman.com