The country music community lost a great one today. Bluegrass great, country hit songwriter, and frequent Chris Stapleton collaborator, Ronnie Bowman, tragically passed away today, March 22, 2026, following a motorcycle accident in Nashville. He was 64 years old. Born in Mount Airy, North Carolina, Bowman was raised on the “high lonesome” sounds of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Like many in the country music world, he got his start in music at a young age singing Gospel music and hymns at various local churches. He began his professional journey in the late 1980s with The Lost & Found, but his breakout moment in the genre came when he joined the Lonesome River Band in 1990. Alongside bluegrass greats Sammy Shelor and Dan Tyminski, Bowman worked to become in integral part of the bluegrass scene in the ’90s. Their 1991 album, Carrying the Tradition, became a landmark recording, winning the IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) Album of the Year. Solo Work and Songwriting As a solo artist, Bowman’s smooth yet soulful voiced earned him the IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year award three times (1995, 1998, and 1999). His solo albums, particularly Cold Virginia Night and The Man I’m Tryin’ to Be, are must-listen albums for any bluegrass fan. And while his voice made him a star in bluegrass, his pen made him a legend in Nashville. Bowman became one of the most sought-after songwriters in country music, frequently collaborating with the great Chris Stapleton on a number of hits, including the Kenny Chesney Hit “Never Wanted Nothing More.” He’s also wrote a number of songs that Chris himself cut, including “Outlaw State of Mind,” “Nobody To Blame,” “It Takes A Woman,” among others. He also has cuts with Marcus King, Jake Owen, Brooks and Dunn, Cody Johnson, George Strait, and more. Ronnie Bowman was more than a singer and a songwriter… he brought eras together, a quintessential pillar of bluegrass history that connect the legends of old… and the modern day stars of today. Country star and bluegrass aficionado, Dierks Bentley, shared some pretty powerful words following the passing of his friend, including a great personal story that is truly emblematic of the kind of guy Ronnie was: “Going to take awhile for it to sink in that Ronnie Bowman is gone. He was the favorite bluegrass and country singer of everyone I know. And he was everyone’s favorite hang. So many memories come to mind of my earlier days hanging out with him and the Station Inn and bluegrass pals here, but one that just came to mind was at the inaugural Delfest. My wife loved Ronnie’s song “It’s Getting Better All the Time” (which Brooks and Dunn cut.) Obsessed really. And while she was sleeping in a bunk on the bus, I went and found Ronnie and asked him if he would come serenade her! He came up on the bus with his guitar, snuck back into the middle bunk section which is very dark, hit the first chord and “I don’t stop breathing every time the phone rings….” Imagine sleeping and all of a sudden you hear someone who’s voice you love but hadn’t met, singing your current all time fav song, six inches away from your head on the other side of a bus bunk curtain, in the pitch dark. Shock and confusion followed by tears and laughs. It was the sweetest thing to do, and that’s just how he was. Listening to that song takes on a whole new meaning now. Can’t imagine what Garnett, his family and all his close friends are feeling right now. Thoughts and prayers for them, and for all the RoBo fans out there, as he’s affectionally referred to in my band. We all loved him.” View this post on Instagram Our condolences to his family and friends, I have already seen eulogies come in from stars like Dierks Bentley, as well as Alison Krauss and others, and it’s only a matter of time before many more pour in as well for someone as beloved as Ronnie. RIP Ronnie… you will be greatly missed. The post Bluegrass Great & Hit Country Songwriter, Ronnie Bowman, Dead At 64 After Tragic Motorcycle Accident first appeared on Whiskey Riff.