William G. Evans (born September 2, 1956) is an American musician, author, and instructor noted for his banjo proficiency and knowledge of the history of the instrument.

Biography

Evans earned a master's degree in Music from

University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California), is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Berkeley, California, United States. Founded in 1868 and named after t ...

in 1992, with a focus on ethnomusicology. He learned banjo in person from masters such as

Tony Trischka Anthony Cattell Trischka (born January 16, 1949) is an American five-string banjo player. Sandra Brennan wrote of him in 2020: "One of the most influential modern banjoists, both in several forms of bluegrass music and occasionally in jazz and ...

Alan Munde Alan Munde (pronounced "mun-dee") (born November 4, 1946) is an American five-string banjo player and bluegrass musician. He was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in 2024. Biography Born in Norman, Oklahoma, Munde lear ...

, Bill Keith,

Ben Eldridge Ben Eldridge (August 15, 1938 – April 14, 2024) was an American five-string banjo player and a founding member of the seminal bluegrass group The Seldom Scene. He fell in love with hillbilly music as a child listening to the Old Dominion Barn Da ...

Sonny Osborne Sonny Osborne (October 29, 1937October 24, 2021) was an American bluegrass musician and founding member of the Osborne Brothers. Personal life Born on October 29, 1937, in Thousandsticks, Kentucky, Sonny Osborne's father was a farmer, teacher ...

, and

J. D. Crowe James Dee Crowe (August 27, 1937December 24, 2021) was an American banjo player and Bluegrass music, bluegrass band leader. He first became known during his four-year stint with Jimmy Martin in the 1950s. Crowe led the bluegrass group New South ...

Cloud Valley

Evans' first band was

Charlottesville, Virginia Charlottesville, colloquially known as C'ville, is an independent city (United States), independent city in Virginia, United States. It is the county seat, seat of government of Albemarle County, Virginia, Albemarle County, which surrounds the ...

-based Cloud Valley with

Missy Raines Missy Raines (born April 6, 1962) is an American bassist, singer, teacher, and songwriter. She has won 10 International Bluegrass Music Awards for Bass Player of the Year. Missy Raines was the first woman to win IBMA Bass Player of the Year aw ...

(bass), Charlie Rancke (guitar), and Steve Smith (mandolin). The progressive bluegrass band released two albums: ''A Bluegrass Ensemble'' in 1983 and ''Live In Europe'' in 1985. Their final performance was in Winfield, Kansas in 1985, but Evans still collaborates with individual band members.

Dry Branch Fire Squad

For some time, Evans performed and recorded with

Dry Branch Fire Squad The Dry Branch Fire Squad is an American traditional-style Bluegrass music, bluegrass band from Virginia, which is fronted by Ron Thomason. The band is known for its showy performances and for Thomason's humorous interludes. The Dry Branch Fire S ...

Bluegrass Intentions

Evans was a member of the bluegrass ensemble Bluegrass Intentions with Suzy Thompson (fiddle, Cajun accordion, vocals), Eric Thompson (mandolin, guitar, vocals), Larry Cohea (bass, vocals), and

Alan Senauke Hozan Alan Senauke (December 13, 1947 – December 22, 2024) was an American Sōtō priest, folk musicianBuddenbaum, 398–399 and poet residing at the Berkeley Zen Center (BZC) in Berkeley, California, where he served as Abbot. He was an execu ...

(guitar, vocals). They released one album ''Old as Dirt'' on Evans's Native and Fine record label in 2002.

Due West

Bluegrass group Due West featured Evans, Jim Nunally (guitar), Erik Thomas (mandolin), Cindy Browne (bass) and Chad Manning (fiddle). Their one album is ''These Boots'' released in 2003.

Bill Evans String Summit

The Bill Evans String Summit is Evans, Scott Nygaard (guitar), Michael Witcher (dobro), Cindy Browne (bass), Tashina Clarridge (violin), and Tristan Clarridge (violin, cello). Group members bring together their influences from their backgrounds in jazz, classical, and world music.

