John Evans - Not Mastered

Tue, 1/4 11:30AM • 2:51:29

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

play, called, song, record, band, big, guitar, Houston Texas, Sagemont, music, backstage pass, great, guess, songwriter, live, musician, write, moved, run, sounds, Interview, Podcast, Backstage Pass Radio, Backstage Pass Radio Podcast, iheart Radio, Pandora, Spotify, Itunes, Randy Hulsey, Randy Hulsey music, Randy Hulsey Podcast

SPEAKERS

Randy Hulsey, John Evans, Adam Gordon

John Evans  00:00

And you're hearing me good. Yep,

Randy Hulsey  00:02

I hear you perfectly. Alright. Hey, everyone, it's Randy Hulsey here with backstage pass radio. I hope all the beautiful and wonderful moms out there had a lovely and wonderful Mother's Day. My guest today is an award winning recording artist and producer. He was a star quarterback and he is a local bass, Texas musician that has earned the respect of his peers as well as work with some of the best in the business. And we will visit with John Evans of the John Evans band when we return.

Adam Gordon  00:36

This is backstage pass radio, the podcast that's designed for the music junkie with a thirst for musical knowledge. Hi, this is Adam Gordon. And I want to thank you all for joining us today. Make sure you like subscribe and turn alerts on for this and all upcoming podcasts. And now here's your host of backstage pass radio, Randy Halsey.

Randy Hulsey  01:05

John Evans, welcome to the show. But

John Evans  01:06

I Randy How you doing?

Randy Hulsey  01:08

I'm doing good. I'm doing good. Glad you came. I'm glad you're here. I was thinking when we were trying to tack down a date to do the show. And you said let's, you know, I'm busy as let's try Sunday. I'm like, Yeah, let's do it. Let's do Sunday. And then I realized, oh, man, Mother's Day. And I'm like, I think we can pull it off. So anyway, here, here we are. It's Mother's Day.

John Evans  01:34

It worked out great.

Randy Hulsey  01:36

And we haven't, we haven't been chastised too much, I guess about being here. And I went spend some time with my mom earlier today. And my kids were here to do the mom thing yesterday. So

John Evans  01:49

that's awesome. So that's what I did, too. I went and saw my mom earlier today brought her some flowers and, and some balloons and you're good boy, she she was happy.

Randy Hulsey  01:58

Happy to see you. Right? Absolutely. Now I remember growing up and hearing your name through my cousin Tom. I'm sure that he'll listen to this podcast. So shout out to Tom Halsey. They're in Mississippi they moved to Mississippi not too long ago but were Mississippi or their you know, I don't know. I think he posted something the other day they were somewhere I don't know if they're living in Starkville, but I think they were they're eating or something like that. But the I guess the the the car business took him to Mississippi.

John Evans  02:37

That's awesome. Yeah, that's where my mom's from? She's really it'd Bina?

Randy Hulsey  02:41

That's interesting because my mom is from Vicksburg as well. So we have that in common. Yeah. So hey, Tom and family hope all as well there.

John Evans  02:51

So you and Tommy Tommy Yeah. Well, you've always been Tommy Well, you

Randy Hulsey  02:55

know what he was to us and I don't think he would hate me for telling the story. But he he was a junior right so we called him t two right? Because he was nice. Tom the second right so my dad but you know that he was T today everybody? And then he was Tommy of course in school when you knew him and then he shortened it up to Tom so it's kind of come full circle A lot of guys

John Evans  03:21

you friends that had to change their name like that. Yeah. Like Billy to Bill.

Randy Hulsey  03:25

Yeah, that kind of thing. Well, more professional, you know, not not kind of the the boy, the boy sounding and did you go by Johnny growing up? Or was it always John?

John Evans  03:34

Well, I mean, it's, I guess the more people get to know me, the more they call me, Johnny, you know, okay, but But it's John. It's always been John. And then I think it's girls more than guys. Some of the band members call me Johnny, but still pretty much John.

Randy Hulsey  03:55

I spent a lot of years in hockey 17 years as an official in professional hockey. And the interesting thing is, there were there were the nicknames for everybody. They always ended up with an ER. So you know, you might have been Johner or in your case you might even been Johnny they would have called you Johnny but so that's how the nicknames are picked up or, or whatever.

John Evans  04:20

But you need to you need a podcast on hockey.

