Across Livingston, Montana, John and Joanne Lowell are well no one for hosting music events like the Hoot. But they’re also well known in the music industry.
“I just love the American West and I’ve been enamored with the history of it my whole life,” John Lowell said.
LIVINGSTON, Mont. - Across Livingston, Montana, John and Joanne Lowell are well known for hosting music events like the Hoot. But they’re also well known in the music industry.
“I just love the American West and I’ve been enamored with the history of it my whole life,” John Lowell said.
He’s from the Billings area, he’s lived all over the state and now calls Livingston home.
“I have been writing and playing western and cowboy songs for a long time,” Lowell said, “I did a couple of stents as a cowboy my younger days.”
Now his cowboy boots and hat have been hung up and he’s a full-time, award-winning musician.
He’s written for big names, played on tours, and lived every musician's dream. Recently the Livingston local has been working on his own songs – pulling inspiration from where he lives, Montana.
“Combined with the pandemic… I needed something to do, and I have a recording studio here at the house but I decided I’ll just record a record of cowboy songs,” Lowell said.
And that he did and people loved it. So much so that it became the top album in Wyoming in 2021, he only recently just found out.
In 2021, Lowell won the Grand Prize at the Hazel Dickens Songwriting Contest in Washington DC.
His latest "She's Leaving Cheyenne" was Wyoming Public Radio's number one record of the year.
“I found out about it from my friend down in Jackson, he sent me a Facebook thing, saying congratulations on the number one album in Wyoming,” Lowell said, “I was like really--- my wife, Joanne and I looked it up and sure enough there it was number one!”
His wife Joanne is a legend in her own right, she’s worked with some of the biggest names in music, from Beyoncé to The Chicks, and now she’s assisting her husband in his music endeavors.
“I couldn’t ask for a better partner and friend to go through life with,” Lowell said, “pretty much we’re a good team.”
Previously the pair ran a music festival in Livingston called “The Hoot,” currently they’re working on smaller events to bring live music back to Livingston.
“I am playing a concert series at the Shane Center on Thursday nights in June to the middle of July,” Lowell said.
It will feature several of their friends and other local musicians. More information as soon to be released on that project.
Lowell says he’s proud to be number one in Wyoming, his next goal is Montana, then the world, but in the meantime his goal is to continue to make music and play it in Livingston, Montana.
“Livingston is just a hotbed of creative people not just music but there’s authors, painters and there’s photographers,” Lowell said, “I lived over in the Gallatin for 30 years and I always thought Livingston was just this windy town – until I got here—it’s just packed with amazing people-- I wish I would’ve moved 30 years ago.”
You can purchase and listen to John’s music here.
