Bernard Fowler (born January 2, 1960) is an American musician. He is known for a long association with

The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the g ...

, providing

backing vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are ...

since 1989 and on their studio recordings and live tours. Fowler has been a featured guest vocalist on the majority of solo albums released by the members of that band. He has released two solo albums, and he has also been a regular featured

singer Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or withou ...

on other musicians' recordings and tours. Fowler has toured and recorded with the bands

Tackhead Tackhead (styled TACK>>HEAD, sometimes known as Fats Comet) is an industrial hip-hop group that was most active during the 1980s and early 1990s, and briefly reformed in 2004 for a tour. Their music occupies the territory where funk, dub, in ...

and Bad Dog and occasionally with Nicklebag and

Little Axe Skip McDonald (born Bernard Alexander, September 1949)Allmusic biography/ref> is an American musician who also performs under the stage name Little Axe. Career Early career Grounded in blues music learned from his father, a steel worker who ...

Biography

Fowler's first recordings were with the group The Total Eclipse for the album ''A Great Combination'' released 1975. In the early 1980s he was a member of The New York City Peech Boys with DJ

Larry Levan Larry Levan (; born Lawrence Philpot, July 20, 1954 – November 8, 1992) was an American DJ best known for his decade-long residency at the New York City night club Paradise Garage, which has been described as the prototype of the modern da ...

and keyboard player Michael De Benedictus. The group had dance hits with tracks like " Don't Make Me Wait" and "Life Is Something Special". He provided vocals for the songs "I'm the One" and "Come Down" from the

Material Material is a substance or mixture of substances that constitutes an object. Materials can be pure or impure, living or non-living matter. Materials can be classified on the basis of their physical and chemical properties, or on their geolo ...

album ''

One Down ''One Down'' is a 1982 album by the New York based no wave music group Material, produced by Material, recorded by indie producer/engineer Martin Bisi in Brooklyn and musician/engineer Robert Musso in Manhattan. The album sees the band reduced ...

'', where he was credited as a songwriter on several tracks. In 1982 Fowler sang on the

Celluloid Records Celluloid Records, a French/American record label, founded by Jean Georgakarakos (sometimes shortened to Jean Karakos) operated from 1976 to 1989 in New York City, and produced a series of eclectic and ground-breaking releases, particularly in the ...

release ''Do The Smurf For What It's Worth''. Fowler guested on Herbie Hancock's classic electro-funk albums ''

Future Shock ''Future Shock'' is a 1970 book by American futurist Alvin Toffler, written together with his spouse Adelaide Farrell, in which the authors define the term "future shock" as a certain psychological state of individuals and entire societies. Th ...

'' (1983) and '' Sound-System'' (1984), as well as the 1985 albums ''Compact Disc'' by

Public Image Ltd Public Image Ltd (abbreviated and stylized as PiL) are an English post-punk band (and incorporated limited company) formed by singer John Lydon (previously known as the singer of Sex Pistols), guitarist Keith Levene, bassist Jah Wobble, and d ...

and ''Language Barrier'' by

Sly & Robbie Sly and Robbie were a prolific Jamaican rhythm section and production duo, associated primarily with the reggae and dub genres. Drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespeare teamed up in the mid-1970s after establishing themselves separ ...

. In 1986, he sang a song written by Philip Glass (music) and Paul Simon (lyrics), which appeared on Philip Glass's '' Songs from Liquid Days''. In 1987 he sang backup for

James Blood Ulmer James "Blood" Ulmer (born February 8, 1940) is an American jazz, free funk and blues guitarist and singer. Ulmer plays a Gibson Byrdland guitar. His guitar sound has been described as "jagged" and "stinging". His singing has been called "ragg ...

on ''

America – Do You Remember the Love? ''America – Do You Remember the Love?'' is an album by American guitarist James Blood Ulmer recorded in 1987 and released on the Blue Note label.

'', and the next year he appeared on Bootsy Collins's '' What's Bootsy Doin'?''. Fowler was the lead singer for the group

for several albums in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He has also appeared on albums from

Herb Alpert Herb Alpert (born March 31, 1935) is an American trumpeter who led the band Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass in the 1960s. During the same decade, he co-founded A&M Records with Jerry Moss. Alpert has recorded 28 albums that have landed on the ...

Todd Terry Todd Norton Terry (born April 18, 1967) is an American DJ, record producer and remixer in the genre of house music. Musical career Todd Terry was influential in moving House music beyond the early Chicago house sound of 1984–86. He crosse ...

