Eric Bowers

Inducted in 2003

Eric Bowers was born in 1934 in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia but moved to Fall River as a young lad. He is the oldest of nine children. As a boy he enjoyed country music and learned to play the guitar and sing. He started playing and singing in his mother's living room. His mother said he always wanted to be a singing cowboy and when he was 7 years old he made his first guitar out of his grandfather's cigar box and elastics. Eric spotted a guitar he really liked in Simpsons when he was young. His mother put the $35 guitar on her account and Eric promised to pay her $2.50 from his paper route every month. He still has this guitar today. Eric later moved to Stewiacke where he now resides. Around 1951, he met Carl Dalrymple and they performed together on the Eric Bowers Show on Truro CKCL radio station for 5 years. These shows were sent and played at radio stations in Windsor, Kentville, Antigonish, and Bridgewater. Around 1954 Eric performed on a CBC TV show called Roundabout. Eric is known for his popular Elvis routine, which he started in 1956 at the Casino Theatre in Halifax while doing a benefit show to raise money for the Springhill mine disaster. He also began playing dances in 1956 in the Sackville and Bedford areas. He played on Country Time with Vic Mullen and Myrna Lorrie and also appeared several times as a special guest on the Downeasters show in the early 60's. Eric formed his band in the late 60's, first known as the Country Music Makers and now known as The Country Folk. Eric and his band are very close and have kept the same band members through the years including Carl Dalrymple, Ron Hanrahan, and eith DeLong. He had his own radio program where he was a DJ for CHFX in Halifax and had the opportunity to personally meet several famous stars such as Johnny Cash and Charley Pride. Eric started playing clubs in Halifax in the early 70's. The first club he played was Harbour Lights Lounge now known as Little Nashville. Eric had the privilege to share the same dressing room and play the same show with Barbara Mandrell in the 70's in Halifax. He has also shared the stage with Don Messer and is good friends with Tom T. Hall. Twin City Records released a 45" in the 70's of Eric's, which included the first song he ever wrote entitled "I'd Give The World To Have You Near Me". The 45" is now a collector's item. In Eric's 60-year career he has performed on Cable television, several Exhibitions, and numerous benefit shows. He has played for the Arthritis Telethon in Truro for almost 20 years. He has been a judge at many talent shows and been involved with a number of presentations through CHFX. Eric was inducted into the CHFX Country Music Hall of Fame and received the Trail Blazer Award from the Nova Scotia Country Music association.

Eric is an avid Hank Williams fan. He is also a Hank Snow and Elvis Presley fan and his favorite song happens to be "Satisfied Mind" by Porter Wagoner. Eric currently performs all over N.S. in senior's complexes, variety shows and festivals. Eric and the Country Folk are still a popular attraction at the Nine Mile River Jamboree where they have been performing for over 35 years.