When actor Chris Lowell turned 18, his dad, David Lowell handed him a stack of papers. David, the front man for the popular north Atlanta band, Better Than The Beatles had asked friends, relatives and neighbors to write down their nuggets of advice for his son heading off to college. “It was, by far, the best gift I’ve ever received. Just spectacular and unexpected,” says Chris, now a father living in New York with his wife, actor Kerry Bishé. He still has all the notes in a file folder marked with his dad’s name, along with memorabilia from the many bands David has played in over the years. “I have this great voicemail saved on my phone from pop calling on the way home from a gig saying, ‘that’s it, I am officially retiring from the band.’”
During the dark days of the pandemic, David and his friends got the band back together and would play concerts from his home in Roswell that overlooks the Chattahochee River. One of David’s neighbors heard the band and happens to own Lucky’s Burgers in Roswell. Ernie and Diane Geyer became great fans and asked David if the band would be willing to play at Lucky’s. Now Better Than The Beatles plays there regularly as well as other live music venues and bars around the Roswell area. Find them at Joe’s Sport Bar on June 10, Billy Allen’s on June 11 and Houck’s Grille on June 25.
Growing up, Chris and his brother Andrew would hang out back stage at gigs. “I remember hearing dad’s band play at Jerry Farber’s club in Buckhead. Pop is a magnetic front man, It’s fun to watch him rile up the crowd,” says Chris. During the past year, his cousin, Ashley Zimmerman, joined the band. “It’s a family affair now. Ashley always had an exceptional voice and is a great musician. It’s a blast seeing them perform together.”
The brothers would also tag along with their dad on jobs at The Tabernacle, Fox Theater and Music Midtown where David’s business, Seriously Sound produced concerts and events. Huge speaker cabinets, mixing consoles and lighting trusses were the boys’ playground.
Chris, who grew up in Roswell and Brookhaven got his start on television in Private Practice, a Shonda Rhimes production. His career rocketed into high gear with his role in The Help, alongside another cast of strong female characters (on and off screen). In his most recent role, he plays opposite Alison Brie in Roar, by the creators of Glow, where he met Brie. “It’s a series of eight stand-alone feminist fables,” says Chris. "I’ve worked with women most of my career and love a set run by women. It’s more collaborative and puts me at ease. I’m a big advocate.” Chris is also featured in the Netflix docudrama Inventing Anna.
Off set, Chris is a photographer and his work is at Jackson Fine Art in Buckhead. “They really jump-started my photography career and I love the people there. I really enjoy coming to Georgia as often as possible, going out to eat and keeping a low profile.”
Many of his actor friends and crew have moved here, giving up homes in LA and New York. “The quality of living here is better and there’s plenty of work. It’s amazing how the industry has embedded itself in the state,” says Chris. Kerry shot in Atlanta for four years for the television series, Halt and Catch Fire, so the couple had the chance to spend time with family. His family members include his mom Sue, stepdad Danny Lipson, his two sisters Michelle and Mimi, his stepmother Marjorie and his brothers Andrew, Michael and his sister Lucy.
Whenever they gather, Chris says the family always befriends wait staff and hosts at restaurants. “Dad always makes a point of learning their names and honoring those in the service industry,” says Chris. “That has stuck with me. Now, in our neighborhood, people know us and our daughter and that feeling of community is very important to us.”
Perhaps it’s the poignancy of parenthood. “Time moves much faster now. I had no idea how much I was going to enjoy parenthood. I feel like I had been swimming in a pool and now I’m in the ocean.”
Chris and Andrew wll celebrate Father’s Day with their dad in Boston, meeting for dinner in Little Italy and attending the Paul McCartney concert at Fenway park. "It was a father-of-the year moment when I bought the tickets a few years ago," says David.
Undoubtedly, they will make new friends and pocket new stories along the way.
