Art Lown

Ardis Leon "Art" Lown Jr. (December 21, 1949 – February 8, 1977) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known for his sole studio album, Piper Oz the Hound, a privately pressed folk-rock record that later achieved cult status among collectors and fans of obscure 1970s American music.

Early life Ardis Leon Lown Jr. was born on December 21, 1949, and raised in West Columbia, South Carolina. His family operated local businesses in the area, including grocery stores and a small shopping center known as Lown Town. Lown attended Airport High School, where he was an honor student and served as drum major during his final two years.

After graduating from high school, Lown enrolled at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he studied commercial art. During his teenage years, he began writing songs and performing music, forming an early band with his younger brother, a cousin, and a close friend. By the early 1970s, he was performing locally in the Columbia, South Carolina area.

In 1976, Lown recorded his only known full-length album, Piper Oz the Hound, at United Music World Recording Studio. The sessions were overseen by studio engineer and producer O.L. Atwood after a shift in the studio's personnel earlier that year. The musicians backing Lown were seasoned session players associated with the studio, including bassist Tony Smith, drummer Donnie Miller, steel guitarist Luke Watts, and lead guitarist Jerry Dooley, who had all previously played together. Lown himself contributed piano and rhythm guitar to the recordings.

Personal life Lown regularly attended St. David's Lutheran Church in South Carolina.

Discography

Studio albums Piper Oz the Hound (1976)