No musician in West Michigan was more visible or more mentioned over the past year than Ralston Bowles. Ironically, the talented singer-songwriter didn't release a new album or embark on a major national tour; he got colon cancer. Diagnosed a year ago, Bowles was flooded with tributes, fundraisers and press, including a story in REVUE that described him this way: "Ralston Bowles is more than a musician. He's a wordsmith, an ambassador, a muse and a mentor." After a year of difficult, strength-sapping treatments, Bowles has a clean bill of health and is back in the studio. A few weeks ago, he told REVUE he was planning to write and record a whole album of new material in 24 hours with Seth Bernard and May Erlewine. Perhaps they should cover one of Bowles' own songs, which ends with the words "Somewhere between the dusk and dawn's first light/There is that moment when you just might get to know/Grace."

Photo: Rick Devon