Randy Hulsey  04:23

We could do it. Yeah,

John Evans  04:24

I could do it. It's I've got Canadian friends to say they'd want to hear about that. Hey, yeah,

Randy Hulsey  04:28

exactly. Well, we could talk all day about that, but I'm not going to get derailed here on this show. But you guys know I'll derail this is my show. John, you do what I say. So you guys play did you play like little league football together? I don't even remember what they call it back in the day or was it just intermediate or high school? When did you and Tommy run into to one another most

John Evans  04:54

mostly high schools where I remember the the big friendship. I did grew up playing Little League football for the Dhobi Mustangs topiary Mustangs. And did that up until the seventh grade? I guess.

Randy Hulsey  05:11

Now. I'm probably getting ahead of myself a little bit but didn't Did you go to intermediate school here to or did you go?

John Evans  05:19

It was it was a weird situation. I went sixth grade to Thompson. Thompson okay. And midway through my seventh grade year, we moved to the woodlands. Okay, it's a Shenandoah Valley and and I went to Knox junior high so. So I've, I showed up during basketball season. And so I played basketball for Knox, my seventh grade year and then I played football. My eighth grade year at Knox also Okay, and then after that, after my eighth grade year, we moved back to Sagemont. And, and enrolled at Adobe. And so it was just a year and a half that I was gone. And then I came back, but it was like a total culture shift.

Randy Hulsey  06:07

I was gonna say. I guess. So you weren't in football at Thompson at all then? Right? Did you play in the seventh grade at Thompson?

John Evans  06:21

My seventh grade year I did play and I don't even remember that. I don't even remember that season. I probably played running back. Yeah. And, and when I went to Knox, they put me at tight end because I was great big and I could run Yeah. And when I came back to go play football at Adobe, I told them that I was a quarterback. And, and then that's where it all started. Yeah.

Randy Hulsey  06:50

Well, the head coach at Thompson. Oakley Davidson. I don't know who else so so Coach Davidson was on our hunting lease. He and a guy named Troy hill they were both coaches. But Oakley was definitely on the lease that we had up in Centerville.

John Evans  07:10

Right. Yeah. Rick Davidson. Yeah, he was. He was a tough one. Yeah, yeah.

Randy Hulsey  07:16

He was tough up there. At the delis, too. He made us do all the picking up the cans and you know, all the stuff that, you know,

John Evans  07:23

he made, he would make me when the wind sprints every time because like, Man, I'm just as tired as everyone else. But like he, he wouldn't let me lose. My last he'd make us run more. Yeah, yeah. Everyone was like, just let him win.

Randy Hulsey  07:39

Now you were you and Tommy friends off the football field? Or were you just kind of teammates? How did was that friendship outside of sports? Or was it really confined to hey, you know, we play on the same team. And that's, that was really the extent of it. No, we

John Evans  07:57

were we were buds. It was it was a scenario where when, when I came back in the ninth grade, I was trying to rediscover who all my friends were, you know, it was like it was it was weird. It was like a big transition. And Tommy and I, I Tommy was always nice to me in this that was, that was my deal. It's like, I would like jump around through the different groups or people. And like, I took auto auto mechanics and I took almost took AG. But I jumped through. I was I was friends with everyone. And and you know, I've got a bunch of really good friendships out of it.

Randy Hulsey  08:42

Yeah. Well, you were probably a personality, much like me. I've picked up on your personality a little bit since we've been hanging out here in the studio, but I call it the chameleon personality. And I was the guy that I was a sports guy too. Yeah. But I also sang in the choir. Right. You know, I ran, you know, with the with the potheads too. You know, I mean, I just I was friends with everybody. And I was welcome into those circles. I wasn't this guy. And this guy only. Yeah, like you as a musician. Right. You know, you could say I'm this genre, but at the end of the day, you love music, and it doesn't really the genre is just a word, right? 100% But I'm sure being friends with with Tommy and whatnot. You probably knew that my aunt was the head volleyball coach, Adobe, and then she later remarried Mike McKinney, who I think was the tribe's coach at Adobe, and I was playing a show when Katie, pre COVID And my aunt Cindy and Mike came out and that's the first time that I had seen them in a long time. So yes, that I bet that was fun. Yeah, it's kind of a small world. But so you went on. And you played quarterback for Lamar University, right? So we're They're all yours. Okay,

John Evans  10:01

so basically i i left my senior year of, of Dhobi. And then that summer I moved out to Beaumont and I trained in Beaumont and I, I took a couple classes and to try to get ahead and and then and then started the season I ended up playing four or five games that year. Okay. Shad Smith, he was a graduate of Clear Creek High School. Okay, he was he was the quarterback that was ahead of me. That was the starter coming in. And so we we basically split time up through my junior year. And, and then my junior year, about the last, I guess, seven games or so. I started from there on out into my senior year. Gotcha.

