How a near-death experience fueled this man's musical journey

For Josh Loewen of the Kelowna band Goldsauce, a transformative event, changed his perspective on pursuing music – an incident that came close to ending his life.

It all started with a trip to Big White in 2006 to listen to Russel Jackson, the bass player for BB King, who performed for three nights at an open mic night.

But heading home, he experienced a major accident, going straight off a 70-foot embankment which for him was a near death experience with his life flashing before his eyes.

“I couldn't even see a bottom, and my life flashed before my eyes, and there was a fast forward reel of your whole life in a second,” he told Kelowna10. “I woke up on the snow outside the truck with one shoe missing in my T-shirt and jeans. And I look over to my right and I see my guitar, in its case, leaning up against a tree and my truck pointed up on an angle still running.”

It was then, where Loewen took that moment as a profound realization.

“I took it as a sign that my life was saved and spared that day for a reason,” he said. “My guitar pedals also got ejected out of the truck and some of them spent two weeks out in the snow. And they all worked, and some of them are still on my on my rig today.”

Having been in the Kelowna music scene for the past 15 years, Lowen describes Goldsauce's sound as a fusion of funk with influences from various genres but still primarily funk. The band came together towards the conclusion of the pandemic era.

When music goers see a show, Lowen brings a connection that’s beyond music.

“I open my heart on that stage, and I allow that connection to happen between the audience and myself and my band mates,” he said. “Every show there's moments that are improv that are unique to that show and that show only. And we try to deliver a full experience not only musically but visually and emotionally.”

The band plans to release a full-length album next year if things go according to plan.

Tickets for their upcoming show at Revelry can be purchased online.