Music Instructors

Bruce Garnett Fowler was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, where he received the bulk of his real-world music education. He has been a full-time musician for the past twenty-one years in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and the surrounding areas. Bruce was born with a passion for music, which was cultivated at an early age growing up in a household where one would hear everything from 60s soul to opera. By the time Bruce began taking private drum lessons at age thirteen, he possessed an intuitive understanding of music composition in all genres. By age sixteen Bruce was performing professionally in genres ranging from rock and soul to jazz and classical in the greater Los Angeles area. By age twenty Bruce formed and led his own band, which recorded an album in 1976. Bruce was inspired to play drums by accomplished drummer, musician, composer, arranger, and Grammy Award winner Andre Fischer, whom Bruce knew personally. Bruce was mentored by Fischer for five years, gaining first-hand knowledge and experience in studio recording, live performance, and the understanding of business and professionalism as a musician and drummer. Notably, at age twenty, Bruce had the opportunity to perform for and be personally critiqued by four time Grammy Award Winner, Marvin Gaye. Bruce's passion for music and drumming is obvious when watching and listening to him perform and is equaled by his passion for teaching.
 
                                                         Notable Mentions
 
Have given private lessons, music instruction, been an accompanist musician and/or performed at the following:
Sigler Music Fort Smith, Community School for the Arts Fort Smith, University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, Fort Smith Symphony, Northside and Southside High School Fort Smith, Van Buren High School, Alma High School, Greenwood High School, Cedarville High School, Roland High School Roland, Oklahoma; Poteau High School, Poteau, Oklahoma, Chaffin Junior High School Fort Smith, Mulberry Middle and Elementary School; all of the Fort Smith Public Elementary Schools; Barling Elementary School; Immaculate Conception Elementary School; Christ the King Elementary School; Dardanelle Music Festival hosted by Dardanelle High School, Little Rock Air Force Base, Jacksonville, Arkansas. Presently giving private lessons at Lavaca Worship Arts Academy in Lavaca, Arkansas, and has been the 1 st Baptist Church Lavaca, Arkansas, drummer for the past fourteen years.