Singer-songwriter Will Owsley dead at age 44

Kevin Bronson on
6

Singer-songwriter and studio whiz Will Owsley, the longtime guitarist in Amy Grant’s band, died Friday of an apparent suicide, the Tennesean reported. He was 44. Services were scheduled for Tuesday in his native Anniston, Ala.

Highly regarded by power-pop aficionados and fellow songwriters, Owsley released two solo albums that were notable for their big melodies and bigger choruses. The first, 1999’s “Owsley,” was released shortly before the label, Giant, succumbed to financial pressures and earned Owsley a Grammy nomination for engineering. The follow-up was a DIY effort titled “The Hard Way.”

I remember the excellent show Owsley did in L.A. in 2004 as part of the annual International Pop Overthrow festival. So does the festival’s promoter David Bash:

“The sudden loss of Will Owsley was a tragedy,” Bash said via e-mail. “He was a great musician and a fine man. I will never forget his performance in July of 2004 at International Pop Overthrow, when he brought his band to Los Angeles all the way from Nashville! He completely enthralled the crowd at Club Lingerie, and left us all wanting more. He will be missed.”

||| Stream: “Good Old Days” [audio:http://www.mediafire.com/file/4zniyqywmd0/Owsley_Good Old Days.mp3]