All around the world, millions of teenagers filled the long days of lockdown shut away in their bedrooms playing guitar, improving day by day and dreaming of rock stardom. One who managed to manifest that into reality is Nashville-based Grace Bowers, the 18-year-old guitar sensation who’s been wowing her peers and her heroes alike with social media videos of herself playing guitar; her own special brand of full-fat funk and blues with a sprinkling of classic rock. She’s very much the real deal.
“My guitar heroes would start commenting on my posts,” she says. “I’ll never forget the day that Brian May commented on one of them. That was when I had to step back and be like, wow, that’s wild. It was kind of crazy how things all just built up so big before we put a single song out.”
Since then she’s played at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads festival, opened a show for Slash (“Slash is the reason I picked up a guitar, when I was nine,” she says), and performed on TV with Dolly Parton for the country legend’s Pet Gala.
“Dolly was on all day, and she was in high heels for most of it, too,” she says. “I could not get over how hard a worker she is, then talking to her, how nice and humble she is. So that’s an experience I won’t ever forget.”
Now Bowers is making her mark on her own terms with Wine On Venus, her independently released debut album with her band the Hodge Podge. Produced by Brothers Osborne guitarist John Osborne, it’s a glorious noise, infused with a genuine sense of joy – it’s telling that the only cover on there is her take on Sly And The Family Stone’s jubilant Dance To The Music. The originals found alongside it spread just as much happiness.
“I don’t hate sad songs, but I don’t think I’ll ever write a sad song,” she says. “Being in the studio with all those people, there’s no reason to be sad about anything. I think what came out in the music was how much fun we all had recording.”
The title track, in particular, shows where her positive attitude comes from.
“It was written about my nana and before she passed,” Bowers explains. “Before she died she would tell everyone not to worry, because she’ll be drinking wine on Venus, because it’s the brightest star. I like that idea, it’s so out there.”
Bowers is a great hope for the next generation of rock’n’roll. A child of the social media age, she knows how to get her point across, whether that’s introducing her music or putting on shows to call for greater gun control and to raise money for mental health charities. And all before she even voted for the first time – that honour came late last year – she was out campaigning for her peers to place their ballots. “If I can have a voice,” she says, determinedly, “I’m gonna be loud.”
