Lowery was born in
Leesville, Louisiana. He studied radio dramatics at
Taft Junior College and went on to a number of radio-announcing jobs. At age 21, he was hired to direct the construction and programming of
WBEJ, a radio station in
Elizabethton, Tennessee. In the early 1950s, Lowery was the top
country music disc jockey in America and also was a pioneer TV host on Atlanta television. A 1951 diagnosis of cancer (which he ultimately survived) left Lowery wondering how to provide for his family, and he decided to go into the music publishing business. Although the music industry told Lowery that no music company could be based anywhere but New York, Chicago, Nashville, or Los Angeles, he believed that Atlanta could be a true music city. Together with an associate, Dennis "Boots" Woodall, Lowery formed Lowery Music Company and was involved in independent record production and promotion. Early hit songs published by Lowery Music included a string of country music hits for major labels, but two of the most notable Lowery Music songs were early
rockabilly hits: "
Be Bop A Lula" by
Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps, and "
Young Love", recorded by both
Sonny James and movie actor
Tab Hunter. Lowery is credited with being involved in the earliest recordings of
Ray Stevens and
Jerry Reed for
Capitol Records. == National Recording Corporation ==