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Local bluesman recovering from wreck

Damon Fowler, who was injured Sunday in a crash on Interstate 75, is likely to be able to rejoin his band.

By EMILY NIPPS
Published December 17, 2005

TAMPA - Sunday evening, local blues musician Damon Fowler had just come off a three-day road gig and was looking forward to playing at a private party in Inverness. He loaded up his equipment and two band members into his Ford Econoline van and planned to meet his bass player at the party.

As Fowler drove north on Interstate 75, two cars began to stop and swerve in front of him. He slammed on his brakes, steered left and got clipped by a truck behind him. Fowler's van flipped on its driver's side and dragged along the road for 20 feet, scraping up Fowler's head and left shoulder.

Bobby Fowler, Damon's uncle and manager of the Damon Fowler Group, and drummer Don Stahl were able to climb out of the van. Damon, who was conscious, was pried out by off-duty medics, who happened to drive by the accident and had to shatter the windshield to get him out.

"When we saw Damon, we could see he had some ... massive tissue loss," Bobby Fowler said. Damon, 26, was airlifted to St. Joseph's Hospital, where he underwent skin graft surgery on Wednesday night. He also learned that just a few more feet of skidding could have killed him.

Fowler, who is recovering but in pain, expects to have at least one more skin graft procedure to close his scalp, along with several rehabilitation sessions for his shoulder.

The good news, Fowler said from his hospital room on Friday, is that doctors told him he should eventually be able to play the guitar with no problem. While he'll likely lose some use of his left shoulder, his blues riffs shouldn't suffer. "I just won't be able to throw a softball," he said. "But I was never good at throwing a softball anyway."

Fans of the Damon Fowler Group, which plays regular gigs at Tampa's Skipper's Smokehouse and St. Petersburg's Ringside Cafe, will still get to watch the band perform, but with singer Ed Wright filling in for Fowler this month.

Fowler hopes to return to the stage with only a few noticeable differences. His shoulder may still be bandaged. He might be a little sore. And his signature long ponytail, which he has had since he was 20, will probably be gone.

This shouldn't bother the group's faithful followers, who have been flooding the band's Web site (www.damonfowler.com) guest book with sympathy messages all week. Fowler said he has been stunned by all the support he has gotten while resting in the hospital.

"Visitors, flowers, calls ... Even shout-outs on the radio traffic news," he said. "It's been overwhelming."

Emily Nipps can be reached at 813 269-5313 or nipps@sptimes.com

[Last modified December 17, 2005, 01:00:13]