Keith Cowley grew up as a singer in elementary and middle school. Outgoing and fearless at the time, he would try out for and secure solos in the school concerts. His peers would joke that he frequently “stole solos” from the female vocalists, belting ballads in the chorus. This led to his selection as a vocalist to represent the district among a handful of others in the state for multiple performances at the historic Garde Arts Center in New London, Connecticut. However as middle school pressed on, his voice changed abruptly and deeply. He stepped away from the stage unable to harness his new register. He went on to play saxophone and percussion in the school jazz band but they did not keep his interest. He spent most of his time writing, drawing wildlife and practicing martial arts.

His high school years were spent with a different family in a different town. He was exposed to a wide variety of bands and live music, and an uncle who owned a recording studio in Westerly, Rhode Island. He picked up his first guitar and began experimenting with his own style of fingerpicking and playing by ear. It was then when he challenged himself to develop his voice, practicing to bands he enjoyed, everything from James Taylor to 90’s rock.

In the early 2000’s, between travels, Cowley found himself spending nights at a cafe/bar called Perks & Corks that had singer/songwriters for live music. He befriended accomplished touring musician Marc Douglas Berardo who shared stories, gave him tips and encouragement, and the first opportunity to play music in front of a crowd.

Over the years Cowley would go on to play gigs all over the area, in restaurants and bars, and even at the iconic venue Knickerbocker Cafe. He started a Songwriter’s Open Mic at the Industrial Trust Building, and booked entertainment at Perks & Corks. He co-founded the Rock & Roll Xmas Show animal shelter benefit that ran for 10 years. He played intimate outdoor weddings and the 150 seat outdoor Farm Dinner event for the Westerly Land Trust. He wrote his own songs and played his favorite b-side covers. Then the pandemic arrived.

Right before pandemic hit, Cowley became very sick and was down for several weeks. At the time, many people experienced the same illness but it wasn’t known to be Covid yet. One of the long-term side effects was a loss of breath control and range. He became frustrated and while many people took advantage of the pandemic years to grow their craft, he allowed music to take a backseat to scraping by through difficult times.

In 2023, he was able to get music back into the room at Perks & Corks by hosting the new Songwriter’s Open Mic. Surrounding himself with musicians again he was inspired to put in the work to rebuild his voice and repertoire. Today, Cowley is finally working on his first EP of original music.