Mandy Rowden

Mandy Rowden has been a driving force in Austin’s music community for nearly two decades, both as an acclaimed musician and as a passionate advocate for women finding their voices through music. In 2007, she founded Girl Guitar, Austin’s premier Rock ‘n’ roll school for women 21+, with a simple but powerful idea: give women the opportunity to make music, build community, and experience the thrill of performing on a real stage. Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, Girl Guitar has helped countless women discover their musical potential, forge lasting friendships, and take the stage at some of Austin’s most legendary music venues.

Rowden’s own musical journey began early in life, performing piano and violin at events across Texas. While both instruments provided a strong technical foundation, the rigid structure of classical training left little room for the joy and freedom she would eventually discover in music. That changed when she found the guitar. At 21, amid her parents’ divorce, Rowden left college and began writing and performing her own songs. What started as a deeply personal outlet for her feelings became a revelation: music could be more than just notes on a page, but a means of self-expression, empowerment, and connection. As a self-taught guitarist and performer, Rowden discovered the exhilarating freedom of making music entirely on her own terms.

In the early years of her career, Rowden supported herself by teaching private lessons to children and leading rock camps for seven- to nine-year-olds, where she had just two weeks to transform a roomful of energetic young musicians into something resembling a band. It was equal parts chaos, creativity, and a crash course in leadership, but those experiences planted a seed. She began imagining a program that would bring musicians together, build their confidence, and give them the chance to experience the magic of playing in a band. Having discovered firsthand how transformative music could be, she wanted to share that feeling with other women.

After a stint in New York, Rowden returned to Austin in 2006, unsure of what her next chapter might hold. A friend suggested putting together a six-week guitar class for women and tossed out a name that would stick: Girl Guitar. Armed with an idea, a MySpace page, and a willingness to see what might happen, Rowden began reaching out to women around Austin who shared a love of music.

What began as eight women gathering to learn guitar and play music together has blossomed into a thriving musical community. Today, Girl Guitar offers songwriting classes, full-band programs spanning a variety of genres, and opportunities for women at every stage of their musical journey. Some students arrive with dreams of pursuing music professionally; others simply want a few hours each week to step away from the demands of everyday life and do something entirely for themselves. The school also offers workshops in recording and sound technology, artist development, yoga, performance, and other disciplines designed to help women grow as musicians and individuals, building the confidence and physical awareness to feel at home both onstage and off. 

After years of renting classrooms at The Music Lab on Oltorf, Girl Guitar moved into its own space on S. 1st St. near Slaughter Lane in the summer of 2025. The move marked an exciting new chapter for the school, providing a dedicated home for its growing community and a full backline for its band programs. The school’s impact has not gone unnoticed. Girl Guitar was awarded “Best Music Instruction” at the 2026 Austin Music Awards, following its win in the same category in The Austin Chronicle’s 2022 and 2023 Best of Austin Readers Poll. In honor of their 20th anniversary, Girl Guitar also hopes to donate 20,000 guitars to women and girls in Central Texas in the next year. 

At the heart of Girl Guitar is something that sets it apart from traditional music instruction: performance isn't an afterthought. It's the point. With six showcases each year at iconic Austin venues like Antone’s and Stubb’s, women don't simply learn songs in a classroom – they get to experience the lights, the sound, the nerves, and the exhilaration of playing for a live audience. Just as importantly, they learn what it means to be part of a band. Students learn to listen, collaborate, support one another, and create something greater than any one musician could accomplish alone. It's about far more than learning an instrument. It's about discovering what you're capable of.

All the while, Rowden has continued building an impressive career as a recording and performing artist in her own right. With four albums to her name, her music has earned praise from No Depression, Austin Chronicle, Lone Star Music Magazine, and American Songwriter, which featured her most recent album, “Parachute.” No Depression placed her “right up there in Lucinda Williams territory,” a fitting comparison for an artist whose work draws from the rich traditions of blues, country, and American roots music.

Her accolades reflect both her artistry and her impact on the Austin music scene. In 2015, the Austin Chronicle ranked her album No. 2 on its “Best Albums of the Year” list. In 2017, she earned top ten mentions for “Album of the Year,” “Song of the Year,” “Songwriter of the Year,” and “Female Vocalist of the Year” honors in the Austin Chronicle Music Poll, along with a place on its “Top Ten Austin Musicians of the Year” list. Most recently, in 2025, the Austin American-Statesman recognized Rowden as an “Extraordinary Woman” for her contributions to the community. Modern Luxury has even named Rowden one of its “2025 Women of Style.”

In 2018, Rowden made another unexpected decision to go back to school. What began as a spontaneous desire to finish her degree eventually led to a master’s degree in music history from Texas State University and an award-winning thesis examining the lives and legacies of Texas women songwriters. Her research illuminated an extraordinary musical heritage — and a troubling reality. Too many of the women who helped shape Texas music had been overlooked, underrepresented, or left out of the historical record altogether. For Rowden, that realization was more than an academic discovery. It was a call to action.

In 2025, she founded the Texas Women Songwriters Festival, a three-day celebration of the extraordinary women who have shaped and continue to shape the sound of Texas. Set against the backdrop of historic downtown Lockhart, the festival brings together more than 50 women songwriters for an immersive weekend of intimate song swaps, headliner performances, and musical discovery at walkable venues throughout the city. Unlike any other festival in the country, it offers audiences the opportunity to experience the remarkable depth, diversity, and talent of Texas women songwriters in one vibrant community.

Past headlining artists include Patricia Vonne, BettySoo, Kimmie Rhodes, Susan Gibson, Sara Hickman, and Rosie Flores, among others. But the festival's mission reaches far beyond the performances themselves. Through her nonprofit, Texas Women Songwriters Association, Rowden is working to preserve the stories and legacies of these artists, collecting oral histories and artifacts to share with The Center for Texas Music at Texas State University. A true celebration of the music being made today in an effort to ensure that the women who made it are remembered tomorrow.

Following two successful years, the Texas Women Songwriters Festival will return Sept. 24–26, 2027, continuing to build a living legacy of the women whose voices have defined generations of Texas music.

Across her work as a musician, educator, historian, and cultural advocate, Rowden has remained steadfast in one belief: women in music deserve to be taken seriously. Not celebrated as a novelty, not as someone who is “cute,” or impressive “for a girl,” but as the formidable artists, creators and cultural forces they are. 

Through Girl Guitar and the Texas Women Songwriters Festival, Rowden has done far more than create opportunities for women to perform. She has built communities, opened doors, preserved histories, and given women the space to discover their own power. Her work is a testament to what happens when women are encouraged not simply to participate in music, but to take ownership of it.