Randy Hulsey  10:53

Well, I didn't ever spend any time in Beaumont, but I drove through Beaumont a ton because I was going to school in Lafayette. Region cage and we played we played you guys. Yeah. So, you know, again, it was just passing through Beaumont. But I always knew where Lamar was, and certainly have some friends that had graduated from Lamar. And I'm going to guess that you never had a problem seeing over the offensive line being six, five, is that what you are? Because I felt I'm six two, okay. And when people when I have to kind of look up at people, it's abnormal for a guy that's above average height, right. So, you know,

John Evans  11:31

665 and a half. And, and, and I've always been really lean. Yeah. And that that was kind of my drawback. I guess, as a quarterback you, I guess Randall Cunningham was was similar body structure wise, but he could also run for 440. And I was like, hi, four sixes. Okay. But yeah, it's, it's been. My scenario was, man, I just can't, I can't put weight on. Yeah, so I was like, coming out my senior year, I was 20565 to five. And I felt like I was enormous. Yeah, you know, I spent the whole summer just seeing how much weight I could put on and, and still keep my speed and all of

Randy Hulsey  12:17

that. Well, when I graduated in 84, like, if you were, if you were 612 50, you are enormous, right? And I see these kids for high school football now. And it's like, they're 673 120 pounds. And I'm like, where are they growing? These people? Are they hatched? Or what's going on here? Right.

John Evans  12:39

It's, it's wild. So I went from Lamar and, and, you know, they've always got the projections of, of, of what you're going to do in the NFL draft and, and I had aspirations to go play in the NFL, and I led the nation in passing. And my senior year, they, they dropped the football program after our season. And, and so all the communication between our football program, and the NFL ceased and, and so quarterback is kind of a important position to absolutely, to go and analyze. And so they weren't, they weren't able to get film and that kind of thing. And, and so I was projected to be like a four to seven round draft pick, and I didn't get picked and I didn't get picked up free agent and it just kind of crushed me. I bet. And then later the next year, I got an offer to go try out for the the NFL Europe, which was called World League of American football, okay. And I tried out and got a contract. They got picked up by the New York New Jersey knights. I went and got to play football there for Miles Davis, and the run and shoot. That's what we ran during college. And that was cool. So I was there for two years. Okay. And, and then that league shut down while they reformed as the NFL Europe. So it was like it. My football days. It just didn't seem like it was in the cards. Yeah, you know, so and I was married and had had children and, and it was something where it's like, Okay, I'm gonna need to go find a job and do something else. Sure.

Randy Hulsey  14:27

Yeah. That's pretty impressive. You said you ran a force 640. And so my, my daughter, her boyfriend was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates out of high school. So he went straight to Bradenton and Eric was running a four to 260. Is that right? 40 to 60?

John Evans  14:51

No, not a four to 260 now, it will be the fastest man in America.

Randy Hulsey  14:56

So I'm

John Evans  14:58

pretty sure 40 If you're in a four two,

Randy Hulsey  15:01

okay, okay, maybe that's that would be that right? That would be 6622 Is that right? Sitting with a 60 to 60 Be fast

John Evans  15:09

that that sounds anyway probably sounds right but here

Randy Hulsey  15:11

I can't remember the exact time but what I do know is that the all time leading bass dealer Ricky Henderson that played in the majors forever was Eric was running point 20 Like he was running faster he was clocked faster than Ricky Henderson so it was World Class speed right? But I was gonna say it's like, you can't you can teach somebody to throw a football you can teach somebody to go out and catch a pass or hit a baseball you can't teach speed I don't think like you either have that ability to run that fast

John Evans  15:50

like if I were to go dive into the the fast twitch the Twitch scene which is going on now with with all these sprinters and running backs and wide receivers and quarterbacks I could I could get down to low four sixes you know back Back in my day like if I was if I was out training like these people train now and I had the the youth again. I could I could be in a low for six. Yeah. But you you either have that or you don't you're not going to take someone that's running a four 940 and turn him into a 464 Right? Yeah, let's let's just not

Randy Hulsey  16:29

Well, I think I ran it for 640 wants to but it was like four minutes and 60 seconds or something like

John Evans  16:39

you're being modest dude.