Michael Hutchence Michael Kelland John Hutchence (22 January 1960 – 22 November 1997) was an Australian musician, singer-songwriter and actor. Hutchence co-founded the rock band INXS, which sold over 75 million records worldwide and was inducted into th ...

, (formerly of INXS) and

. In 1988 Fowler found himself touring with

Steven Seagal Steven Frederic Seagal (; born April 10, 1952) is an American actor, screenwriter and martial artist. A 7th-dan black belt in aikido, he began his adult life as a martial arts instructor in Japan and eventually ended up running his father-in-l ...

The Rolling Stones

In 1985, Fowler was hired to record

Mick Jagger Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...

's first solo album, ''

She's the Boss ''She's the Boss'' is the debut solo album by English singer Mick Jagger, released in 1985. When Jagger's group The Rolling Stones signed with Columbia/CBS Records in 1983, one of the options available to them was for individual projects, an ...

''. This proved to be the beginning of a lasting business and personal relationship, not only with Jagger, but with all the current members of the Rolling Stones, as he has also performed on the solo albums of Charlie Watts,

Keith Richards Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943), often referred to during the 1960s and 1970s as "Keith Richard", is an English musician and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the co-founder, guitarist, secondary vocalist, and co-princi ...

and

Ron Wood Ron is a shortening of the name Ronald. Ron or RON may also refer to: Arts and media * Big Ron (''EastEnders''), a TV character * Ron (''King of Fighters''), a video game character *Ron Douglas, the protagonist in '' Lucky Stiff'' played by Joe ...

. After Fowler had already performed as a session musician with individual members of the Rolling Stones on their solo projects, he was chosen to join the Stones on their '' Steel Wheels'' world tour, in 1989. Mick Jagger spoke about his choice of Fowler to sing

saying that Fowler impressed him because he had a wide vocal range, many musical influences, and stamina. He has remained as a regular backup singer on tours with the Stones since then. Fowler was a feature vocalist on three of Watts'

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

solo albums. The other members of the Rolling Stones have utilized his vocal talents on their solo projects, including Richards' '' Main Offender'' and Wood's solo projects.

Songwriting and projects

Fowler has been asked to collaborate on songs from other artists. One such person has been Ron Wood in writing and composing songs for his solo albums. Fowler and Wood have co-written several songs together and recorded them on Wood's albums. In 2006, Fowler released his first solo album, ''Friends with Privileges'', on Sony Japan. This is his first entirely solo effort, however, he has had a significant number of

rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm a ...

and R&B heavyweights in the music industry working with him. They include

Darryl Jones Darryl Jones (born December 11, 1961) is an American bass guitarist. He has been recording and touring with the Rolling Stones since 1993. He has also played in bands with Miles Davis and Sting, among others. Career Darryl Jones was born on ...

and Lisa Fischer of Rolling Stones fame; studio session musician and record producer

Waddy Wachtel Robert "Waddy" Wachtel (born May 24, 1947) is an American musician, composer and record producer, most notable for his guitar work. Wachtel has worked as session musician for other artists such as Linda Ronstadt, Stevie Nicks, Kim Carnes, Randy ...

, the

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, Robert Plant,

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(formerly of Pearl Jam), Joe Elliot (of

Def Leppard Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1976 in Sheffield. Since 1992, the band has consisted of Rick Savage (bass, backing vocals), Joe Elliott (lead vocals), Rick Allen (drums, backing vocals), Phil Collen (guitar, backing vocals), ...

), and Ivan Neville. His newest project is called the IMF's. In May 2011, he appeared as a special guest joining Argentine musician

Charly Garcia ''Charly'' (marketed and stylized as ''CHAЯLY'') is a 1968 American drama film directed and produced by Ralph Nelson and written by Stirling Silliphant. It is based on ''Flowers for Algernon'', a science-fiction short story (1958) and subseque ...

playing a concert in Montevideo,

Uruguay Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...

Discography

With The Rolling Stones and their solo projects

* (1985) ''

'' (Mick Jagger) * (1989) '' Steel Wheels'' (Rolling Stones) * (1991) '' Flashpoint'' (Rolling Stones) * (1992) ''Tribute to Charlie Parker with Strings'' (Charlie Watts) * (1992) '' Slide on This'' (Ronnie Wood) * (1992) '' Main Offender'' (Keith Richards) * (1993) ''Warm and Tender'' (Charlie Watts) * (1993) '' Slide on Live: Plugged in and Standing'' (Ronnie Wood) * (1993) ''

Jump Back ''Jump Back: The Best of The Rolling Stones'' is the sixth official compilation album by The Rolling Stones. It was initially released worldwide, except in the US, in 1993. The American release came on 24 August 2004. It was the first Rolling S ...

