Hairy-chested, fiddle-driven nautical songs, rollicking bluegrass and Appalachian tunes, old-timey instrumental masterpieces, broad-shouldered Celtic classics, captivating originals, and Downeast wit pepper every show by Maine-based Dave Rowe. Dave, frequently backed by his folk band, seamlessly blends traditional and contemporary music with themes of northern New England, its interesting culture and rich heritage, effectively transporting the listener to the great state of Maine—from mountains to foothills to coast, from factory worker to farmer to fisherman. Dave’s own sturdy songcraft is uniquely suited to express these traditional themes and imagery of hard work, community, and family together with stunning clarity. His group’s inventive use of instrumentation on guitar, fiddle, electric bass, and tin whistles along with strong vocal harmonies which hearken back to the great folk bands of the 1960s creates an unique musical tapestry rarely heard in the contemporary folk landscape.

Dave Rowe has a strong heritage to draw on, having grown up immersed in music. His father was Tom Rowe, Schooner Fare's bass player, whose driving rhythms laid the foundation for that group's robust sound. Tom's abiding joy in the music infected his son. At 12, Dave took up the tuba(!) and got formal training on piano before having his dad teach him the electric bass. By 15, he was making money making music as the bass player with the Makem Brothers, Tommy Makem's sons. At 19, he picked up a guitar for the first time, then moved on to learning banjo and mandolin. In 1993, the Rowe men did the most natural thing in the world and formed Rowe by Rowe. When they added Denny Breau (younger brother of legendary guitarist, Lenny Breau) in 1998, they became Turkey Hollow. This configuration toured extensively until Dave lost his dad to cancer early in 2004.

Following his dad’s passing, Dave began touring, as he knows his dad would have wanted him to do. He began booking shows, both by himself or flanked by bassist, Kevin O’Reilly, and fiddler, Zach Ovington. Playing shows up and down the eastern seaboard from Maine to Virginia and to the midwest to concert venues in Wisconsin, Iowa, and Nebraska, Dave’s show is race-ready and road-tested. With boundless energy, enthusiasm, obvious love for the music and stories, and absolute reverence for those who led him down this path, Dave and his bandmates are charting a new course in folk music to festivals and concert halls all over Maine and the country.

In March 2010, Dave opened a new chapter in his performing life, joining forces with another Maine artist, Troy R. Bennett (also of the Half Moon Jug Band), to become The Squid Jiggers. In 2011, Troy and Dave started Vacationland Music, a company dedicated to bringing their folk music to a wider audience, and as such, their three groups are beginning to look into touring together. With the high cost of touring, putting all three bands on the road at once allows promoters and concert organizers to hire three very different bands for a much lower rate than hiring them separately. This is an exciting development which will help festivals, non-profits arts organizations, and concert series realize real savings while presenting wonderful, diverse programs. For more information, please visit Vacationland Music’s website, or call Dave or Troy toll-free at 866-655-7171.