Peter Rowan Biography

Peter Rowan (b. July 4, 1942 in Boston, Massachusetts) is an American bluegrass musician and composer. Rowan plays guitar and mandolin, yodels and sings.

While in high school in 1956, Peter formed the Tex-Mex group The Cupids which became locally famous and self-released a single. In 1963 he joined the Mother Bay State Entertainers and played mandolin on their record, The String Band Project.

He became a member of Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys in 1964 before forming Earth Opera with David Grisman in 1967. They frequently opened for The Doors. In 1969 he joined Seatrain along with Richard Greene. In 1973 they joined David Grisman, Jerry Garcia and John Kahn to form Old and in the Way. In 1974 Rowan, Greene, Grisman and Kahn joined Bill Keith, Clarence White, and John Guerin in the group Muleskinner. Peter has recorded and performed with his brothers, Lorin and Chris, at various times starting in 1972. Since then, he has been involved in many group and solo projects and continues to tour.

Peter composed the best-known songs performed by The New Riders of the Purple Sage: Panama Red, Midnight Moonlight, and Lonesome L.A. Cowboy.