Titled The Jamestown Boogie, the song was made by Kev Rowe, a local musician who wanted to shift talks away from all of the negative rhetoric about the community. Since the creation of the song it seems to be doing just that, garnishing quite a bit of online attention even outside of the region.

Rowe has been a musician that has toured around the country for about three decades, but nowadays largely focuses on music writing from right here in Jamestown. Rowe stated that much of his music comes in dreams, often nearly completely done. The story behind the Jamestown Boogie was no different. Rowe had a dream about a positive and uplifting song pertaining to the Jamestown area. After a couple of additional months of flushing out the lyrics and adding final touches the song was complete and ready to be published.

It did not take long for Rowe to realize that local residents loved the song, oftentimes seeming to connect to the positive emotions and portrayal of the area. This inspired Rowe to ramp up promotional efforts for the song, and begin making short-form video content.

“Then I got the idea that I would go out into the community and really try to match the positivity of the song with the environment in which we live in. And that has been kind of the secret formula that has worked in getting the song going and into the consciousness of the people who live here,” said Rowe.

Rowe in front of the Erie Railroad Bridge over Main Street for a social media video. Submitted photos

Rowe’s musical passion began before even graduating high school, with a band by the name of Five Cubic Feet.

The band would find enough success to continue making music and touring around the country for nine years before an eventual break up. Afterwards Rowe would go in to join a new band called Big Leg Emma, where Rowe would serve as the lead guitar player. When this band would break up after about another nine years Rowe would begin to focus more on a solo career, largely focusing on the online realm.

“When Big Leg Emma broke up I really got into my home studio and focused way less on touring and live performance,” said Rowe. “I got into my home studio and I really started focusing on social media, music marketing, and content. So for the last 10 years that’s been my focus, is getting Jamestown’s message out into the rest of the world, and sharing the music I have learned with everybody else.”

Rowe noted the opportunity that the online presence has given to research such a wider audience than before. Rowe stated that there are many small cities that relate to the problems of Jamestown in many ways. Rowe said that many residents of these cities seem to have connected with the song online due to the positive and optimistic message in an area that frequently receives many of the same criticisms. Additionally, Rowe noted the connection that the song has been able to make with the area’s youth. Being that the advertisement is heavily focused on short-form online content, many youth in the area have taken notice of the song. With Instagram reels and Tiktok being the two heaviest areas of advertisement the song has been able to appeal to a crowd that many individuals struggle to reach.

“What would make me happier is to know that it’s actually a part of people’s lives, not just some fifteen second video that they saw on Tiktok,” said Rowe. “Something that becomes a part of their life and shows actual pride for living in the area.”

The song is available on most major streaming platforms currently. For more information visit facebook.com/kevrowemusic, or visit Rowe on Instagram or Tiktok.