By Elaine McAfee Bender
Lance Cowan is a well-respected publicist based in Nashville for the past thirty years. What’s remarkable is that he has been writing and workshopping songs for about that long, as well. It wasn’t until recently that Cowan decided the time was right to record his own album. That debut album, So Far So Good, was released in 2024. Second album, Against The Grain, followed in 2025. What grabs the listener first is Cowan’s smooth voice set against masterful melodic tunes. He is a highly skilled poetic lyricist, who chooses just the right words to induce a desired emotion. With his impressive command of language, Cowan may accurately be described as a talented troubadour. Yes, but he is much more. Every song on this album includes a bevy of Nashville pros, providing pedal steel, acoustic guitar, mandolin, fiddle, percussion, bass, and piano/keyboards.
Title track, “Against the Grain,” was co-written with Sam Gay, and is one of several songs here which could have easily been chosen for the title track to showcase Cowan’s enormous talent. His style is like folk music with a country twang, yet sophisticated beyond both those genres. The music is more of a supporting act, there to set the mood and beautifully blend in with the vocals. Don’t get me wrong —- the tunes are simple, but powerfully significant. In fact, the music in all these tracks moves in and out perfectly.
“More or Less,” is one of several songs about regret and lost love. “If I had just opened up my heart and let you in …..” Cowan’s emotional vocal is backed sparsely by piano, cello, and bass. Yet, there is plenty of substance with gentle harmonies. “Can’t Stand the Winter” is one of my favorite songs on the album, supported nicely by the sound of steel guitar. Winter is the hardest time of year to be without one’s love. “Sweater up my heart” conjures up imagery of a broken heart, worsened by the bitter cold.
“One More Chance” is another co-written with Sam Gay. No sloppy love song here. Powerful example of deep feelings beautifully transformed into words. Nice transitions throughout this song. “Goin’ South” is a song co-written with Maine’s celebrated songwriter, the late David Mallett. “Raggedy Edge of Nothing” was written with longtime writing partner, Terry Clayton. “Will Belinda” was written with John Tirro. Cowan’s “Old King Koal” is a nod to his native Kentucky and the plight of coal miners. “Love Anyway” may be the most inspirational song on this album. Cowan’s deep concern is with growing divisions of people in the world, at a time when intolerance and hate rule. “Some people can be so mean. If we ever hope for change, love anyway.”
After working quietly behind the scenes for so long, Lance Cowan has stepped out into the spotlight. His influences include country artists Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Butch Hancock, and Michael Martin Murphey. He has quietly honed his own songwriting skills, learning from those artists and other influences such as Jackson Browne, Mark Heard, and John Prine, to name a few. His works have been performed and/or recorded by such respected artists as Joan Baez, Janis Ian, David Mallett, and several independent artists.
—
