Singer/songwriter and producer Will Owsley, better known as Owsley, died April 30 of an apparent suicide in Franklin, Tenn. He was 44 years old.
Amy Grant’s touring guitarist since 1994, Owsley was a member of the Semantics (with Zak Starkey) in the early '90s and released two power-pop solo records, 1999's Owsley and 2004's The Hard Way, both to critical acclaim. Owsley was nominated for an engineering Grammy award for his solo debut. I had the great pleasure of seeing him perform at Brick By Brick in 1999. With a transparent Beatles influence, Owsley delivered a perfect set, consisting of songs off his 1999 self-titled masterpiece (a must-have for power-pop enthusiasts).
Friend and collaborator Ben Folds (who's playing at the House of Blues on May 20) tweeted the following about Owsley's passing: "Owsley memory - having to move all lamps and breakables out of the way for his guitar overdubs! RIP"
Grant posted the following on her website: “We are all reeling today from the news of Will Owsley’s death. So many of us in Nashville worked with Will, lived with him on the road, celebrated his talents and knew his anguish. Please join us in praying for his family and children.”
Owsley leaves behind a wife and two children.
