Scott Lowder
After more than a decade, Scott Lowder brings “Ghost of You” to life, transforming personal loss, memory, and life experience into a heartfelt new chapter of honest songwriting.
1. “Ghost of You” began more than a decade ago following the tragic loss of a close friend. What inspired you to finally return to the song and give it the recording you always envisioned?
I wrote “Ghost of You” shortly after losing one of my closest friends. At the time, writing it was really just a way to process everything I was feeling. I always believed it was one of the strongest songs I’d written, but life had other plans. Between raising a family, working full-time, and playing a lot of gigs covering other artist’s songs, recording my own music kept getting pushed further down the list. Now that my kids are older, I finally have the time to invest in something I’ve wanted to do for years. Going back to this song felt like the right place to begin because it represents such an important chapter of my life. I wanted to give it the recording I’d always heard in my head and finally let people hear it the way it was meant to sound.
2. The song focuses less on grief itself and more on how the presence of someone we’ve lost continues to shape our lives. How did your own experience influence the emotional message of the song?
When someone passes away, the grief eventually changes. The sadness never completely disappears, but it becomes less about the loss itself and more about carrying that person with you. Years later, you still catch yourself wondering what they’d think about something or imagining how different life might have been if they were still here. That’s really what “Ghost of You” is about. It’s not meant to be a song about death as much as it is about memory, love, and the way certain people never really leave us. I think everyone has someone they still carry with them, and I hope listeners find their own story somewhere in the song.
3. Musically, “Ghost of You” blends alternative folk, Americana, and heartland rock, with influences such as Counting Crows, The Wallflowers, and Tom Petty. How did you approach creating the song’s warm and spacious sound?
Those artists have always been some of my biggest influences because they know how to make songs feel both intimate and expansive at the same time. I wanted “Ghost of You” to have that same sense of space, where nothing feels rushed and every instrument has room to breathe. I leaned into organic acoustic guitars, textured electric parts, and a rhythm section that supports the emotion without getting in the way. Rather than chasing current production trends, I wanted the song to feel timeless. Hopefully it’s the kind of recording that still sounds just as honest ten years from now.
4. You spent years focusing on family life and performing hundreds of live shows while putting your original music on hold. How has returning to your own songwriting at this stage of life changed your perspective as an artist?
I think I’m writing from a much more honest place now. When I was younger, I probably worried more about whether a song was cool enough or whether people would like it. Now I’m much more interested in telling the truth. Life gives you perspective. You experience loss, joy, raising kids, relationships, and everything in between. Those experiences naturally find their way into the songs. I don’t feel like I have anything to prove anymore. I just want to write music that connects with people because it’s genuine.
5. You’re now revisiting songs that have lived with you for 10–15 years alongside newly written material. What has it been like hearing these older songs again and discovering what they mean to you today?
It’s been a really interesting experience because the songs haven’t changed, but I have. Some lyrics mean something completely different to me now than they did when I first wrote them.
At the same time, I’ve realized that some songs have a way of growing with you. They capture a moment in your life, but years later they can take on entirely new meaning. Recording them now has almost felt like having a conversation with a younger version of myself.
6. “Ghost of You” marks the beginning of a new chapter as a solo artist. What can listeners expect from this new chapter, and what do you hope they take away from the music you’re preparing to share?
I have a catalog of songs that I’ve written over the last 10 to 15 years that I’m finally bringing to life, along with new material that’s still being written today. The common thread through all of it is honest storytelling. I love writing songs that make people feel something or remind them of a season in their own lives. If someone listens to one of these songs and feels understood, remembers someone they love, or simply finds a connection they didn’t expect, then I’ve accomplished exactly what I hoped to do.