Music in Paris - 1970’s

When I graduated from High School in 1970, I went to Paris France, to live with a family and teach them English and I would be studying French. As the year went on I began to find Folk Clubs in the city. I met Pat Woods at the American enter on Blvd. Raspail. He was my soon to be “boyfriend” and music partner for 4 years. I finished my duties with the family in Paris, and began writing songs with Pat. We travelled all over Europe in a VW van, sharing our original music. The 70’s was an amazing time in Paris for all kinds of music, but especially for American Folk Music; original and traditional. We met many other Americans who where doing the same thing we were in Paris. It was quite a community of original songwriters. The French people loved American music!! Among our piers were Roger Mason, Steve Waring, Jack Treese, the Mormos, Red Herring, Dick Annegarn, Mark Sullivan, John Wright, Pierre Bensusan, Graham Allwright, Marcel Dadi, Blue Grass Connection, Jack Albis, John Pearce, Mary Roads, Lionelle Rocheman, and so many others……. By 1972, most everyone on that list was recording their first album in Paris. Pat and I were signed to “Le Chant du Monde” label. We recorded 2 albums with them.

We played at the Bobino, the Carnegie Hall of France, in 1973. That was pretty exciting!! Apart from living in Paris, we also had a stint in Belgium. We lived in the Flemish part, the small town of Munkzwalm. We had a lovely farm with sheep. One night we were to open for Manfred Man’s Earth Band, in Brussels, and we were arrested and taken to jail so we couldn’t do the gig. Our house was ransacked as they looked for drugs and were sure we were major drug dealers in Europe. They found one smokable item, and that was enough back then to get us kicked out of Belgium and sent back to France. After that night, I never saw our bass player again, nor the Sound Man. Our band was called.”Pat Woods Kathy Lowe Country Show.” Band Members were: Meme Dubest, Lenny Regue, Patrice Tavernier, Clement. Claude Lefebvre, Mick Larie, and Rene Werneer, played on our first album.

Marcel Dadi, the Chet Atkins of France on Guitar, wrote this song for me in the 70’s. “Song For Kathy”

1974, I started to miss my homeland, so I ventured back to So. Sutton, NH. , flying back from Paris for $100 one way. There, I formed the band "Windy Top" with sister Kim, and several other friends, Bill Wightman, Bill Desusa, Dave Doran, and Peter Roos. By 1979, I was a solo act, writing songs, and playing in local bars and restaurants, where I eventually met Peter Bloch, my husband to be.

This anthology of 30 years of folk music in France, came out in 1997. Pat Woods and I are included in this 2 CD/text package with the song ‘Billy and Mary'.’ This was produced by “Le Chant du Monde” record company, who signed Pat and I originally.