The delicious, funky soul grooves of the Josh Owen Band havefrequently left many a musician scratching their heads as to how they are not a household name.
Owen is a Melbourne-based performer who has been playing music for the bulk of his life. “I started playing violin as a kid, but my teacher was pretty horrible so I swapped to guitar” Josh laughed. “I’ve been taking music seriously since my late teens.”
On a grand scale, some of Owen’s biggest influences include Bob Marley and Jimi Hendrix, but it’s within the music of many local bands that he finds the biggest inspiration. “Watching local musicians play has the greatest effect on me. Seeing what my friends play on a more personal level and studying their craft is something I love to do” he said.
His infectiously smooth vocal style and guitar mastery sees him as an incredible soloist in his own right, but as a trio the Josh Owen Band are a dynamic force to be reckoned with.
Jason Heerah is the band’s nominated drummer, and is definitely not just there to keep the time. As virtuosic as he is explosive, his unfathomable drumming ability is revered all around the country. It seems almost unfair that he should also be blessed with a beautiful soul voice, which he puts to good use in the band.
Bassist Luke Hodgson adds the final dimension, laying down funky grooves and an incredible harmonic intelligence. The band released their debut LP ‘The Long Way’ last year and it has been met with exceptionally positive reviews. A superstar trio, we are very happy to have The Josh Owen Band on board to headline the Bendigo Blues and Roots Music Festival this November.
