Guitarist Ralph Towner

Guitarist Ralph Towner

Guitarist Ralph Towner

Birthday Wishes

March 1, 1940

Icarus by Towner

Guitarist Ralph Towner

Guitarist Ralph Towner

One of many

There were over 160 performers who played on the stage in 1969 at the Woodstock Music and Art Fair. Many were , became, and have remained everyday names. Instantly recognizable. Icons.

Those are the names that visitors to the Museum at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts ask about on a docent tour with a Woodstock alum. “Where you there for…?”

Tim Hardin is not one of the names asked after and those who played with him during his set even less so.

Guitarist Ralph Towner

Tim Hardin

Ralph Towner played at Woodstock. Ralph Towner played with Tim Hardin at Woodstock. Ralph Towner never stopped playing.

An interesting thing (to me at least) about his site‘s bio page is that the word Woodstock doesn’t even appear. Well, he really doesn’t need another credit to his very long list.

Guitarist Ralph Towner

Chehalis, Washington

Towner was born in Chehalis, Washington. His mother was a piano teacher, his father a trumpet player, so it was no surprise that he enrolled as an art major at the University of Oregon in 1958. He changed to composition.

He became interested in jazz and in 1968 Towner moved to New York City to deepen his love within its jazz scene.  Paul Winter invited Towner to be part of the Paul Winter Consort.

It was with the Paul Winter Consort that he met Glen Moore, Paul McCandless, and Collin Walcott. They would all form the band Oregon in 1971. Though Towner has played with dozens of other people, Oregon was and continues to be his home port.

Guitarist Ralph Towner

Acoustic jazz

There aren’t many acoustic jazz guitarists, but Towner is one of if not the best. I am far from an expert about jazz and those who fill that field with wonderful music, but I do recognize a few of the names he’s played with and have found their music great and wish it were more widely promoted.

Watch this video and be amazed.

Guitarist Ralph Towner

3 thoughts on “Guitarist Ralph Towner”

  1. From Joe Cheshul via Facebook: Ralph was one of my BIGGEST influences ! Spent a couple hours with him at his house in mid 1970’s , genius musician.

    also from Joe: I’m a rush with memories of Ralph with Oregon !!!! ; his album “Solstice ” with Jan Gabarek and Eberhard Weber – listened to that a million times – , bought the exact model Guild 12 string acoustic and played that in public performance for years ….could go on and on about Ralph !!!!. amazed at how he played 12string “CLASSICAL STYLE” !!!

  2. Muruga Booker was also a part of the Paul Winter Consort, as was Richard Bock. That may be how they all joined Tim Hardin’s Band.

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