Tony Bowens And The Soul-Choppers
21181 – Don’t Be So Mean
21182 - Boilin’ Water
Tony Bowens
1968
A copy is currently auctioned at eBay. Five copies are archived in popsike, in the 150-415 $US range.
21181 – Don’t Be So Mean
21182 - Boilin’ Water
Tony Bowens
1968
Recorded in NY Bell studios.
One of the most popular bands in Hartford, Connecticut.
Bertha Lee ``Glass'' Bowens, Tony's mother, managed the Soul-Choppers band formed in 1967 around Tony. In 1968 they won amateur night at The Apollo Theatre in NYC. The band recorded one other single 'Do you feel it' pts 1 and 2.
Leader Tony played sax. Lt. Tony Bowens was killed in Vietnam in 1970.
Guitarist was Eli. Eli is originally from Savannah, GA. After his move to Hartford in 1967 Eli played with, "Tony Bowens and the Soul Choppers". Eli was the only black guitarist in Hartford playing in a 'punk' band, "The Repels". Later known as XY Eli.
Rob Fried was the drummer [1]. Another member was Sharon Clay Watson, who had already recorded with the Daydreams, a female singing group she had formed.
Hartford musician Roland Carter remember Tony Bowens in an interview :
[1] Not the drummer ? : see Funkman53 in comments
One of the most popular bands in Hartford, Connecticut.
Bertha Lee ``Glass'' Bowens, Tony's mother, managed the Soul-Choppers band formed in 1967 around Tony. In 1968 they won amateur night at The Apollo Theatre in NYC. The band recorded one other single 'Do you feel it' pts 1 and 2.
Leader Tony played sax. Lt. Tony Bowens was killed in Vietnam in 1970.
Guitarist was Eli. Eli is originally from Savannah, GA. After his move to Hartford in 1967 Eli played with, "Tony Bowens and the Soul Choppers". Eli was the only black guitarist in Hartford playing in a 'punk' band, "The Repels". Later known as XY Eli.
Rob Fried was the drummer [1]. Another member was Sharon Clay Watson, who had already recorded with the Daydreams, a female singing group she had formed.
Hartford musician Roland Carter remember Tony Bowens in an interview :
Man, Hartford was burning hot during that era. I guess music was the commonality of that generation, huh?
I have a cousin in N.C. (North Carolina) named Joe that was born blind. Joe was considered to be a musical prodigy because he could not only play almost any kind of instrument; he was a fantastic singer as well. I took Tony Bowen and The Soul Choppers' 45(record) "Don't Be So Mean" down with me and he freaked out on how good Tony and the group sounded. He played that song over and over. He called Tony the best sax player he had ever heard. That song became the yard stick around here by which all of the up and coming sax players were measured.
from Roland Carter interview HERE
[1] Not the drummer ? : see Funkman53 in comments
A copy is currently auctioned at eBay. Five copies are archived in popsike, in the 150-415 $US range.
