In support of a friend - Ralston Bowles

Can Ralston Bowles play Rothbury? Jane Stancil of The Lollipops is leading charge to get Grand Rapids singer a slot

by Meegan Holland | The Grand Rapids Press

Tuesday June 16, 2009, 2:09 PM

Courtesy PhotoFans are trying to get Ralston Bowles a slot at Rothbury.

GRAND RAPIDS - The West Michigan folk music community, led by musician Jane Stancil ofThe Lollipops and Potato Moon, hopes to get singer-songwriterRalston Bowles on the Rothbury bill.

Bowles, who was recently diagnosed with colon cancer, says he'll find out soon what his post-surgical treatment is. For now, he says he's ready to perform and wishes he could have entered a contest sponsored by myFoxDetroit.com for viewers to pick a Michigan band to fill one last slot at Rothbury. The festival is July 2-5 at Double JJ Ranch in Rothbury, Mich.

Bowles missed the deadline due to the circumstances surrounding his surgery. No matter: Jane Stancil is encouraging his fans to write letters to the booking agent at Rothbury to give the singer-songwriter a slot.

"We need your help! We need to ruffle some feathers - make waves. The booking agents at Rothbury need to know what they're missing out on!" Stancil says on a Facebook page she created to rally support.

Stancil even suggests a letter that fans can send tobooking@rothburyfestival.com:

Rothbury booking agent,

I am writing to respectfully request your inclusion of Ralston Bowles in this year's line up at the Rothbury Music Festival. The event is amazing and has great community support. Ralston is an incredible talent and has shared them for a variety of community benefits. I understand that he may have missed a deadline for submission for consideration in your event. However, I believe that his personal situation is one that requires some discretion; you would not be granting a favor to an unknown performer with little or unknown talent, you would be doing a favor to legions of fans of Ralston's talent, music and performance.

"If they receive enough e-mails and letters, we will be able to GET THEIR ATTENTION!" Stancil writes.

A fundraiser to help Bowles pay medical expenses is being held June 28 at One Trick Pony. The $25 tickets for the event, featuring singers Amy Speace and Peter Mulvey, are now on sale at Schuler Books stores on Alpine Avenue, 28th Street and Monroe Center Street.

Email Meegan Holland at mholland@grpress.com.