Meet Ender Bowen | Rock/Pop Artist. Author. Podcaster. Aspiring Compassionist.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ender Bowen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ender, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I grew up in Northern New York – almost Canada. A lot of people think of New York as being very urban. But in reality, once you go past “Upstate” and in particular if you continue north past Syracuse and Central New York, it’s small towns and farmland – not altogether unlike the midwest or the deep south. In a sense I grew up in the middle of nowhere.

Where I grew up is really nice. It was safe, it was quiet. But it was also a place that was very spread out. As a kid, when you had to depend on other people to get places, you weren’t likely seeing any of your friends that much. They just weren’t close by. So I was reading very early, getting into movies to pass the time, and was writing before I was ten. Constantly trying to create to entertain myself.

As I got into my teen years it wasn’t really any better. I didn’t have my own transportation apart from a bike and my friends lived miles away (plus coming home I’d have to walk up a giant hill with my bike – not fun). And the winters were cold and long. I wasn’t an outdoors kind of person to begin with. I often only saw my friends at school or at a school function or the occasional sleepover. And growing up where I did, for me, I only saw two choices: find trouble or be creative. The latter one I was already doing and I wasn’t (and still am not) interested in trouble. Plus, I wanted to get out of that area when I grew up. I had visions of being a famous rock star, which also solved the other problem I had: I didn’t want to be lonely.

Even in my later teen years I think that’s what was driving me to make music. I made really amazing friends in college but I think because “loneliness” was comfortable I wasn’t always as eager to go out and do stuff. I was more focused on my craft. That was still driven by wanting to get out of the area (I went to college up near where I grew up) and not wanting to be lonely. But I also think, subconsciously what I REALLY wanted was to help other people who were lonely. Artists like U2 and authors like Orson Scott Card really resonated with me because in some strange way I felt like they got me. They understood loneliness – or at least the idea of having to do it on your own. I wanted to be that for other people.

I think by pursuing something artistic and creative, it not only gave me an outlet to present ME to the world in ways that a job or a business career couldn’t do. It certainly opened the door to not have to be lonely again – the attention that being an entertainer could bring was very attractive. And don’t get me wrong, that’s still in my mind, but these days it’s not so much about serving ME as it is about how the more attention I get the more likely it is that I can serve OTHERS. As I’ve grown and matured I see my works as being… pieces of entertainment, yes… but also a way to explain human experiences in ways that I don’t think I could otherwise.

At this point, I not only make music but I also run a website called GodJots.com. I talk about my faith and where I get it from and what I do with it, but ultimately it’s about trying to create a more Compassionate world – no matter who or what you are. It’s not just for religious or spiritual people – it’s for everyone… but being transparent about where it comes from is very important to me. Because I’m trying to create a community of “Little Lights” and bring people together I see this as an extension of solving the loneliness problem. Reaching out and letting people know they’re not alone.

Likewise, I do another site called JoyCommission.com, which is about finding ways to inspire Joy in peoples’ lives (including your own). Another extension of solving the loneliness problem.

All of this, I suppose, could lead us into the area of concerns about mental health, suicide rates, the effect COVID isolation had on us as individuals and as a society… I care very deeply about these things.

But I don’t want to just smack people over the head with them. I don’t want to just deliver heavy stuff and think that’s going to work. So I am always finding new ways to try and be entertaining with it – to be humorous or flippant or weird. Kind of a “take the work seriously, but don’t take yourself seriously” kind of thing. Being artistic, being creative, rather than just regurgitating data (for instance) gives me the freedom to present these things in ways that maybe people aren’t expecting, that CAN be fun (sort of… some jokes are just for me I think!) and that can really inspire and help.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My wife and I always joke that our experiences in entertainment (film, television, music industry, etc) as well as some of our employment experiences, have been a masterclass in What Not To Do 101. We largely didn’t learn how to do things, or how to do things in our respective fields of interest, by being taken under someone’s wing and being taught the ropes (which is not to say that hasn’t happened at all) – we learned it by being shown what NOT to do.

When I first moved to Nashville in 2006, within a few months I had a record deal. But it never went anywhere because it was so poorly managed, and neither myself, nor my wife (who was also signed with them at the time) were treated very well. Worse, neither were the people the label interacted with or did business with externally. We saw first-hand how NOT to treat people, how NOT to do business.

We got out of those contracts in 2008 but at the time I didn’t have the publishing rights to some of my own music so I didn’t know if I wanted to do that anymore. My wife and I started a sketch comedy troupe and while we had some good experiences, we had one where we were supposed to do two live shows in Murfreesboro – a Friday and Saturday night thing. It was going to be our first REAL live show. We got the venue and the owner said he accidentally double-booked us so he asked if we would perform at the place next door that night, and Saturday we’d be at his theater. Next door? A hookah bar. Yes – we performed an entire sketch comedy show in a corner of the building. Strangely… we were well accepted. As we (and our supporting staff who were volunteers) were all from Gallatin and Hendersonville we stayed in Murfreesboro with a friend that night, and the next morning the theater owner called and said he had to have us do the hookah bar again. I immediately said no – I wasn’t putting our volunteer staff or our audience (because some people DID come to see us even in the hookah bar) through that again. Another experience of “how not to treat people”.

