John Cowan launched his musical path in Louisville by performing in rough-hewn rock groups such as Everyday People and Louisville Sound Department. His 1974 audition for the role of bassist and vocalist in New Grass Revival proved pivotal, and alongside Sam Bush plus subsequent members Béla Fleck and Pat Flynn he propelled the bluegrass revival of the 1980s. When Fleck exited for a solo career the band dissolved in 1990, yet Cowan maintained a brisk pace. He eased away from the acoustic emphasis that defined New Grass Revival, instead pursuing solo rock tours and fronting the country-rock outfit Sky Kings alongside Poco’s Rusty Young. Although he completed an album, finalized its artwork, issued a single, and scheduled a March 27, 1997 release, the Sky Kings full-length project remained unreleased. Cowan then concentrated on solo recordings for the Sugar Hill label, delivering the ambitious self-titled album in 2000 and the more restrained Always Take Me Back two years later. The same year brought the belated appearance of the Sky Kings album From Out of the Blue, which contained the complete original track listing together with demos and additional songs finished expressly for the release. He went on to issue further occasional solo efforts, among them the well-received Sixty, which surfaced in 2014 precisely as Cowan reached that milestone age.
