Essentials: The Top 10 Peter Rowan songs

Having recently reviewed Peter Rowan’s latest album “Tales of the Free Mexican Air Force“, which is, at least partly, a musing on some of his career high points, I found that I didn’t know that calling him a “bluegrass legend” didn’t begin to cover it. From joining Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys in 1964 as lead singer and rhythm guitarist, he has built a career that can only be described as eclectic. Bands like Earth Opera, who were the Doors’ favoured opening act, roots/jazz rock band Seatrain, and Old and In the Way with Jerry Garcia and David Grisman. Writing standards for others, like ‘Panama Red’ for New Riders of the Purple Sage, ‘Walls of Time’ for Monroe, and ‘Midnight Moonlight’, which Garcia carried through most of his solo incarnations right into the 90s.

If you’re a Peter Rowan fan, the list I’ve suggested as “essential” might seem a bit obvious, but I’d bet that there are plenty of people, like me, who didn’t understand just how omnipresent Rowan is in the story of the various strands which make up americana. If you want labels, he covers folk, rock, country, Tex-Mex, and even a bit of reggae, along with the bluegrass, which is what many would think of when his name gets mentioned.

“Calling You From My Mountain – A Bluegrass Journey”, his 2022 album, is about as close to “proper” bluegrass as he has got in a long time. The songs there were written “in homage to Hank Williams and his alias, Luke the Drifter”, but as with his most recent album, it ended up being a personal career reflection. So, as he’s clearly of a mind to tidy up his legacy, not unreasonable at 83, where should we start to discover why Peter Rowan matters?

Number 10: ‘Walls of Time’ from “The Walls Of Time” (1982)

Any discussion of Peter Rowan must begin here. Co-written with Bill Monroe, this song is a cornerstone of the genre. This version from a 1982 solo album also shows off the talent spotting that is another key aspect of his career. Jerry Douglas, Ricky Skaggs, Sam Bush, Tony Trischka were all nurtured by Rowan and have worked with him often.

Number 9: ‘Panama Red’ (New Riders Of The Purple Sage) from “The Adventures Of Panama Red” (1973)

An undeniable classic and one of Rowan’s most famous compositions. It’s a perfect summing up of his ability to blend country, rock and folk with creating a catchy tune which became a huge radio hit. It embodies so much of the vibe of the early 70s. It’s a key track from a band with strong ties to the world of the Grateful Dead, where Rowan also found a home.

Number 8: ‘That High Lonesome Sound’ (Old and In the Way) from “That High Lonesome Sound” (1973)

As part of the supergroup Old and In the Way, Rowan shone among a band of the best. This track is another piece of quintessential Peter Rowan writing. His distinctive voice, full of that yearning, ‘high lonesome’ quality, complements the traditional bluegrass arrangement. I know a Grateful Dead fan friend of mine regards Old and In the Way as some sort of aberration in Garcia’s career, but his banjo playing and Vassar Clements’ fiddle on this version are things of beauty.

Number 7: ‘The Free Mexican Airforce‘ from “Tales of the Free Mexican Air Force” (2025)

This track is pure Peter Rowan, adventurous, playful, and full of love for tex-mex culture. It offers a romanticised vision of freedom, often associated with a counter-cultural spirit and the defiance of authority, particularly concerning drug laws. The latest version has become the definitive one, I think, featuring his longtime collaborator Flaco Jimenez on Acordeón.

Number 6: ‘Dust Bowl Children’ from “Dust Bowl Children” (1990)

A poignant song which vividly describes the hardships of the 1930s Dust Bowl. Best known through Alison Krauss & Union Station’s version on ‘Paper Airplane‘, Rowan’s own version better conveys the sense of hopelessness from when “every kind of work is done by great machines.”

Number 5: ‘From My Mountain (Calling You)’ from “Calling You From My Mountain – A Bluegrass Journey” (2022)

A more recent jewel from his discography, and a testament to Rowan’s continued creative vitality. This version from the Bluegrass Hall of Fame features Molly Tuttle sharing the vocal as the album version did. Rowan is still a big supporter of new talent, saying in his acceptance speech: “I’ve got a young band, it’s fabulous. They’re bursting with ideas. They’re in their years of inspiration. Their ears are wide open because this generation is built on everything we did, dare I say, all those years ago.” And yes, Warren Ellis on Mandolin was 13 years old at the time…

Number 4: ‘Midnight Moonlight’ (Jerry Garcia Band) from “Garcia Live Volume Two” (1990)

Another Old and In the Way tune, this time interpreted by Jerry Garcia’s solo band. Rowan’s writing sits well in nearly any context. This may well be his most covered song. The Deaddisc database lists nearly a hundred versions by Rowan, Garcia, New Riders, and jam band String Cheese Incident. This late career rendition features Banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck, as well as Garcia’s guitar playing in its last great phase. As close to the Dead playing Rowan as you could get.

Number 3: ‘Land of the Navajo’ from “Peter Rowan” (1978)

Rowan was a supporter and respecter of the US’s indigenous cultures long before it was fashionable. His talent for storytelling songs is shown to its best advantage on this song. It is yet another Old and In the Way song, a period which, looking back, seems to have been one of the most creatively profitable of his career as the songs written then just keep popping up in all his subsequent projects.

Number 2: ‘The Song That Made Hank Williams Dance’ from “Calling You From My Mountain – A Bluegrass Journey” (2022)

Williams has always been acknowledged by Rowan as a key influence. This is a properly delightful and affectionate tribute. It’s warm, witty, and full of the kind of storytelling that makes you feel like you’re sitting on the front porch, listening to Rowan telling anecdotes. “Hank Williams in a hotel lobby with his guitar in his hand. In Tuscaloosa, Alabama, just to play a one-eyed stand. Hey, good-lookin’, what you got cookin’? Lookin’ for romance? She sashays right up to him, and old Hank, he starts to dance.”

Number 1: ‘Sweet Melinda’ from ‘Texican Badman’ (1980)

There’s just no getting away from the Garcia connection. This is very much the “rock” end of Rowan. Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann, bassist John Kahn, and Rowan’s brothers Chris and Lorin all appear on this album, which was recorded in two parts over 1974 and 1979. In 10 or so years, Rowan had gone from Bill Monroe to music closer to Little Feat than Bluegrass. “Texican Badman” may be the best place to start if you aren’t fussed about the more trad elements of his music.