David Lowery (musician)
The sly, sardonic songwriter who fused punk ethos with folk and world music in Camper Van Beethoven before leading the alt-country rock of Cracker.
Born 1960 (age 66)·American singer-songwriter·Birthday: September 10·Baby Boomers
Biography
David Lowery operates from the intersection of subversion and melody, a sharp-witted observer who built a dedicated following outside the mainstream. He first turned heads in the 1980s with Camper Van Beethoven, a band that gleefully defied categorization by mixing ska, punk, folk, and Eastern European melodies with absurdist lyrics. Hits like 'Take the Skinheads Bowling' showcased his unique, deadpan humor. When that band dissolved, he co-founded Cracker, channeling a more straightforward, roots-rock sound that produced 90s alt-rock radio staples like 'Low' and 'Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now).' Lowery is also a fierce advocate for artists' rights, drawing from his parallel career as a lecturer in music business and economics at the University of Georgia. His outspoken critiques of streaming economics and industry practices have made him a significant voice for musician equity, proving his impact extends far beyond the stage.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
David was born in 1960, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When David Was Born
The biggest hits of 1960
#1 Movie
Swiss Family Robinson
Best Picture
The Apartment
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
David's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1960Born
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1965Started school
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1973Became a teenager
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Could drive
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1978Could vote
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Turned 21
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1990Turned 30
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 40
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 50
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 60
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 66 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Founded the influential alternative band Camper Van Beethoven, known for their genre-blending 1985 album 'Telephone Free Landslide Victory.'
- Co-founded the band Cracker, which achieved mainstream rock success with their self-titled 1992 album and single 'Low.'
- Became a prominent activist for musicians' rights, testifying before the U.S. Congress about streaming royalty issues.
- Authored the widely-read music industry blog 'The Trichordist,' focusing on artist advocacy.
Did You Know?
He holds a degree in Mathematics from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Lowery taught a course on the music business at the University of Georgia's Terry College of Business.
The band name 'Cracker' was chosen partially as a reclaiming of a Southern pejorative.
He successfully sued Spotify in a class-action lawsuit for unpaid royalties.
“The problem with the music industry is that it's run by people who don't like music.”
