A soulful songwriter from north Texas, Dowd embodies Americana music. Stirring raw emotion, his songs tug hard on the heartstrings, drawing from his country and folk background. After the release of his self-titled debut album in 2012, Dowd surprised many by his album spending several weeks near the top of the AMA chart. His disparate influences from Steve Earle and Walt Wilkins to James Taylor and John Fogerty guide the way. “Walt Wilkins showed me how to weave complex ideas into a relatable story,” Dowd explains. “Steve Earle is unapologetically himself. I love it. Jason Isbell shows that it's okay to write cryptically as well as straightforward. You don't have to focus on just one approach. Tyler Childers writes what he wants and says, 'Fuck it.'”

Folks notice the strong influences in Dowd's unique style. “Byron has one of the best country music voices I've ever heard,” says Mark David Manders, a former B.W. Stevenson songwriting award winner at Dallas' iconic Poor David's Pub. “His voice is one hundred percent barroom baritone, the kind of voice that can get a girl to two-step and dare her boyfriend to step outside all in the same breath. His songs are country – not honkytonk – but Jason Boland and Waylon Jennings kind of country.”

“Byron has an honesty in his voice that you believe when you hear it,” echoes singer Matt Hillyer of 1100 Springs. “That’s the thing that sells a song, and he’s got it for sure. His lyrics take you to places you would have to have lived through, and when he delivers them you know he has.”

Quick backstory: Dowd stepped away from music professionally to focus on his newborn son seven years ago. Then one fateful day last year his son asked Dad why had so many guitars that he doesn't play. That simple question ignited his songwriting fire and Dowd was off tracking a brand-new collection of original songs at Audio Dallas immediately after that conversation. More songs to take around the globe: Longtime fans know Dowd’s depictions of life’s lessons have been honed through playing stages across the United States as well as Europe. Dowd has traveled from the Netherlands down to Italy, Austin up to St. Louis, but now enjoys residing with his roots of north Texas. Dowd aims high this year with the appropriately title High Road as he follows his true passion of songwriting.

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