Bliss Bowen

Bliss Bowen is a singer-songwriter and writer who spent most of her childhood inhaling the salt air of the Atlantic Ocean and the folklore of the Pine Barrens of South Jersey (aka Springsteen country). She then rooted herself in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in Southern California, where she finds abundant inspiration for her soulful Americana songs and stories. She has just released her long-awaited album Ghost Trees, a genuine labor of love that almost didn't get made.

Haunting yet hopeful, earthy yet ethereal, Ghost Trees captures the resilient tension between shadow and light with a vibey, eclectic set of songs. The album is a dream Bliss nurtured for years as she gradually added more material to her songbag. But during the pandemic, isolated and depressed, she lost hope she would ever make that dream real — until, as the world began to reopen post-shutdowns, a near stranger heard her perform and stepped forward to express belief in her voice and music and said, Let's make your album happen. That spirit of generosity was amplified by the tribe of musical friends who signed on to help bring the songs to vibrant life in the studio. What emerged was a dynamic expression of community and the power of music to bind and heal.

The roster of players is a virtual who's who of exceptional musicians from Los Angeles' celebrated Americana-roots community: invaluable bassist/producer Ted Russell Kamp (longtime secret weapon in Shooter Jennings' band), guitarist Dan Wistrom (Rich Robinson Band, I See Hawks in LA), drummer/percussionists David Raven (Mojo Monkeys, Shelby Lynne) and Christopher Allis (Peter Asher, Deana Carter), saxophonist Jeff Turmes (Mavis Staples, Rick Holmstrom), guitarist Chris Lawrence (Mike Ness Band, Sin City All Stars), keyboardist Carl Byron (Hot Club of Los Angeles, Lee Rocker), violinist Aubrey Richmond (Mustangs of the West, Duff McKagan), and last but most definitely not least the incomparable harmonies of song sisters Gia Ciambotti, Claire Holley, and Amilia K Spicer (who also added raindrop piano tones to the mysterious title track and joined Bliss in creating the atmospheric opener "Emissaries"). Executive producer John Antich, no longer a stranger, provided steady support. Recorded primarily at Kamp's cozy studio The Den, the music is a tasty, soul-satisfying gumbo of slide and sundry guitars, organ, saxophone, violin and Weissenborn, electric and standup bass, dumbek and drums, melody and groove. 

The moody 12-track set includes three keenly felt covers, including Kamp's country love ballad "A Whole Lot of You and Me" and bluesman Jake La Botz's stark "Depression Brings Me Flowers." The album is dedicated to the memories of departed friends Diane Gershuny, Paul Lacques, John “Juke” Logan, and Dafni Amirsakis, whose gorgeous song “Floating” closes Ghost Trees with a vision of peace. 

The songs from Ghost Trees are at the core of Bliss' developing repertoire. Onstage, whether performing as Bliss Bowen & Friends with her full band or in duo and trio configurations for more intimate performances, she connects with audiences honestly via her powerful, heartfelt singing and storytelling and evocative music.

"To me, music is about connection. I'm blessed to perform with wonderful friends in L.A.’s Americana-roots community whose talent and kindness never fail to humble me, and for audiences who show up to listen," she says. "That is a true gift, the kind that keeps an artist honest."

"Bliss Bowen can work a ballad like no one else. She has a voice and phrasing that makes a song breathe and live. Bliss can go full on country, blast out blues, or rockin' roots. Bliss usually plays with a great band but when she plays acoustic her songs are even more intimate and personal. After you hear her you'll be inspired to listen again and again!" —promoter David Harvey

"The lady guests [at the Gram On show] were just nothing short of astonishing, in their beauty, sweet voices, and simply great performances. ... Bliss Bowen just steamrolled us with a whopping 'Cry One More Time.'" —producer Stephen Patt