JT Bowen is an American R&B singer in the style of Otis Redding and Wilson
Pickett, and is best known as the lead singer of the band Clarence Clemons &
The Red Bank Rockers.
In 1960, Bowen got his start singing with the local band The Rockets in
Maryland, where he had gone by the name of Little Johnny Redding, the
moniker arising from his emulation of Otis Redding’s style. He stayed with The
Rockets until 1965. It was during his tenure with The Rockets that he met
Clarence Clemons, who was attending Maryland State College and was
moonlighting with the band The Vibratones. Bowen and Clemons would
frequent each other’s bands early on, which helped foster a 50-year musical
relationship.
After Bowen’s service in the Army, he sang as lead vocalist of multiple R&B
and Soul band including Soul Flame, the Chosen Few and Surrender. Around
the period 1970-71, Clarence Clemons also played with the Chosen Few
before moving on to work with Bruce Springsteen.
In 1981, Clemons asked Bowen to join him as lead vocalist for the Red Bank
Rockers, where he would sing lead on their debut album Rescue, which
featured “Woman’s Got the Power” and a Bruce Springsteen composition,
“Savin’ Up”.
The Red Bank Rockers toured extensively between 1981 and 1984. Also
during this period, Bowen lent his vocals to the Little Steven & the Disciples of
Souls album Men Without Women, the Bruce Springsteen-produced Gary
U.S. Bonds album On the Line and the Garry Tallent of the E Street Band-
produced album We’ve Got the Love.
One of the highlights of Bruce Springsteen’s 1985 Born in the U.S.A. multi-
night Meadowland’s engagement at Giants Stadium was JT’s appearance
singing “Woman’s Got the Power” alongside Springsteen. Bowen continued to
front many bands on the Asbury Park Music Scene.