Recent collaborations

Evans has been touring and holding workshops several weeks each year with

( Country Gazette). He has also been recording with long-time bluegrass fiddler Fletcher Bright. Evans tours frequently with mandolin player Steve Smith from Cloud County, and with fiddler Megan Lynch. He also has been touring with

Dan Crary Dan Crary (also known as Deacon Dan Crary) was born September 29, 1939, in Kansas City, Kansas, and is an American bluegrass guitarist. He helped re-establish flatpicked guitar as a prominent soloing bluegrass instrument. Crary is an innovator ...

(guitar) and Steve Spurgin (bass).

Education and teaching

Evans has taught

ethnomusicology Ethnomusicology is the multidisciplinary study of music in its cultural context. The discipline investigates social, cognitive, biological, comparative, and other dimensions. Ethnomusicologists study music as a reflection of culture and investiga ...

at San Francisco State University, the University of Virginia, and Duke University. Evans gives private banjo lessons at his home in

Albany, California Albany ( ) is a city on the east shore of San Francisco Bay in northwestern Alameda County, California, United States. The population was 20,271 at the 2020 United States census. History In 1908, a group of local women protested the dumping ...

. He also stages banjo workshops at major music festivals all over the country. Evans also offers several online banjo instruction courses on Peghead Nation. A

convocation A convocation (from the Latin ''wikt:convocare, convocare'' meaning "to call/come together", a translation of the Ancient Greek, Greek wikt:ἐκκλησία, ἐκκλησία ''ekklēsia'') is a group of people formally assembled for a specia ...

by Evans "The Banjo in America: A Musical and Cultural History" has been presented in various venues across the country. This convocation traces the history of the banjo from West African to the New World, with performances on vintage instruments of music from the 1700s to today.

Music Instruction Author

In 2007,

Wiley Publishing John Wiley & Sons, Inc., commonly known as Wiley (), is an American multinational publishing company that focuses on academic publishing and instructional materials. The company was founded in 1807 and produces books, journals, and encyclop ...

published the book ''Banjo for Dummies'' authored by Evans. This was followed in 2016 in by ''Bluegrass Banjo for Dummies''. In recent years, Evans has been the author of the "Off the Record" instructional column for Banjo Newsletter magazine. Evans and Dix Bruce co-authored the ''Parking Lot Pickers Songbook'' published by

Mel Bay Publications Melbourne Earl Bay (February 25, 1913 – May 14, 1997), known professionally as Mel Bay, was an American musician and publisher best known for his series of music education books. His '' Encyclopedia of Guitar Chords'', first published in 197 ...

Endorsements

American Made Banjo Company created the Bill Evans Signature Series 5 String Kel Kroydon banjo.

Awards

In 2024, Evans was inducted into the American Banjo Hall of Fame in the Instruction & Education category. Evans was awarded Steve Martin Banjo Prize on November 10, 2022. The album "Bill Evans Plays Banjo" was cited by the Chicago Tribune as a Top 10 Bluegrass Recording of 2001. In 1997, Evans was awarded a musical composition fellowship by the

Kentucky Arts Council The Kentucky Arts Council, established in 1966, is the Kentucky state arts agency, and is responsible for developing and promoting support for the arts in Kentucky. Part of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, the Kentucky Arts Council ...

. In 1996, Evan's album ''Native and Fine'' earned an honorable mention in the category of Acoustic Instrumental Recording of the Year from the NAIRD (National Association of Independent Record Retailers and Distributors).

Discography

Solo albums

* 1995: ''Native and Fine'' ( Rounder) * 2001: ''Plays Banjo'' (Mighty Fine) * 2009: ''...Let's Do Something...'' (Native and Fine) with Megan Lynch * 2012: ''In Good Company'' (Native and Fine) * 2013: ''Fine Times at Fletcher's House'' (Native and Fine) with Fletcher Bright * 2016: ''Songs That Are Mostly Older Than Us'' (Native and Fine) with Fletcher Bright, Norman Blake, and Nancy Blake

As a member of Cloud Valley

* 1982: ''A Bluegrass Ensemble'' (Outlet) * 1985: ''Live In Europe'' (Strictly Country)

As a member of
Dry Branch Fire Squad The Dry Branch Fire Squad is an American traditional-style Bluegrass music, bluegrass band from Virginia, which is fronted by Ron Thomason. The band is known for its showy performances and for Thomason's humorous interludes. The Dry Branch Fire S ...

