Rob Owen is a singer songwriter from the Bay Area who is based in Santa Cruz. He has been in the music business for several years now and his vocal talent paired with his creative song writing make him one of the most promising new Bay Area artists. In 2007 he released his first album after a five year stint with the band Oka Road and put out two new tracks in 2008 already in support of his next album. Rob started playing piano at the age of seven but quit soon, as his music teacher didn't allow him too much freedom to play what he liked to play. He returned to making music at the age of 13 when he started to play drums and he was in and out of rock and metal bands until he was 20. Around that time he started playing the guitar as well. In college Rob also took jazz and classical theory and discovered his vocal and songwriting abilities. Musically he was influenced from an early age as both of his Grandfathers were musicians, one was a self taught piano player and the other a professional singer. That's probably also where Rob inherited his real talent, i.e. his smooth soulful baritone.

In 1997 Rob had his first solo effort with "Painted Words" which Rob once descirbed as "quite abstract personal metaphors set to a Pink Floyd type sound." All of this didn't result in anything though and after a few years Rob became the lead singer of the band Oka Road, a five piece band that also included Kevin Martin, Mike Orlando, David McReynolds and Will Bright. Oka Road, who named themselves after a road in California, released three CDs between 2000 and 2005 and that's also how long the band lasted.

Oka Road's alternative rock sound had been quite successful as they got major radio airplay, local television spots, great reviews for their albums and even a short feature on MTV Real World. Once they were offered a record contract though, the band decided to call it a day. As Rob Owen puts it "... the whole thing became a drag: the company, a subsidiary of a major label, wanted all the rights to Oka's current songs and all creative rights to their next CD." Eventually this possible loss of artistic freedom made Rob decide to go it all alone as he considers writing music one of the most rewarding aspect of making music.

Although Oka Road disbanded in 2005 I added their albums to the discography as Rob played an important part in that band. In addition you can still listen to some tracks on Oka Road's MySpace website (link below) ... the original band website okaroad.com no longer exists.

In 2007 Rob independently released his first solo album "Barefoot In The Rain" which features nine tracks he recorded with his former Oka Road band mates Dave McReynolds and Will Bright. The album is a rather thoughtful album and its nine songs come along at a slow pace, which is never boring or sad though as Rob Owen artistically weaves several uplifting elements into his music. From the first track that tries to remind us how it is to walk "Barefoot In The Rain" a journey starts that cruises through the downsides of life, trying to not let them drag you down. Hence there is the call to "Wake Me Up" and to open the doors wide, get rid of distractions "In This Home" and spend some time on a "Park Bench" and let the light shine through on an ordinary day. "Take Away" reminds to never put something down as it might not come around again or to be on your way in "Shoes Of A Fisherman" and keep the "Eyes To The Sky" and be patient for changes as the clouds will pass. "Back To You" reflects on the religious sides of life and in the end it can still be "Way Too Much". All in all this is a very fine album that helps getting ones priorities right again and it demonstrates Rob Owens eleborate songwriting skills.

Rob's 2008 single releases in support of his next album, i.e. the upbeat "Let's Just" and "Clear Day In July" are a celebration of life compared to Rob's first solo album. Rob gathered new musicians to record these tracks and especially "Let's Just" is very uplifting. I highly recommend to visit Rob's website and check out his tunes. Let's hope that his next release which should be out late in 2008 will get him the recognition he deserves.

Discography:

With Oka Road:
2002 Oka Road
2004 Drive Number
2005 ... Into The Spinning Clouds

Solo:
1997 Painted Words
2007 Barefoot In The Rain
2008 Let's Just/Clear Day In July

One thing is guaranteed when you pick up singer-songwriter Rob Owen’s CD: you know that you’ll be feeling a little bit better once you hit “play.” Owen’s songs are simple, intimate gems: equally at home over a cup of morning coffee or a glass of wine well past midnight they celebrate all the wonderful—and not so wonderful—things we each go through everyday. And with his smooth but soulful baritone; pared-down, interesting arrangements and the incredibly visual element running through all of his songs, the melodies stay with you long after his CD runs out. And for that reason, Rob Owen is one of the top up-and-coming singers in Northern California. However, these same songs almost never saw the light of day.

For five years, Rob was the lead singer with Oka Road, a progressive rock outfit that toured California pretty heavily, released three critically-acclaimed independent albums and afforded Owen something of a rock-star lifestyle. The band received a short feature on MTV Real World, and before he knew it, they were offered a contract and a chance to be included on the Jenny Lopez swimsuit tour. And it was exactly at that point that the whole thing became a drag: the company, a subsidiary of a major label, wanted all rights to Oka’s current songs and all creative rights to their next CD. “At that point,” recalls Owen, “it turned into a business, and that’s when we all started to get burnt out.” And this is exactly when Owen had his own personal catharsis: he wasn’t looking to be a rock star; instead, he wanted to write honest music, and connect with listeners. The result was Barefoot in the Rain, his 2007 debut—and Owen hasn’t looked back since.

Owen’s realizations about himself, music and creative integrity have completely opened up his music. For the first time in a long time, he is perfectly happy to be exactly where he is, as he states in his new single, “Clear Day in July”: “I don’t pray for tomorrow, I give thanks for today.” That celebration of the ‘here and now’ gives his songs a sense of immediacy and they become living, breathing creatures in their own right. It also helps that Owen has an incredibly visual style of writing, as shown later in “Clear Day,” when he sings, “My eye caught light as the shadows splattered, against my faded gray paint job; And all I knew that the tank was full, and the road went past the state line.”

Musically, Owen draws on a wide range of colors to paint his songs. Whether it’s a driving indie pop number, laid back ballad, or a more up-tempo John Mayer-esque pop song, there’s always something in his songs to differentiate them: unusual chord progressions and voicings, an unexpected break, or some change in feel or time signature. But nothing is done for effect—only to better tell the story at hand. Anchoring all of these songs is Owen’s voice, which can be achingly beautiful on an acoustic number, and soulful and rocking on his harder numbers. Imagine Jack Johnson’s clear, laid back vibe mixed in with some of the range and tones of Peter Gabriel, and you can appreciate what a singular, compelling vocal sound Owen has developed.

Rob Owen is currently finishing up two singles, “Let’s Just…” & “Clear Day in July.” He is continually expanding his fan base: he has gotten considerable airplay on 105.1 KVMR in Nevada City/Tahoe, was featured on the 2008 Yamaha Cubase DVD and has been garnering buzz online at www.myspace.com/robowenmusic and robowenmusic.com. This summer he’ll be performing at a number of shows across the Bay Area, including the Foster City Art and Wine Festival, Palo Alto Festival of the Arts, Santa Clara Art and Wine Festival, Kuumbwa’s Songwriter’s Showcase, and Santa Clara Songwriter’s Showcase—as well as a west coast tour from Santa Cruz to Seattle in June to support his new singles. Most recently, “Clear Day in July” was selected for Versailles Records’ compilation Surf Rock 1 & 2, to be released this summer. The CD will be distributed nationwide at Wal-Mart, Target and Virgin Mega Store. Rob Owen is currently seeking representation and a label.