TONY OWENS Soul �������������� Ages By Meaghan Clark Every r now o a and d the then one hears a singer who has a voice or growl or a way with phrasing that stays with the listener, and they’re able to immediately remember why they love that particular singer. Tony Owens has that kind of hold on many, especially soul aficionados. His rich, powerful, pure sound is easy to recollect and his songs about love, life and heartaches have resonated with fans all over the globe. A native New Orleanian, Owens grew up in the Zion City area of the Broadmoor neighborhood and attended a Mission Baptist Church where he learned to sing from his mother, aunts and fellow church members. His special song, “Jesus was a Rock in the Weary Land,” was a showcase for him as a young child and it was here that the entertainment bug bit him. His talent was recognized early on and he was asked to join several music groups in junior high and high school. During this time, one of his groups played at almost every school function possible, something Owens says was excellent practice. “We were a school known for talent and I was fortunate to meet some amazing ones here,” said Owens, speaking of Walter L. Cohen High School, where other noted musicians like the Neville Brothers attended. While attending Cohen High, Owens met one of his closest collaborators and best friends, the late pianist and composer Isaac Bolden. Together they made the kind of in-demand music that got them gigs, airplay and attention. From small town country bars, to honkytonk joints and longshoremen halls, the two high schoolers were gearing up for what success lay ahead. Often described as an “underground hero”, Owens made it big in New Orleans and the South in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. He played clubs in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, as well as in upstate New York and the Philadelphia area. Back in that era, airplay was the key to success and Owens had his first taste of it with “I Got Soul,” a recording he and Bolden cut at Cosimo Matassa’s old studio on Camp Street. “Isaac and I played in all kinds of clubs, even when we were still in high school,” chuckled Owens. Bolden founded his own record label and the single, “Wishing, Waiting and 6 | BREAKTHRU MEDIA | breakthrumediamagazine.com J U LY / AU G U S T 2 0 1 7
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