Biography
Donnie Bowshier, the singer forever associated with his 1957 success "Stone Heart," stands out as an unusual personality in rockabilly history, largely overlooked despite his distinctiveness, given that polio contracted in childhood kept him wheelchair-bound for the entire thirty years of his professional life. Born April 14, 1937, in Madison Mills, Ohio, he launched his stage appearances while still attending middle school, and at age fourteen joined the Sons of the Pioneers on the bill at the Ohio State Fair. Performances alongside Hank Williams also marked his early days, and together with the Radio Ranch Boys he topped the weekend programming on WJEL radio each Saturday evening. In the middle of 1953 he made his first recording for King, "Tight Shoe Boogie," which, although receiving solid local broadcasts, failed to achieve sales success, leading to a four-year absence before he signed with Dess and delivered "Stone Heart." Even though it fell short of the major breakthrough anticipated by many, the track found its way onto four additional labels in subsequent years, one being the imprint bearing Marty Robbins' name, and Sage, among them, put out the next single "It's Our Secret" under the adjusted spelling Donnie Bowser once he grew weary of announcers mispronouncing his original last name. Following yet another extended break from recording, he emerged on Bamboo in 1961 with "Tomorrow," and thereafter his studio work grew even less frequent, though he did pair with Bobby Bare for the duet "Another One of My Near Mrs." and reached the country charts via "Falling for You," while sustaining a strong draw as a concert performer that included a spot at the Grand Ole Opry. A heart attack prompted his retirement in 1989, and a second one claimed his life on March 1, 2002.