'' (Rolling Stones) * (1994) ''

Voodoo Lounge ''Voodoo Lounge'' is the 20th British and 22nd American studio album by the English rock band The Rolling Stones, released on 11 July 1994. As their first new release under their new alliance with Virgin Records, it ended a five-year gap since th ...

'' (Rolling Stones) * (1995) ''

Stripped Stripped may refer to: Music * "Stripped" (song), by Depeche Mode, 1986 * ''Stripped'' (Christina Aguilera album) or the title song, 2002 * ''Stripped'' (Daniel Ash album), 2014 * ''Stripped'' (Macy Gray album), 2016 * ''Stripped'' (Pretty Ma ...

'' (Rolling Stones) * (1996) ''Long Ago and Far Away'' (Charlie Watts) * (1997) ''

Bridges to Babylon ''Bridges to Babylon'' is the 21st British and 23rd American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released by Virgin Records on 29 September 1997. Released as a double album on vinyl and as a single CD, it was supported by t ...

'' (Rolling Stones) * (1998) ''

No Security ''No Security'' is a live album by the Rolling Stones released by Virgin Records in 1998. Recorded over the course of the band's 1997–1998 worldwide Bridges to Babylon Tour, it was the band's eighth official full-length live release. Not ...

'' (Rolling Stones) * (2000) '' Live and Eclectic'' (Ronnie Wood) * (2002) ''

Forty Licks ''Forty Licks'' is a double compilation album by the Rolling Stones. A 40-year career-spanning retrospective, ''Forty Licks'' is notable for being the first retrospective to combine their formative Decca/London era of the 1960s, now licensed b ...

'' (Rolling Stones) * (2004) ''

Live Licks ''Live Licks'' is a double live album by the Rolling Stones and was released in 2004. Coming six years after '' No Security'', this ninth official Rolling Stones full-length live release captures performances from the band's year-long 2002– ...

'' (Rolling Stones) * (2005) '' A Bigger Bang'' (Rolling Stones) * (2005) ''

Rarities 1971–2003 ''Rarities 1971–2003'' is a compilation album by The Rolling Stones that was released in 2005 worldwide by Virgin Records – as well as by the coffee-chain Starbucks in North America – and features a selection of rare and obscure materia ...

'' (Rolling Stones) * (2008) '' Shine a Light'' (Rolling Stones) * (2010) '' I Feel Like Playing'' (Ronnie Wood) * (2012) ''Light the Fuse'' (Rolling Stones) (a digital download through Google Music) * (2012) ''GRRR!'' (Rolling Stones) compilation album * (2013) ''Hyde Park Live'' (Rolling Stones) * (2015) ''From the Vault – Live at the Tokyo Dome'' (Rolling Stones) * (2015) ''Sticky Fingers Live'' (Rolling Stones) * (2015) ''Hyde Park Live'' (Rolling Stones) * (2015) ''Crosseyed Heart'' (Keith Richards) * (2016) ''Totally Stripped'' (Rolling Stones) * (2016) ''Havana Moon'' (Rolling Stones) * (2017) ''Sticky Fingers – Live At The Fonda Theatre 2015'' (Rolling Stones) * (2018) ''San Jose '99'' (Rolling Stones) * (2018) ''Voodoo Lounge Uncut'' (Rolling Stones) * (2019) ''Bridges to Bremen'' (Rolling Stones) * (2019) ''HONK'' (Rolling Stones) compilation album incl. live CD (Lim. ed.) * (2019) ''Bridges to Buenos Aires'' (Rolling Stones) * (2020) ''Steel Wheels Live'' (Rolling Stones) * (2021) ''A Bigger Bang Live'' (10" Vinyl, 2 track, RSD 2021) * (2021) ''A Bigger Bang: Live on Copacabana Beach'' (Rolling Stones) * (2022) ''Licked Live in NYC'' (Rolling Stones)

With others

* (1982) ''Smurf For What It's Worth'' (The Smurfs) * (1982) ''Don't Make Me Wait'' ( Peech Boys) * (1982) ''Life Is Something Special'' (Peech Boys) * (1982) ''

'' (

) * (1982) ''

'' ( Herbie Hancock) * (1983) ''I Need You Now'' (

Sinnamon Sinnamon was an American female R&B vocal trio, consisting of Connecticut natives Barbara Fowler, Marsha Carter, and Melissa Bell from New York City. The group went through an abrupt development from a minimalist contemporary R&B sound of post- ...

