The Round Valley Hogcallers circa 1998 (l-r) Gary Bowman, Bob Helme, Katie Bowman, and Michelle Lambert.

Their band roster has included just about every acoustic musician in the region, thanks in no small part to charter member Gary Bowman's boundless enthusiasm for all things bluegrass. The Round Valley Hogcallers (along with their gospel alter ego, The Power and the Glory) have been a fixture of Covelo's musical landscape for over twenty five years. The fiddle slot has been filled by Roger Snyder, Heidi Lambert, and her sister Michelle, while guitarists included Roy Piña, Jeff Daniels, Chris Trott, Bob Helme, and Gene Cox. Gene also covered the mandolin and the tenor vocals, leaving Gary Bowman the enviable task of playing all the other instruments usually found in a bluegrass band, including banjo, dobro, and the washtub bass. Long time Round Valley residents will remember that almost every performance of the Hogcallers found the late Warren Walker on the standup bass, adding his many years of musical experience to a Covelo tradition, the Round Valley Hogcallers.

Careers, marriages, and retirements have called various Hogcallers to all parts of the U.S., but as Gary says, "Once a Hogcaller, always a Hogcaller." Heidi now teachs and plays in a local band called "The Reeltime Travelers" in Tennessee. Gene Cox has moved to Oregon and is still searching for a bluegrass baritone voice like Gary's to harmonize with. Gary is a school principal in Grass Valley today, along with being one half of "Local Motives" a duo which plays bluegrass, Celtic and swing tunes. Here in Covelo, Bob Helme explores musical styles with "Yippie! Coyote," while Michelle is working hard on songwriting, fiddling and dancing, and accompanying Aerosmith on the air guitar. But, not to worry, once a Hogcaller, always a Hogcaller. Michelle and Gary will be playing fiddle and guitar at the Sonoma County Home Show this September 15th, and Hogcaller fans everywhere trust that serendipity, the stars, or the good Lord will bring several Hogcallers together in Round Valley, with the usual result: "Preachin', Prayin', Singin' Down on the Public Square."