Caleb Bowers grew up on a farm in North Central Kansas in a town of about 45,000 people. In 2015 when his band the Revenues split up he decided the only way to figure out what he wanted to do with his life was to move to Nashville. After chatting with Creatives’ Day director Brian Sexton over kombucha and tea, it seemed clear to Brian that Caleb was an artist ready for the Creatives’ Day Residency program at the Hutton Hotel. At 24, Caleb has a positive grip on what he wants out of this program and life.
If you missed it, be sure to check out the Creatives’ Day Residency at Hutton Hotel overview.
What instruments do you play?
Singer/Songwriter mainly but I play guitar, bass, drums, mandolin. Pretty much anything with strings that I can pick at I can get some good notes out of it.
How old were you when you started playing?
Probably, oh 11 years old. I so badly wanted to play guitar. My brother had a few guitars in his room but he would never let me in there to play them. I listened to so many rock bands growing up and I would sneak in there and try to figure out cords and then eventually my mother bought me an electric guitar and a little amp and I had a booklet and a few DVDs and I just started learning.
If you could play another instrument what would it be?
The harp.
What were your earliest musical memories or influences?
Bands like Creed, Puddle of Mud, Lifehouse, Fuel. Early 2000s rock really got me into music. Most of it stuff I heard on the radio with my brothers and singles they bought the CDs of. Once I heard “My Sacrifice” by a band called Creed, I was like that’s it, I want to perform that. It finally progressed into me finding my own music and writing my own.
What musicians do you admire?
Great acts that inspire me are bands like New Soul Cowboys and Anthony Gomes from Canada, Ian Thornley, from the band Big Wreck and Myles Kennedy from Alter Bridge they were a big inspiration to me vocally and lyrically and inspiration for melodies. Just the tone of their voices inspired me in finding my own.
If you could meet/play with any musician alive or dead who would it be?
First off that would be very intimidating and quite a blessing if that did happen. I would want to play with Mark Tremonti or Anthony Gomes.
How has it been working with Creatives’ Day?
Brian has been very supportive of the work and pushing you, and getting to know more about you as an artist and a friend. He’s just an overall great guy. It’s been a great experience, they put you in front of people in the business that get you exposure and the opportunity to meet some folks.
What have you learned from Creatives’ Day Residency?
I have learned to work with different people, work with different mindsets, different engineers, learning to fit in with new people and with a new crowd. That was a great learning curve for me, sitting in a room with four different people and being able to ask them what this song is missing.
What are you most looking forward to about the Creatives’ Day Residency experience?
I’m looking forward to performing a show or two with them. I’m trying to get a band together to have a group of guys behind me and try to put on the best show that I can at Analog. I’m looking forward to working closely with them in the next year and keep working at it and keep creating the best music that I can.
What do you hope to learn from the entire Creatives’ Day experience?
I hope to learn something that I haven’t already learned. Having a better approach when it comes to if you’re ever afforded the opportunity to make a deal, to make an album or cut a few songs.
How is it working in the writing rooms?
It’s cool to get to sit and write with other people in the room and get to tweak bits and pieces here and there and record some bits and scratch demos. I just want the music I’m writing to be given to the Hutton Hotel and hopefully some of them can relate to the music and enjoy it. I’m very grateful to create the music and let the listeners hear it, and I hope they can relate in some way.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Well if all goes right I see myself on the road with my band or opening up for other acts. Getting in the studio creating the next album for rock as we know it today. Some people say rock as we know it is dying but the music industry changes so hopefully rock will come back around and I’ll get an opportunity to get a band together and perform shows. I want to go on the road go to one city after the next city and actually make a living at it.