) * (1983) ''Crazy Cuts'' ( Grandmixer DST) * (1984) ''Do You Believe'' (The Mariner's Baptist Church Choir)

Beat Street ''Beat Street'' is a 1984 American drama dance film featuring New York City hip hop culture of the early 1980s. Set in the South Bronx, the film follows the lives of a pair of brothers and their group of friends, all of whom are devoted to ...

soundtrack and movie * (1984) '' Sound-System'' (Herbie Hancock) * (1985) '' Starpeace'' (

Yoko Ono Yoko Ono ( ; ja, 小野洋子, Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana ; born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking. Ono grew up i ...

) * (1985) ''

Language Barrier A language barrier is a figurative phrase used primarily to refer to linguistic barriers to communication, i.e. the difficulties in communication experienced by people or groups originally speaking different languages, or even dialects in some ...

'' (

) * (1986) ''Futurista'' (

Ryuichi Sakamoto is a Japanese composer, pianist, singer, record producer and actor who has pursued a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO). With his bandmates Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi, Sakamoto i ...

) * (1986) ''Media Bahn Live'' (Ryuichi Sakamoto) * (1986) '' Songs from Liquid Days'' ( Philip Glass) * (1986) ''Axis'' (Jonas Hellborg) * (1986) ''

Album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records co ...

'' ( Public Image, Ltd.) * (1987) ''

America – Do You Remember the Love? ''America – Do You Remember the Love?'' is an album by American guitarist James Blood Ulmer recorded in 1987 and released on the Blue Note label.

'' (

) * (1988) '' What's Bootsy Doin'?'' ( Bootsy Collins) * (1988) ''Bass'' (Jonas Hellborg) * (1990) ''Strange Things'' (

) * (1990) ''

Liberty Liberty is the ability to do as one pleases, or a right or immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant (i.e. privilege). It is a synonym for the word freedom. In modern politics, liberty is understood as the state of being free within society fr ...

'' ( Duran Duran) * (1991) ''Videohead'' (Tackhead) * (1991) ''Johnnie B. Bad'' ( Johnnie Johnson) * (1992) ''No Other World'' (Shining Path) * (1992) ''

Onobox ''Onobox'' is a 1992 comprehensive 6-disc collection of Yoko Ono's work from 1968 to 1985. The discs are grouped by era and theme. Disc one centers around the albums '' Fly'' and ''Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band'', while Disc two features nearly the e ...

'' (Yoko Ono) * (1993) '' Stain'' (

Living Colour Living Colour is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1984. The band currently consists of guitarist Vernon Reid, lead vocalist Corey Glover, drummer Will Calhoun and bassist Doug Wimbish (who replaced Muzz Skillings in 1992). S ...

) * (1994) ''Jazz Passengers in Love'' ( Roy Nathanson's Jazz Passengers) * (1996) ''12 Hits and a Bump'' (Nicklebag) * (1997) ''Power Inc.'' (Tackhead) * (1999) ''

'' (

) * (1999) ''Colors'' (

) * (2000) ''Hot Night Tonight'' (

Barbara Lynn Barbara Lynn (born Barbara Lynn Ozen, later Barbara Lynn Cumby, January 16, 1942) is an American rhythm and blues and electric blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. She is best known for her R&B chart-topping hit, " You'll Lose a Good Thing" ( ...

) * (2001) ''Best of Material'' (Material) * (2004) '' Champagne & Grits'' (

) * (2008) '' Along Came a Spider'' (

Alice Cooper Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guillot ...

) * (2008) '' Ever Changing Times'' ( Steve Lukather) * (2010) '' All's Well That Ends Well'' (Steve Lukather) * (2010) '' Bought for a Dollar, Sold for a Dime'' (Little Axe) * (2013) ''Ronin'' (Tao Of Sound)

Personal discography

* (2006) ''Friends With Privileges'' (Bernard Fowler) (Sony Japan) * (2015) ''The Bura'' (Bernard Fowler) (MRI) * (2019) ''Inside Out'' (Rhyme & Reason Records)

References

External links

Bernard Fowler Bernard Fowler (born January 2, 1960) is an American musician. He is known for a long association with The Rolling Stones, providing backing vocals since 1989 and on their studio recordings and live tours. Fowler has been a featured guest vocali ...

at Allmusic.com
Bernard Fowler interview at allaboutjazz.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fowler, Bernard 1960 births Living people 20th-century African-American male singers African-American male singer-songwriters American funk singers American rhythm and blues singers American session musicians Atlantic Records artists Tackhead members