Blues On Stage - Terry Evans

Terry Evans
@ Famous Dave’s BBQ & Blues, November 12, 1997

Terry Evans
Famous Dave's 11/12/97
Photo © 1997 by Tom Asp.
All rights reserved

This is one of the surprise blues/soul performers I have discovered this year. I ran across his Pointblank ‘Blues For Thought" CD and after listening to it found myself saying "boy what a voice this guy has." Great vocals in the classic southern soul tradition. I was on the lookout after that for any live shows. So I was excited to see he was coming to Famous Dave’s. Famous Dave’s was the perfect place for Evans too, with their great sound system and open atmosphere. The club is set u with a very large stage designed to look like a loading dock under the elevated trains of the Chicago loop. Oh by the way, they have some great ribs too!

Although most blues fans don’t even realize it, we are already well acquainted with the voice of Terry Evans. For years, the soulful backup singing of Terry Evans’ voice has been featured on dozens of Los Angeles recording sessions with the like of John Fogerty, Ry Cooder, John Lee Hooker, Boz Scaggs and Maria Muldaur.

Terry Evans
Photo © 1997 by Ray Stiles.
All rights reserved
Evans received a gold record for his outstanding work on John Fogerty’s "Eye Of The Zombie." Terry Evans and long time musical partner Bobby King came to prominence in the late 1980’s through their recordings on Rounder and tours with Ry Cooder (after nearly 2 decades of singing).

Evans has one of those great sounding soul voices that you just love to listen to. His voice is a mixture of growls, deep resonate bas and falsetto high shouts. And when I say deep, I mean it was a deep resonate soul/blues voice with a range that wouldn’t quite. During the show Evans performed many of the songs from his two Audio Quest CD’s and his first solo effort "Blues For Thought." One of the highlights included the Dan Penn, Chips Moman classic "At The Dark End Of The Street" that was sublime. He even said he liked the song so much he recorded it twice (once with Ry Cooder)., He did an inspired Bo Diddleyized song called "Honeyboy." On his song "Come To The River" he was right up on the edge of the stage preaching to the audience. He displayed some of his sly and easy going good humor with songs like "Roof Top Cat" and "Nacha Bone Lover." During one medley which included "Stormy Monday" and B.B. King’s "The Thrill Is Gone," he said B.B. doesn’t sing falsetto, but if he could he’d sound like this.

Jesse Samsel
Photo © 1997 by Ray Stiles.
All rights reserved
He was supported with some very tasteful guitar playing by Jesse Samsel and understated backing by his band which included bass, drums, guitar and keyboards. One of the songs had Jesse’s guitar sounding just like Steve Cropper backing Otis Redding that could easily have been from 30 years ago. One fan commented that Evans looked like Mohammed Ali. There is some resemblance and his singing almost "did" float like a butterfly and sting like a bee. Originally from Vicksburgh, Mississippi, this southern boy with the super voice sure knows how to sing with emotion and feeling.

Evans is returning to Famous Dave’s October 6, 1998. If you like great soul/R&B singing you will definitely want to see this show.

E-mail Ray Stiles at: mnblues@aol.com

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Copyright © 1998 by Ray M. Stiles
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.