Rick Diamond/Getty Images for STYX STYX members Chuck Panozzo (from left), Ricky Phillips, Todd Sucherman, Tommy Shaw, James "J.Y." Young and Lawrence Gowan stand for a photo shoot in 2014 at Macon City Auditorium in Macon, Ga.

Lawrence Gowan, who sings lead vocals and plays keyboards for Styx, still considers himself “the new guy” even though he’s in his 18th year with the band.

“I’m the lone Canadian,” he said in a phone interview with the Daily News. “I had a long solo career in Canada. People knew of my songs.”

He opened for Styx at a 1997 show and had a “unique feeling” as he watched the band perform.

“I could actually see myself fitting in it,” he said.

Little did he know that in 1999 he would become part of the band, which currently includes James “JY” Young on lead vocals and guitars; Tommy Shaw on lead vocals and guitars; Chuck Panozzo on bass and vocals; Todd Sucherman on drums and percussion; and Ricky Phillips on bass, guitar and vocals.

“They took note of me. Two years later, when they went through a bad divorce they called me and asked if I would be interested in joining,” he said. “I assumed they were asking me to open for the band. When a legendary band asks you to join them, it’s something to be celebrated.”

Gowan and the rest of Styx will bring their classic rock to Bowling Green at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 13 at the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center at 601 College St. Tickets range from $30 to $100 and may be purchased by visiting or calling the SKyPAC ticket office at 270-904-1880 or going online at theskypac.com.

“We’re really looking forward to seeing everyone there,” Gowan said. “We’ve played nearly 2,000 shows since I joined the band. We travel extensively.”

The reception to the performances has been off the charts, Gowan said.

“We bring rock shows to as many corners as possible,” he said. “The audience in the U.S. still has an insatiable appetite to see the band. In Canada there has been the same reaction.”

Seeing the audience on their feet after a performance thrills Gowan.

“It’s so rewarding. We play just over 100 shows a year,” he said. “Basically we’re trying to keep it as close as possible with the amount that’s feasible in a full year. We have enough demand to play every day.”

Gowan loves the “attitude” of the band.

“There is no elitist attitude in the band. Sometimes smaller places will yield just as much enthusiasm from the audience,” he said. “It’s great seeing people from all walks of life in all kinds of towns. We’re happy to be invited.”

Sometimes bands come to a crossroads where breaking up is “inevitable,” Gowan said.

“In order to survive several decades, it’s inevitable that these things happen. Life goes on,” he said. “It’s an unfortunate parting of the ways. It’s a tough transition for a band to make. It can be done.”

One of Styx’s latest releases is the DVD “Live at the Orleans Arena: Las Vegas.”

“It’s a show we did  11/2 years ago, but the release was recent,” Gowan said. “We usually document by putting DVDs of shows.”

Gowan has had so much fun playing with Styx that “it should be illegal.”

“I didn’t even have to pay to get in, so it’s such a good deal. Playing classic rock is such an enjoyable thing for me,” he said. “It’s the only thing I can do with proficiency. To be part of generating that feeling is rewarding. It puts as much a smile on my face as it does the audience.

“There’s something about Styx that exudes good vibes,” he said. “That’s what we’re going to bring to Bowling Green.”

— Follow features reporter Alyssa Harvey @bgdn features or visit bgdailynews.com.