Dancing among the crowds of loyal fans at a Bobby Owen show, you might assume Owen was one of Vero Beach’s native sons, playing to packed houses here since he was young. In truth, the crowds are there because this Owen has talent for a particular craft: cover music.
While the art of covering another artist’s song may not earn a musician a lot of ink in Rolling Stone magazine, it is far from undervalued by bar owners and music venue operators. Cover bands draw in enthusiastic – and thirsty – audiences, many eager to jump onto dance floor and flail with nostalgia at the first notes of songs they’ve known for years.
That shared knowledge – part of the fun at events like Riverside Theatre’s Howl at the Moon soirees – is best understood by musicians like Owen, who knows how to work a room starting from his opening song. Tapping into pop music, classic rock and even standards, Owen takes care that his band never strays too far from the original, and turns its talent to replicating the sounds people already love.
How he came to understand those nuances of American tastes in music is something of a marvel. Owen was born Tokyo, far from the tranquil shores of the Treasure Coast on the grounds of the Johnson Air Force base. It was 1959. Bobby was one of six children born to Bobby Joe Owen, an expert marksman in the U.S. Army’s 6th Pistol Team and Bobby’s mother, Haruko, whom Bobby Joe met on tour.
The young couple eventually moved their growing family to Fort Huachuca in Arizona. Although young Bobby has fond memories of his father playing steel guitar throughout his childhood, it was his older brother Johnny whom Owen credits with being his initial musical influence. His brother’s interest in music and natural talent were inspirational. “I wanted to play like my big brother,” says Owen, smiling at his own nostalgia.
The Owen family finally settled in Miami and the early 1970s found Owen and his brothers John and Monroe teaching each other chords, new songs and practicing regularly. The trio formed their first musical group and called it The Cat House Band, named for the backyard structure where their mother kenneled her feline pets and allowed her boys to practice. “We played all the popular tunes from the ’60s and ’70s and, of course, we played a lot of Beatles,” recalls Owen. “They were my favorite. They still are.”
As Owen navigated the demands of academics and athletics – he was quarterback for Southwest Miami High – he still found time to practice guitar. With his band of brothers, he was soon asked to play house parties for neighborhood families. After graduation, Owen’s connections with the Central Bible Church provided him the opportunity to lead the Praise and Worship Team. As leader of a Christian rock band, he began to learn a great deal about music theory, performance and songwriting.
“Church music tends to be much more technical and the arrangements are more involved than what I had been used to playing rhythm guitar and singing in our band locally,” explains Owen. “So being part of the church music program was very powerful for me because it improved my musicianship and, of course, because I got be a part of this great brotherhood and was able to give back to my community.”
Throughout the ’80s, Owen pursued his professional interests in construction management in Miami. On the side, he also formed another band, Owen Grey, continuing to play alongside his brothers. It allowed him to meet and gig with talented musicians from the Miami area.
When Owen married a high school girlfriend, Theresa, the two left Miami for Okeechobee, where Theresa could ride horses and Owen could fish and hunt. Owen found steady work as a construction manager and served as praise and worship leader at Fort Drum Community Church.
It was during those years that the Owens began visiting Vero Beach, visiting with friends including musician pals who had moved up from Miami.
Finally, in 2003, the Owens moved to Vero. Owen joined up with his music friends and soon were performing at house parties once again. A gig at the Elks Club in Sebastian led to a party for the Sebastian Chamber of Commerce, then a night at the Pelican Yacht Club, then a gig at The Moorings Yacht & Country Club. Finally, after an appearance at Vero’s Downtown Friday and another at the Saturday night concert series for Vero’s Oceanside Business Association, a following began to form.
“The positive power of word of mouth is really all the advertising that we do,” Owen says.
In fact, it is his talent that does that talking. His pitch-perfect vocals and extensive repertoire, which includes songs from Elvis, the Allman Brothers, Sinatra, Ray Charles, Joe Cocker and Clapton make him a favorite for the fun-loving music crowds at Sebastian’s Riverview Park events, Riverside Theatre’s Live in The Loop, and at bars like Earl’s and Grind & Grape. The Bobby Owen Band includes Owen on rhythm guitar and vocals as well as three other musicians who live and work locally. Holt Sutherland, broadcast coordinator and webmaster for the City of Vero Beach, is lead guitarist and vocalist; Dave Bressett, who is employed by a Vero law firm, provides drums and vocals; and Dave Bookamer, who works for Piper, fills out the band on bass.
In addition to their heavy schedule of regular paying gigs, Owen often plays for charity. Blue Ribbon Charities, Habitat for Humanity, Taste of Vero, The Love Doctors, Toys for Tots and Booze Fighters all have raised money to their musical backdrop.
“We love music,” says Owen. “The fact that we can do what we love and help others and just give back to this community is really special. It’s important to me and we feel really lucky to be able to do it. All of it.”
