Songwriter & Music Publisher

Willie has owned and managed Willie French Lowery Publishing (BMI) since 1977. He has written over 500 songs in genres ranging from gospel and blues to country and children's music. In 1970, his song "Streets of Gold" reached #1 on the pop charts in the Carolinas, Virginia, Philadelphia and New York. He has written and recorded albums including "Plant and See" (1969, White Whale Records), "Overdose" (1970, Radnor Records), "Captain of the Ship" (1993, WFL Records), and "Thunder Beings of Light" (1998, WFL Records).

Willie and Floyd Westerman, 2003

Photo by Malinda Maynor

Producer & Sound Engineer

Between 1994 and 2003, Willie owned and operated Soundsation Recording Studio in Lumberton, NC. There he has produced and recorded gospel, rock, folk, and traditional Native musical artists including the Beacon Lights, 6 Pack, the Deer Clan Singers, Pura Fe, and Ulali. After relocating to Cambridge, MA in 2005, Willie still consults in studio recording sessions and is in the process of archiving his recordings from the 1970s and 1980s.

Vocalist & Guitarist

Willie has made his living as a performer since the age of 16, when he left Robeson County, North Carolina to pursue a career in music. Since then he has toured and performed solo in cities and towns across America. With his own bands, "Plant & See" and "Lumbee," he toured with the Allman Brothers, Canned Heat, Linda Ronstadt, Tower of Power, and others. He has also performed with singers such as Clyde McPhatter, Floyd Westerman, Ulali, and Joe Savage. He has performed at numerous colleges, including Harvard University, Stanford University, the University of Tokyo, UNC-Chapel Hill, and UNC-Pembroke, and at cultural events at the American Indian Community House in New York City and the Grand Opening Celebration of the National Museum of the American Indian.

Willie at the Lumber River

Photo by Malinda Maynor, 2004

Activist & Community Leader

Willie has served his Native American community in Robeson County as a mentor for young people and an inspiring, selfless artist. He composed the songs for the original soundtrack of the outdoor drama "Strike at the Wind!", which has been produced in Robeson County since 1976. His album "Proud to be a Lumbee" (1979) has inspired thousands of children to be proud of their heritage, and Willie has performed in schools all over North Carolina educating children about Lumbee culture. He has won numerous honors and awards for his community service, including being named "Tarheel of the Week," receiving the Hilda Honigman Composer's Cup, and having one of his songs performed by the North Carolina Symphony. In 2006, he was honored by the Lumbee Tribe for his lifetime of achievements and service with an eaglefeather-gifting ceremony.