Piano playing a passion for Aspinwall musician Lucas Bowman

The Bowman family of Aspinwall have built-in musical entertainment for their growing family with freelance musician, dad and husband Lucas Bowman.

Bowman and his wife, Jenna, are raising twin 14-month-old boys, Charlie and Leo, in a home complete with keyboards and a guitar.

“The biggest perk to being married to a musician is endless amounts of piano playing for me and our children,” said Jenna Bowman, a Fox Chapel native.

The couple chose to live in Aspinwall for their growing family that includes their beloved rescue dog Abe, named after Abraham Lincoln.

They moved from Pittsburgh to Aspinwall two years ago, mainly to be closer to Jenna’s parents who reside in the Fox Chapel Area School District.

Abe is small but mighty with his robust bark and is the family’s sole pet.

“He’s still sometimes adjusting to the boys, but he’s a good dog,” Bowman said.

Growing up Gettysburg

Lucas Bowman, 32, was raised in Gettysburg by two history professors at Gettysburg College, William Bowman and Magdalena Sanchez.

“It was amazing. I love Gettysburg. I love my hometown — it’s awesome,” he said.

Bowman was touring colleges and chose Duquesne University for its affordability because his parents had some reciprocal tuition perks through their employment at Gettysburg College.

He majored in piano performance, specializing in jazz and classical piano performance at Duquesne and remained in Pittsburgh after graduating in 2016.

He previously taught music at Sunburst School of Music in Squirrel Hill.

Growing up in Gettysburg provided a small-town environment that is mirrored in the family’s Aspinwall lifestyle.

“There was always music around and I took piano lessons since the fourth grade,” Bowman said. “I was really more interested in playing sports until high school when I discovered electric guitar.”

As a child, Bowman always wanted to change songs and be improvisational.

“My teacher would say that was cool but that’s not how Beethoven meant for it to be played,” Bowman recalled.

Performing gives Bowman a creative freedom he appreciates.

“I think me coming to music kind of late in the game — a lot of people I know get very burned out because they’ve been playing since they were very young and it wasn’t fun. For me, I always enjoy it,” Bowman said.

Never bored

From backyard party gigs to professional bookings nationwide, Bowman plays with The Commonheart, known for its rock and soul music.

The Commonheart has shared the stage with Willie Nelson, Los Lobos, Van Morrison, Jack White, Brandi Carlile and many others.

Van Morrison was dressed to the nines onstage when Bowman played with The Commonheart in the Outlaw Music Festival Tour 2018.

“We were a nobody with all of these groups,” Bowman recalled. “Willie Nelson was really cool and nice. We watched from side stage and Van Morrison and came offstage and 10 minutes later a guy (Morrison) who looked almost like a homeless dude got into a limo and drove away.”

Making music provides Bowman with variety.

“You’re never bored as an artist. Being a musician comes with its own trials, but I like the variety and it’s always dynamic and interesting and never the same thing,” Bowman said. “A lot of my musician friends stay here in Pittsburgh because it’s got a great culture and a welcoming and vibrant arts community.”

Courtesy of Lucas Bowman

Musician Lucas Bowman of Aspinwall performs on June 4 at The Original Pittsburgh Winery in the Strip District.

Summer is his busiest season for booking gigs. Bowman also provides musical lessons to about 30 students piano in the Fox Chapel Area, plays piano at The First United Presbyterian Church of Crafton Heights and is a member of Saint Scholastica Church in Aspinwall.

Musical influences as a youngster included U2 and Simon and Garfunkel.

“I remember my dad showing me U2 them for the first time — the cassette — I had never heard anything like that at the time,” Bowman said.

The twins love jamming with dad.

“They always want to rip the guitar out of my hand and rip up on the keyboard. I’ll just kind of put it in front of them and see how they like it,” he said.

When not performing, Bowman enjoys watching baseball and playing tennis.