Stowell, who plays electric and acoustic guitar, was born in New York and raised in Connecticut. He had private studies with Linc Chamberland and John Mehegan. Several years later he met bassist David Friesen in New York City. Stowell took a trip to Portland, Oregon, where Friesen lives, and decided to stay. The two formed a duo in 1976 that recorded and toured prolificly for seven years, with performances in the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia. The duo continues to perform thirty years after their first meeting. In 1983, Stowell and David Friesen joined flutist Paul Horn and Paul’s son Robin Horn (on drums) for a tour of the Soviet Union. In 1977 Stowell recorded her debut album Deliciosa Dorada; His companions were Jim McNeely, Mike Richmond and Billy Hart. 

Stowell teaches internationally. She has been an artist in residence in schools in Germany, Indonesia, Argentina, the United States and Canada. He served as assistant director and performer at Oregon Public Broadcasting’s PDX Jazz Summit in 1991, and since 1995 has been a contributing columnist for several magazines, including Down Beat, Guitar Player, Canadian Musician, Soundcheck (Germany), and Guitar Club (Italy) . In Germany, he teaches at Jazz & Rock Schulen Freiburg with Frank Haunschild, with whom he performs regularly. He has also worked with Uwe Kropinski, Dave Liebman, Hiram Mutschler, Gérard Pansanel, Gustavo Assis-Brasil, David Becker and Nicolao Valiensi.