* 1996: ''Live! At Last'' (Rounder)

As a member of Bluegrass Intentions

* 2002: ''Old As Dirt'' (Native and Fine)

As a member of Due West

* 2003: ''These Boots'' (Native and Fine)

As producer

* 1998: Suzanne Thomas - ''Dear Friends & Gentle Hearts'' (Rounder)

Also appears on

* 1983:

- ''In the Tradition'' (Ridge Runner) - banjo on track 3, "Five by Two" * 1999: Buckeye - ''Buckeye'' (B Music) * 2000: Enzo Garcia - ''Words'' (Recaredo) * 2001: Kathy Kallick - ''My Mother's Voice'' (Copper Creek) * 2004: Chad Manning - ''Old Gnarly Oak'' (Tricopolis) * 2007: Jim Nunally - ''Gloria's Waltz'' (FGM) * 2008: Los Cenzontles - ''Los Senn-Sont-Less'' (self-released) * 2008:

- ''Territory'' (

Smithsonian Folkways Smithsonian Folkways is the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution. It is a part of the Smithsonian's Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, located at Capital Gallery in downtown Washington, D.C. The label was f ...

) * 2010: Steve Smith, Chris Sanders, and Hard Road - ''Signs Along the Road'' (self-released) * 2012: Mike McKinley - ''Bindlestiff'' (Sand Rabbit) * 2012:

Bill Emerson Norvell William Emerson (January 1, 1938 – June 22, 1996) was an American politician. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri from 1981 until his death from lung cancer in Bethesda, Maryland in 19 ...

and the Sweet Dixie Band - ''The Touch of Time'' ( Rural Rhythm) * 2012:

Jody Stecher Jonathan Allan "Jody" Stecher (born June 1, 1946) is an American singer and musician. He is best known as a bluegrass and old time musician, playing banjo, mandolin, fiddle and guitar and two of his albums with Kate Brislin have been finali ...

- ''Wonders & Signs'' (Vegetiboy)

Music Instruction

DVDs

* 2003: ''Power Pickin' Vol. 1: Up the Neck Backup for Bluegrass Banjo'' (AccuTab) * 2005: ''The Bluegrass Banjo of Sonny Osborne'' (Accutab) hosted by Bill Evans and Tom Adler * 2010: ''Power Pickin' Vol. 3: Playing Banjo Backup in a Bluegrass Band'' (AccuTab) * 2010: ''Power Pickin' Vol. 4: Power Pickin Vol. 4: Bluegrass Banjo Master Claas'' (AccuTab) * 2012: ''Harmony Singing Made Easy'' DVD (Murphy Method) with Janet Beazley, Chris Stuart, and Murphy Henry * 2013: ''Bluegrass Banjo Favorites'' (

Homespun Home spun literally refers to hand spinning, see spinning (textiles). Homespun may refer to: * Homespun fabric, especially that worn by American colonists who were boycotting British goods * "Homespun", pseudonym of Benjamin Franklin in ''The Ha ...

) * 2016: ''Bluegrass Banjo Licks-ercises Vol 1: Scruggs Style'' (Homespun) * 2016: ''Bluegrass Banjo Licks-ercises Vol 2: Single String and Melodic Styles'' (Homespun)

Books

* 2006: ''Absolute Beginners: Banjo'' (Music Sales America) * 2007: ''Banjo for Dummies'' (

Wiley Wiley may refer to: Locations *Wiley, Colorado, a U.S. town *Wiley, Georgia, an U.S. unincorporated community * Wiley, Pleasants County, West Virginia, U.S. * Wiley-Kaserne, a district of the city of Neu-Ulm, Germany People *Wiley (musician), ...

) * 2007: ''Parking Lot Picker's Songbook: Banjo'' (

Mel Bay Melbourne Earl Bay (February 25, 1913 – May 14, 1997), known professionally as Mel Bay, was an American musician and publisher best known for his series of music education books. His '' Encyclopedia of Guitar Chords'', first published in 197 ...

) with Dix Bruce * 2015: ''Bluegrass Banjo For Dummies'' (Wiley)

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Evans, Bill 1956 births Living people Bluegrass musicians from Virginia American country banjoists Country musicians from Virginia