This “American Soldier” and his road brothers with Far From the City Band

BRYAN COWSERT
Lead Guitar and Lead Vocal

Bryan Cowsert began his musical career at the young age of nine, when he received his first drum set from his parents. He was influenced by bands such as Led Zeppelin, The Who, Chicago and Three Dog Night and was able to learn the sometimes complex drum patterns from the songs. As time progressed, he became an “A” student in band in many different elementary, junior high, and high schools he attended.  “I never went with the drum sheet music, I always just played what I thought fit, and I guess it worked!” he says. While in Junior High School, Bryan cut his first record (an actual 45) at Bud Pressners Studio in Gary Indiana with the band Ocean. Bryan remembers his parents waking him up at midnight to let him know he was on the radio and the thrill and sense of accomplishment he felt hearing himself over the radio waves.  Throughout High School, Bryan played in a variety of different Rock & Roll cover bands at parties, dances and bars in the states of Indiana, Washington, Colorado and Kansas.

When Bryan turned 18, he gave up his dishwashing job at a pie house, sold his pick-up truck for $400.00, purchased his first “real” electric guitar and enlisted in the United States Army Infantry at Fort Drum, NY. “When we weren’t in the field training or deploying somewhere, I was playing guitar, this is what I did with the majority of my off time.” He states. 

Bryan started trying to incorporate singing into his guitar routine and was fascinated by the vocal ability of Geoff Tate from the band Queensryche. He began an in-dept study of the techniques of some of his main influences and continued to practice for the next three years.

After being honorably discharged from the Army, Bryan auditioned vocally for the successful, progressive metal band Dreemwich, and got the job. Long hours of rehearsal, longer hours in the studio and East coast mini-tours honed Bryan’s vocal ability and provided him with the experience of life on the road. “Yea, I have lived on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and cold Dinty Moore beef stew before!” he states.

Bryan’s love for country music and bluegrass began while listening to an AM radio station while crossing the Mississippi river while on tour. He was amazed at the flat-picking ability and dexterity of the musicians and began writing some country/bluegrass riffs unbeknownst to the band. Dreemwich received some worldwide recognition and American radio play and are still together today rocking it out.

After Dreemwich, Bryan began writing songs, some of which he was forgotten, and took some years off from the live scene. Then one day in 2008 on the way home from work he decided to write a series of demos and play every instrument on the demos himself. He bought an inexpensive digital recorder and some microphones and began to write and record in the basement most of what you hear today. Bryan describes his music as a cross between 80’s Rock and new country with a twist of bluegrass at times. After putting up his songs on MySpace at the suggestion of his Son, the music began to get noticed. Bryan received an offer from a promoter to showcase his music at the 2008 CMA Festival in Nashville two weeks after posting the music on the internet. This opportunity included a photo shoot and rehearsal with an unbelievable Nashville band who already know his material when he arrived. He also won an award for the most request for “I Wasn’t Ready” on KRFC 88.9 FM, Fort Collins, Colorado. Bryan continues to write, record and rehearse with his new multi-talented band in the San Antonio, TX area, and may be coming to a town near you very soon.

JEFF LaFOSSE
Bass and Backing Vocals

Thanks to his parents, music has been a part of his life from day one. There hasn’t been a day in Jeff’s life where music wasn’t involved in some capacity!

Jeff started his musical path on the bass around 3^rd grade.

His dad would teach him The Beatles music catalog. This first song he ever learned on the bass was “Things We Said Today”.

However, Jeff then put the bass down when he moved to San Antonio in the 90’s while in the 6^th

grade. Jeff soon had a new instrument in his sights: THE GUITAR! Although his bass knowledge was that of The Beatles and McCartney, Jeff wanted to explore his musical taste of the time: grunge. Jeff picked up a 6 string and didn’t look back.  The Beatles, MetallicA, and Bush were his main influences. Then Jeff discovered an unknown band in 1998 called Creed.  Mark Tremonti changed his thinking about how the guitar could be played with solos and rhythm incorporated at the same time.

Along the way, Jeff was in a couple of bands, but he really hit a musical composition stride with Brian Coltrane and their band Front. Jeff and Brian met at the University of Texas at Austin in English class of all places. Their love for MetallicA had them conversing about music straight away. Brian’s guitar style was the yin to Jeff’s yang. Jeff could play clean and Brian could play dirty and with speed.  It’s thanks to Brian that Jeff’s technique became much faster.

In 2001, Jeff left UT and moved back to San Antonio. By then, he totally lost sight of the bass because the guitar had become his life! When Jeff was down, happy, or any other emotion you can think of, the guitar was always his salvation. Literally! Jeff even played in the choir at his Granny’s church! However, he met a girl. Jeff got married in 2004 and left the band scene to concentrate on school in order to provide a better life for his wife and future children. However, composing and his acoustic were never far away.

Jeff’s wife is a major driving force for him to continue his musical journey and is the sole reason Jeff ever listened to country. He’s glad she did because he would have never known about Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, or Martina McBride (who is “hands down the best vocalist I’ve ever seen live”). When Jeff got fed up with music and was going to sell his entire guitar inventory she wouldn’t let him and Jeff thanks her for that. She has also helped Jeff meet a couple of his music heroes Mark Tremonti and Paul Reed Smith.

Jeff also had about 3 years of working at KZEP 104.5 FM in San Antonio as On-Air Talent, Morning Show Producer, and Live Remote Engineer. He had the honor to work side by side with the mighty T-Bone, Craig Chambers, Bill Elliott, Ron O’Brien, and Bryan Kendall! Again, music has been a part of his life no matter what he does!

There are many new possibilities with music in Jeff’s life. Now that he has joined Bryan Cowsert and Far From The City, Jeff has gone full circle to the instrument that started it all for him: back the playing bass!

VENTURE CARTER
Drums

Venture Carter is a hard working musician who loves all types of music. He started on a proper drum set in 1989, but he has been playing percussion well before that. He would set up pots, pans, and a heater for his kick drum when he was a kid.

Carter not only kills it behind a drum kit, but he has many other talents. Cater began playing the keyboard in 1990 and along the way he taught himself how to play the bass, acoustic guitar, tuba, trombone, and sax.

Cater has recorded keyboard for various Christian and Gospel albums, played keyboards for national Gospels acts, and has also played bass live multiple times. He has played for universities, churches, conventions, banquets, and multiple concerts. Music means so much in Carter’s life, “I just enjoy doing what I do which is having fun, inspiring, and teaching as many people as God allows me to reach.”

He has now joined Bryan Cowsert and his band Far From The City and this band has never sounded as powerful until Venture brought not only his talent, but his positive attitude to the fold.

Carter has lived in many places thanks to his stint in the United States Air Force. This band has a strong sense of patriotism with Bryan being an Army Vet, Jeff growing up with a father who was a TI in the USAF, and now with Carter being an AF Vet.

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