Spotlight on: Bernard Fowler Onstage in LA!

Bernard Fowler is perhaps most widely known by millions of people around the world as the background singer and percussionist for The Rolling Stones, a position he has held for 34 years and counting. He has recorded and toured with “the world’s greatest rock n’ roll band” to nearly every continent, appearing on 14 Rolling Stones albums.

This week he is performing in Los Angeles with the Stones at SoFi Stadium, July 10-13 and at The Write Off Room in Studio City on July 11th with Stones touring musicians Tim Reis and Larry Goldings. Tickets to the show at The Write Off Room start at $40 and are available on eventbrite HERE.

A versatile, mesmerizing performer, whose range and stage presence are celebrated around the world. Bernard Fowler has appeared on solo projects of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, fronted two jazz albums with Charlie Watts, and produced, written and performed on two albums for Ronnie Wood.

Legendary Rolling Stones sax player, the late great Bobby Keys said that the first time he heard Bernard sing: “I really thought I was listening to Sam Cooke and Otis Redding tied together! I was, like, ‘Damn! This guy’s too good to sing with this band!’ I really did.” From Boomerocity Magazine

And Man, Can That Cat Sing

Bernard was a founding member of the acclaimed New York Citi Peech Boys, the band that launched his career in the early 80’s. His performance on the NYC Peech Boys hit “Don’t Make Me Wait” remains one of the most widely sampled vocal tracks of all time. He has been an integral part of the funk band Tackhead with London-based Adrian Sherwood, and former Sugarhill Records band Doug Wimbish (Living Colour), Keith LeBlanc, and Skip McDonald. Additionally, Bernard recorded and toured with Stevie Salas and the bands Nickelbag, the IMF’s and Bernard Fowler & Band.

Peech Boys – Don’t Make Me Wait

His talents as a singer, songwriter, producer and instrumentalist have resonated throughout the span of his extraordinary career in the music industry. His dynamic vocals have appeared on hundreds of albums for bands as diverse as The Rolling Stones, Herbie Hancock, Ryuichi Sakamoto, John Mayer, John Lydon, Ozzy Osborn, Alice Cooper, Living Colour, Motörhead, Robert Plant, Duran Duran, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Michael Hutchence, Michael Buble, Philip Glass, Yoko Ono, Alice Cooper and Bootsy Collins, and many more.

In 2006 Bernard received critical acclaim for his first solo album Friends with Privileges. The album includes a ‘wish I was there’ love song to New York called New York Time that makes us miss New York, and friends there.

New York Time from Friends with Privileges

The Bura

His fierce 2015 album, The Bura features an all-star line up of musicians including Slash, Waddy Wachtel, Darryl Jones, Phil X, Chuck D, Lukas Nelson, Lenny Castro, Jimmy Paxson, and Sugar Blue.

SHAKE IT from Bernard Fowler’s album The Bura

In 2019, with the blessing of Mick Jagger, he released the amazing spoken word album Inside Out, a stunning performance of a collection of Stones lyrics that he chose from the songbook for the strength of lyrics and their timelessness. Stones fans will find treasure in this album, Fowler’s spoken word performances bring the often overlooked lyrical brilliance of the Stones. With the lyrics front and center. Inside Out reminds us of Gil Scott-Heron Bluesology and bearing witness to the beautiful, mind changing power of music and spoken word.

Inside Out, a spoken word performance of Stones lyrics

Hear Bernard Fowler this week in Los Angeles

Don’t miss Bernard Fowler this week in Los Angeles with the Rolling Stones at SoFi Stadium, July 7-10 and at The Write Off Room in Studio City on July 11th. He will be joined onstage by Stones touring musicians Tim Reis and Larry Goldings. Tickets to the show at The Write Off Room start at $40 and are available HERE.