Randy Hulsey  16:40

No, I was never known for speed but now was there a stent after the nights were you played in arena football was there New Orleans? I didn't

John Evans  16:55

I did I played for New Orleans and my my deal there was I'd already decided that I wasn't going to play football anymore. And I got home and head coach of the New Orleans Night. Night Yeah, I guess it was the night they he called me and he said here's the deal we'll we'll get you on an airplane get you to New Orleans and we'll pay you your your worldly salary. I was like okay, like I can do this for another six or seven months and I went out there and and lasted about a month and I kept waiting for a paycheck and it just it never was It was the kind of broken promise guy thing okay and so it was it was a deal where I couldn't I couldn't stay up there and do it if not for what I'm going to get paid and and so went back to Beaumont.

Randy Hulsey  17:53

Yeah What's the old saying gas ass or grass? Nobody rides for free baby

John Evans  18:00

especially in Arena ball

Randy Hulsey  18:00

man I'm your pay me man.

John Evans  18:03

You're not gonna run me into the wall?

Randy Hulsey  18:05

No, no no. Gotta Break me off a little something something

John Evans  18:09

did some research to find the night

Randy Hulsey  18:12

I do my homework John. I'm not your typical podcaster right yes that's awesome. Say that tongue in cheek but so right after right after the football career what what were you doing what what did you find yourself doing?

John Evans  18:27

Well I I was I was I basically came back to Beaumont and jumped on the first shut down I could out at Chevron plant and worked that for about three weeks and then said man I'm I'm not going to do this I'm not I'm not all the respect in the world to everyone out there working in the in the plants and the factories but I'm not built for that. Yeah. So we packed up and we moved to we moved to Houston moved back to Sage Mont and in the meantime while I was looking for a job I'm I went out and painted curb address numbers with my father. And he'd had a company where we go and he'd get hired out by the subdivision to paint all the numbers and I would go out there and paint numbers and and make money with him. And then I found a job. A full time job at Sterling manufacturing. And downtown Houston. Okay, well, little north of downtown, but is a polyurethane fabricator in Houston. Okay, that's supplied polyurethane foams to like mattress companies and and of holsters and I ended up running the specialty department where we we made the foam seats that you could buy academy to the screen prints and that I have stuff and the phone number one hands and Yeah, the thing. Yeah. And so I did that for five years. And, and that's where the bulk the big bulk of my writing was involved between probably 1992 basically 9398 Okay did a did a ton of riding there

Randy Hulsey  20:25

now I believe that as a kid your your dad was kind of like a traditional country guy and and maybe your mom not not so much was the Country Music your your first love, you know coming up as a kid? Or was it more like the Carl Perkins rockabilly? I mean what where was your head like it? You know, high school days? What were you listening to? So

John Evans  20:52

growing up early on, my mom was into the classier side of like the blues and the jazz and jazz music. My mom's from it'd been a Mississippi and so that's the delta. And so I I grew up with a good dose of, of Robert Johnson and Son House and that whole era, her brother Wilson Dillard, we call him wisi wi SS why he says my name is my name. Swissy. But the ladies call me with see.

