There are times when someone says something so powerful, something so important, and says it in such a way that hearing it becomes equally as important; this is one of those times.
Lowen & Navarro are musicians I met years ago at the NERFA folk music conference. I remember Eric Lowen as a very tall, powerful man who walked with a cane. We went down a hallway together on one of those hectic evenings and I remember him asking me about what I do. I told him I wasn’t a “real musician” as he was, because I don’t write songs, don’t record them, don’t do all those things we associate with professional musicians. I remember he looked down at me with those kindly eyes and laughed. “None of those things make me real and you not,” he said, “It’s only that we do things differently.” For the rest of the walk, I felt as tall as Eric.
I hadn’t seen him since then, and now I know why: ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
And, what does Eric do with his music now? He sings it better than ever, and raises his voice with those of others afflicted with ALS, to raise money for the research into finding a cure.
Please watch Lowen & Navarro’s video – each viewing generates a donation. This is folk music at its most powerful. Sing along.
Tangled Strings 