Coming home always feels good - especially when it means coming home to the Midlands. Just ask up-and-coming country music star Becca Bowen. Becca has built a life in Nashville, but her South Carolina roots are deep and strong.
On a recent trip home, Becca took time to share what keeps bringing her back. “There’s something comfortable about coming back to my roots,” she says. And she means that literally and figuratively. Literally, coming home means family. Becca enjoys a close bond with her brother. When she’s in town, you can find the two outdoors. The peace she finds on the lake or in the woods is something she’s been unable to replicate anywhere else. She’s happiest when she and her brother are fishing for catfish, brim, or bass, or when they are hunting whitetail deer.
She says that her love of the outdoors started early. Her maternal grandfather was a farmer in Leesville. Becca fondly remembers fishing in the pond near his property. Long days running around outdoors were filled with fresh air and sunshine. And good food. She remembers her grandfather making chicken and rice with a side of collard greens. She can still picture him strumming a guitar in the kitchen. Music is one of her earliest memories.
Many of you may remember a young Becca Bowen. She started singing in church at the age of five. She joined The Crusaders - a gospel group - and began touring. She participated in a variety of local pageants. She used her talents to travel throughout Richland and Lexington counties with The Cultural Council, helping this not-for-profit organization raise money for a variety of arts initiatives. Somewhere along the way, there was an appearance on Star Search and then a leap from gospel to Broadway. Eventually, country music came calling and Becca couldn’t resist.
Nashville is where she now makes her second home. She has her own band, writes and records music, and performs frequently at places like The Local and The Listening Room. But South Carolina represents another side of home. She has her own band here - Noel Linder & the Bankwalkers - and she often performs with them at The Skyline Club. She always finds the love and support of her community. A little-known fact is that Becca is a certified personal trainer. She’s helped many ladies right in her in the Midlands with their fitness routines, and still works with them when she's in town.
As one of Pop Wrapped’s Country Artists to Watch in 2022, the year is off to a strong start for Becca. “Glitter,” a recently released single, was a chance to record the music of Rebecca Lynn Howard - an idol and mentor. Bowen was thrilled to have Howard sing back-up vocals for the single. Coming later this year is another single that Becca says is truly a return to her roots, with a classic sound that reminds her of those early days in her grandfather’s kitchen. We’re excited to see what’s next!
