Thomas Bowers (singer)

**Thomas J. Bowers** (c. 1823&#x2013;October 3, 1885), dem sanso know am as "**The Colored Mario**", na he be an American concert artist. Na he study voice plus African-American concert artist Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield wey na he tour plus ein troupe for a few years before he embark on ein own successful solo career. Na he be de bro of professional singer Sarah Sedgwick Bowers, dem know as "the Colored Nightingale", den John C. Bowers, a Philadelphia entrepreneur den church organist.

Na a fictionalized version of Thomas Bowers ein life be depicted by actor William Marshall insyd a 1964 episode of *Bonanza* dem title "Enter Thomas Bowers".

## Early life

Na dem born Thomas Bowers insyd 1836 insyd Philadelphia. Na ein poppie, John C. Bowers Sr. (1773–1844), be a secondhand clothing dealer, a vestryman den school trustee at St. Thomas African Episcopal Church, den one of de founders of de Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society. Na ein mommie ein name be Henrietta.As a youngster, na Thomas show a desire to learn music wey na dem teach am piano den organ by ein older bro John. At de age of 18, na he succeed ein bro as organist of St. Thomas African Episcopal Church. Na he den ein bro be trained as tailors wey na dem operate a "fashionable merchant tailor shop" wey dey cater to upper class gentlemen den businessmen insyd Philadelphia.

## Concert artist

Despite ein natural aptitude for music den enjoyment of singing, na Bowers defer go eim parents dema wishes make he no perform outsyd de church. Na be decline offers make he sing plus de famous Frank Johnson's Band of Philadelphia, among odas. Buh as chaw people cam be acquainted plus ein singing, na dem persuade am make he appear at a Philadelphia recital insyd 1854 plus African American concert artist Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield, wey na he cam be ein student insyd voice. Na dat 1854 appearance meet plus popular den critical success; na de critics begin dey call am "The Colored Mario" den "The American Mario" for de similarity of ein voice to Italian opera tenor Giovanni Mario. Na Bowers personally dislike de sobriquet, buh na he agree make dem bill am as "Mareo". Na he proceed to tour plus Greenfield's troupe insyd Philadelphia, de Midwestern United States, New York, den Canada, den afterwards he embark on a successful solo career.

Na Bowers specialise insyd "romantic ballads den popular arias from well-known operas". Na dem describe ein voice as e have a "wonderful power den beauty" den "extraordinary power, mellowness, den sweetness". Na ein range nearly be two octaves. Na dem say he be "handsome" wey he get a strong stage presence.

Na Bowers find de stage an ideal platform from wich to espouse ein opposition to racial inequality. Na he purportedly be reluctant make he launch a public singing career til na he realise: "*What induced me more than any thing else to appear in public was to give the lie to 'negro serenaders' (minstrels), and to show to the world that coloured men and women could sing classical music as well as the members of the other race by whom they had been so terribly vilified*". He cam be famous for he refuse make he perform before segregated anaa white- audiences per. For an 1855 performance insyd Hamilton, Ontario, wer na de theatre manager refuse to seat six black patrons wey na dem purchase reserved first-class seats, na Bowers refuse make he perform.

Na Trotter dey wrep: "*Mr. Bowers, during his career, has sung in most of the Eastern and Middle States; and at one time he even invaded the slavery-cursed regions of Maryland. He sang in Baltimore, the papers of which city were forced to accord to him high merit as a vocalist.*"

Na Bowers sanso appear at benefit concerts make he raise funds for de recruitment of black soldiers to de Union Army training camp at Camp William Penn.

## Oda activities
Togeda plus oda members of ein family, na Bowers be a national organiser of "black opposition to to fugitive slave laws of de 1850s den a state representative of de Equal Rights Convention. Insyd October 1864 na he be a delegate wey komot Philadelphia to de National Convention of Coloured Men insyd Syracuse, New York.
## Personal
Na Bowers marry Lucretia Turpin, a native of New York, sam time before 1850. Na dem get one daughter, Adelia.

At de time of ein death insyd 1885, na he possess "nearly $10,000 insyd real estate, Pennsylvania Railroad stock, household furnishings den cash insyd de Farmers and Mechanics Bank".

## ''Bonanza'' episode
Insyd a 1964 episode of *Bonanza* dem title "Enter Thomas Bowers", na Thomas be portrayed as de African American opera singer by actor William Marshall.

## References

## Read further
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## External links
*"Enter Thomas Bowers" at Internet Movie Database