RICK BOWLES

Bowles attended Duke University and graduated from UNC-Charlotte. He taught high school English by day and performed his music at night. In 1980, his first album, Free for the Evening was released by Polydor Records. In 1986 he moved to Nashville where he transitioned from singer to writer and in 1987 his first No. 1 hit was “I Can’t Win for Losing You” sung by Earl Thomas Conley.

Rick has gone on to write No. 1 songs for Reba McIntyre, Alabama, Lorrie Morgan, and John Michael Montgomery. The writing of Alabama’s No. 1 hit “Down Home” was inspired by Rick’s childhood memories of Shelby. Rick is a member of the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame.