From: Robert
Date: September 28, 2003
Steve, in a past Discussion Group archive you asked whatever happened to Billy Bowman. Billy's nephew Jim Bowman sent the following information:
Billy was my uncle. After he left Bob Wills he worked on construction for a while in east Tennessee and then settled down in Columbia, S.C. working at a chemical plant. Billy would guest as steel guitarist as various country and western swing bands came through. I had some opportunities to jam with Billy and he was the most unassuming musician I ever saw. He would always look around to give the other musicians the first break and if none took it he would play without missing a beat. One of the nicest people I ever knew and I am proud to be part of his family. I attended his funeral after he died of cancer when he was in his late fifties. Seemed like he had been a legend forever and should have been older but he was playing steel guitar with Bob when he was barely twenty years old. Hope this sheds a little light on questions about Billy.
Sincerely,
Jim Bowman
Rogersville, TN