Around 2009 or so I was playing bass for a local artist who, as it turns out, thought she was a gigantic rock star and so she carried herself that way. She treated all of us terribly, and when she severely disrespected and insulted the lead guitar player – someone who had been essentially acting as her transportation voluntarily – in front of us and two other bands, the rest of us stood up for him and quit. She bashed us all over MySpace. I wrote a lengthy reply but after doing so deleted it and just let it go. I wasn’t going to go rolling around in that mud. Yet another experience of what not to do.

We’ve had a bunch more of those too. While they’ve been very difficult, and while I think in many ways some of those experiences set us back, I’m still grateful for them. Instinctually I know the proper way to treat people. I was raised right. My first boss is still one of my favorite people on the planet – she was the kind of person who would stick her neck out for you, someone you didn’t want to let down. So I’ve had examples of how to do things right. I’ve had examples of the kind of person I want to be.

I’m not perfect. I make mistakes. I sometimes open my mouth and immediately find out how my foot tastes. But I’m human. I work to fix it. To be better. And I think that translates in my work. I really do care about helping people, and being creative, artistic, and (somewhat) entertaining is the only real way I know how to do that. I think that’s what sets me apart. I haven’t had a guide the whole way. I haven’t often (or much) had that real guiding force in my life. Not in the way a lot of entrepreneurs do. I’ve thankfully had people along the way, like my mother, that first boss, my last boss, Gerard Longo at UMC, my wife, an insanely amazing and supportive tight circle of friends. But largely I’ve seen the nasty side of it. The side that hurts people, takes advantage of them, thinks only for themselves and isn’t actually trying to serve their community. Because I’m human, I’m liable to fall into those traps (in fact I often tell people I write GodJots.com just as much for me as anyone else!) but thankfully I’ve seen what those things look like. I think, as a creative personality, this makes me more dependable, trustworthy, and authentic. Which is increasingly important in a world full of fakery, nonsense, and a quick dollar.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
It’s the second week in May.

Morning:
– Brunch at Mere Bulles in Brentwood. Probably the best brunch on the planet.
– Brunch or breakfast at Music City Diner in Hendersonville.
– Brunch or breakfast at First Watch in Hendersonville. I love their “Farm Fresh” vibe and unique breakfast drinks and juice blends.

Afternoon:
– Centennial Park and The Parthenon. Probably kick a soccer ball around or play frisbee with the kids and fam.
– Rent a boat in Hendersonville and take it out onto the lake. Hit Two-Foot or one of the other coves where you can just anchor, relax in waist-deep water and have a few drinks.
– Take a walk down Broadway to see some of the sites and places… better to do this late afternoon/early evening as it can get pretty packed and sometimes dangerous with traffic.
– Lunch at Assembly Food Hall across from Bridgestone Arena on Broadway. Tons of amazing places to try and great drink selections. Highly recommend Poke or Hattie B’s (if you’ve never done real Nashville Hot Chicken).

Evening:
– PF Chang’s right across from Centennial… because my wife will have insisted (especially if we were just at Centennial)!
– Dinner at Sanders Ferry Pizza and Pub on Sanders Ferry in Hendersonville. One of the best places for pizza, GREAT selection of drinks, and an awesome atmosphere (and great people)!
– I’m a Nashville SC season ticket holder, Roadies (supporter club) member, and an honorary original FC founder, so I HAVE to bring them to a soccer game. We can get some drinks and food at either ML Rose on Franklin or Diskin Cider on Martin. From there we can leave our car(s) parked and walk to the stadium.
– Take in a show at either the Ryman or Opry. Two of the BEST venues I’ve ever been to.
– Top Golf

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are many people who deserve a shoutout and credit, including my wife Emily Steele, and a lot of people who have supported me and helped get my name out.

But the one I want to give a shout out to today is Gerard Longo, of Underground Music Collective (umcnashville.com). We got connected a couple years ago, and immediately hit it off. We both believe in finding ways for your work to serve your community. I am the first graduate from his UMC Academy, where you learn how to focus your passion into real tangible goals, strategies, and action. I was struggling before working with him, and he really helped me focus and find new ways to do the things I’m trying to do. It really lit a fire under me when I needed it, and we’re still helping each other accomplish our goals today.

Website: https://enderbowen.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/ender.bowen

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/enderbowen/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/enderbowen

Facebook: https://facebook.com/enderbowen

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/enderbowen

Other: Spotify: https://enderbowen.com/spotify (this will get you there)
Discord (Little Lights Community) https://enderbowen.com/discord (this will get you there)
Store: https://enderbowenstore.com