Rowan, Bobby

Websites:  No
Origin: Minto, New Brunswick
Biography:

Born: Rowan DeCourcey - December 12, 1932 - Minto, New Brunswick, CANADA
Died: December 24, 1996 - Mississauga, Ontario, CANADA

While living in New Brunswick Rowan DeCourcey mixed his love for music with working in coal mines, and as a truck driver; and eventually making regular appearances on The Earl Mitton Radio Show on CFNB in Fredericton, NB and The Art Marr Show on CHSJ radio in Saint John, NB.; and formed his first group, The Versatones. In 1957 he relocated to Toronto, where he continued to work day jobs while performing in local country clubs during the evenings.

In the late 1960's, after becoming billed as "Canada's Johnny Cash", Rowan DeCourcey created the stage name Bobby Rowan, and recorded two albums paying tribute to work of Johnny Cash. The first collection entitled "Johnny Cash Song Hits Sung By Bobby Rowan" was released on Arc Records (ASD-504); while the second Lp, released on the Maple Leaf Records label (CMS-1003), was slightly misnomered as "Songs Made Famous By Johnny Cash", since four of the selections on the album were actually original compositions by Bobby Rowan himself.

In 1972 Bobby Rowan put his Johnny Cash personna aside and recorded the album "Rowan Country" (Vintage-SCV-119), which featured material mostly written by Canadian songwriters including six of his own songs. Ironically, a 1972 single release of two songs not included on the "Rowan Country" album, "One More Favour" b/w "Words I Couldn't Find" (Vintage-SCV-1114) resulted in Bobby Rowan's only national chart showing with "One More Favour", peaking at # 46 on the Canadian Country charts.

Bobby Rowan was also featured with two songs, "Christmas Roses" and "Jingle Bell Rock", on the Various Artists "Country Christmas" album released by Arc Records (AC-9)

With the lack of any appreciable chart success, Bobby Rowan put his music ambitions on hold and worked for the Toronto Transit company. In late 1982 he teamed-up with singer Mary Morwood, forming the duo "Country Class" which soon evolved into the duo Rowan And Mary. They made an appearance on the "You Can Be A Star" TV series, and released the album "The Way We Met", and a series of singles including "Got A Letter Today" (Aug.1988), "It's About Time" (Hillcrest/Dec. 1990), and "My Fondest Memory" (Hillcrest/June 1992). As a result of their recording success Rowan & Mary earned a 1991 Canadian Country Music Assoc. award nomination for Duo Of The Year.

Bobby Rowan passed away December 24, 1996, and was posthumously inducted into the Minto (New Brunswick) Country Music Wall Of Fame in 2009. He was survived by a son, Wendell Donovan, who has also gone on to become a featured attraction on the Canadian country music scene, heading-up his country band, East Coast Rider.

TRIVIA NOTE: Bobby Rowan composed music and songs for the Canadian cult film "Going Down The Road".