Breakthrough guitarist, songwriter, and bandleader Grace Bowers is nominated for Instrumentalist of the Year at the 2024 Americana Music Association Honors & Awards. The awards ceremony will take place at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium on Wednesday, September 18.
The nomination adds to a breakout year for Bowers. Last month, she released her debut single, “Tell Me Why U Do That,” with her band The Hodge Podge, to critical acclaim. Forbes praises the song as “an infectious, joyous party and a worthy introduction to Bowers,” while RIFF Magazine calls her “The next generation’s star of American rock, blues, and funk guitar.” Produced by GRAMMY Award-winner John Osborne (Brothers Osborne), the single was written by Bowers, Osborne, Lucie Silvas, Meg Mcree, and Ben Chapman. You can watch the official music video HERE.
In celebration of the new music, Bowers is confirmed to make her debut performance on the legendary Grand Ole Opry on her eighteenth birthday, July 30, 2024. Other performances this spring and summer include stops at BottleRock Napa Valley, Levitate Music & Arts Festival, Floyd Fest, Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, Bourbon & Beyond, XPoNential Music Festival, and Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival, as well as dates supporting Chris Shiflett, Elle King, and Brothers Osborne.
Bowers will also host her 2nd annual “An Evening Supporting Love, Life & Music” benefit concert on June 10 at Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl. The event will feature performances from Bowers, The Cadillac Three, Devon Gilfillian, Caroline Jones, Meg McRee, Jared James Nichols, John Osborne, Lucie Silvas, Brittney Spencer, and Butch Walker, with more special guests to be announced. Tickets for the event, which will benefit Voices for a Safer Tennessee and MusiCares, are on sale now. Full details can be found HERE.
Originally from the Bay Area and now calling Nashville home, Bowers began garnering attention after sharing videos of herself playing guitar on social media during the pandemic. In the years since, she’s been featured on “CBS Mornings” in a piece focused on a new wave of young female guitarists, performed alongside Dolly Parton as part of her Pet Gala special on CBS, joined Lainey Wilson as part of CBS’ New Year’s Eve Live celebration, performed as part of the “Men’s Final Four Tip-Off Tailgate Presented by Nissan,” and been sought after by everyone from Devon Allman to Tyler Childers and Susan Tedeshi to Gaslight Anthem. Rolling Stone declared her 2023 Newport Folk Festival debut as, “Her 20-minute performance gave the distinct sense that everyone lucky enough to have attended was witnessing a star in the making,” while The Tennessean calls her “a 17-year-old Blues guitar prodigy,” with a, “heart as big as her talent is vast.” In response to the tragic Covenant School shooting in Nashville last year, she organized and headlined the Grace Bowers & Friends benefit, which supported Covenant Heals and MusiCares®, and featured Butch Walker, Hannah Wicklund, Devon Gilfillian, and Daniel Donato.
GRACE BOWERS & THE HODGE PODGE CONFIRMED TOUR DATES
May 11—Knoxville, TN—Southern Skies Music Festival
May 12—Scaly Mountain, NC—Bear Shadow 2024
May 17—Hurricane Mills, TN—Tennessee Motorcycles and Music Revival
May 23— Napa, CA—BottleRock After Dark @ The Garden*
May 24—Napa, CA—BottleRock Napa Valley
June 10—Nashville, TN—Brooklyn Bowl
June 13— Davenport, IA—Capitol Theater#
June 14—Winnetka, IL—Winnetka Music Festival
June 15—Des Moines, IA—Val Air Ballroom#
July 5—Marshfield, MA—Levitate Music Festival
July 14—Vail, CO—Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater+
July 27—Floyd, VA—Floyd Fest
July 30—Nashville, TN—Grand Ole Opry
August 3—Mammoth Lakes, CA—Mammoth Festival of Beers & Bluesapalooza
September 13—Telluride, CO—Telluride Blues & Brews Festival
September 15—Bristol, TN—Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion
September 20—Louisville, KY—Bourbon & Beyond
September 22—Camden, NJ—XPoNential Music Festival
September 29—Franklin, TN—Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival
October 11—North Charleston, SC—Riverfront Revival
*supporting Chris Shiflett #supporting Elle King +supporting Brothers Osborne