Randy Hulsey  21:28

Yeah, he's French, the French

John Evans  21:31

lady, call me with C. So he had a big influence on on, he would always say this is what you guys should be listening. You shouldn't be listening to that you should be listening to this kind of music. And so I I listened up. And so I, early on young. I listened to Jerry Lee Lewis. Carl Perkins. Delta Blues. Yeah. And, and so that was there in my brain. I didn't I thought that was what music was. Yeah. And then. And then once I started getting into junior high, you know, I had older, an older sister and two older brothers, and they were listening to everything else. Yes. And so I started listening to what they were listening to Aerosmith, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin. And so that had a big impact. And then they all went off, you know, they went off to college and into the Marines. And, and so I was kind of by myself in the house, searching for what kind of music I was going to listen to. And so basically, I've I really, really, really dove into what everyone else wasn't listening to. I wasn't into the big pop stuff. I wanted to listen to the Butthole Surfers Yeah, I wanted to listen to the toadies. And I wanted to listen to Adam and Adam. production wise was is was a huge influence on me and, and then, and then goody two shoes and goody two shoes, but all the stuff before that like desperate, not serious. Everything it was it was very garage, it was very punk. And at the same time it was pop and rockabilly in all this big splashy stuff in my face. And I really liked that. And so that's, that's had a big effect on how I approached production because they were a band, that they were also into spaghetti, Western music, you know, they, they incorporated all these different genres in this in this one band with horns and all sorts of stuff. And then all of a sudden, it's on pop radio. And so I've always wanted to do that same kind of thing with, with my music to where it's like, okay, there are no rules when I'm going to go make a record. And I can do whatever I want to because this is my record. And these are my songs, and this is what I want to do with it. And that's kind of the way I looked at it. It was more about art than it was about being a pop star or something like that. Sure. And and I was also, you know, I was I was 26 years old, 27 years old when I was thinking about making my first album. And you know, the pop stars were 19 and 20 and 21. So it's like, hey, go do go do what you do. And exactly, and if something happens, something happens.

Randy Hulsey  24:31

Yeah, but I don't know why I just thought of this but I had a friend through through my cousin years, years and years and years ago, and I don't know if the name would ring a bell but does the name Jimmy odo Yeah, sound familiar? So I think he was fronting a band called Section eight or something back in the day and right on. Yeah, I just I don't know what I don't when what made me think of that. But it's like, I wonder if John knows Jimmy OH or not? Yeah. But, you know, when were you playing in bands back in high school at all or No,

John Evans  25:07

I started playing guitar in the fourth grade. And I found that it was, you know, I took took a couple lessons, I learned how to play a song called Mind Bender. And it was a melodic thing. It was actually actually a lead part. It was like, my mama was a Gibson my daddy was a fender. That's why they call me Mind Bender. And so I had to learn those. I had to learn the melody like it was like I was singing. So that's where I got the, I guess, the urge to do some lead guitar. Yeah. So I learned how to play that. And then it was like, Okay, I learned three chords. And I learned, I learned G chord, C chord, D chord, E chord, A chord B chord. And that was like, Okay, I don't need any more lessons. Yeah, so that I just took it from there. Yeah. And learn and evolved it. Yeah. The twos and the fives and the sevens and

Randy Hulsey  26:06

all that. Sure. Yeah. That's theory for those listening that don't have a theory background. Yeah. My phone number. So yeah, that's exactly what it is. When When did you really start to take the music serious and make the decision that this is going to be a living this is this is what I want to do. This is me. It was probably

John Evans  26:32

probably 1996 1997. I, I met a guy named Rodney Walker in, in a music store. And he was looking at guitars and I was looking at guitars and and he heard me playing and he said, Oh, that's pretty cool. Man, I play kind of the same same style of stuff. You ought to come over and jam someday. And I said, Okay. And I went over and, and he said, I write songs. And I told him well, I've I've been writing songs to in my garage. And it's basically like, like, like country songs saved my mind. Football broke my heart and country music kind of saved it. You know, it was my way of expressing myself. Absolutely. And, and so I guess, I guess we wrote some songs. And I was like, Man, these songs are as good as anything else I've been hearing. I've, I really like it. He said, We should put a band together and we put the put a band together. And I had Brian Thomas playing steel guitar and, and he helped to put that band together. And it was we called it Evans Walker. And once we decided to record a record, we jumped in the studio, and we produced it ourselves. And, and it did well in the Houston area. And we've had some people in Nashville talking about it. And I thought, Man, this is something hopefully, I can do as a living. You know, our, our, our stage show got where it was good. And and we're starting to make some money at shows. And I wasn't sure if you know, back then I was waiting for Mr. Big to show up. Yeah, you know, and I didn't, I didn't know any better. And I really didn't have aside from Ronnie, anyone that was coming in saying, Hey, man, this is actually how this works. Yeah, so we were kind of figuring it out as we go. But I would say probably 1997 98. And then by, by 2000. By the end of 1999. My wife and I decided to to separate and we're going to get a divorce. And, and I I knew what I was going to have to pay for child support. And I knew I couldn't make that amount of money playing music. And that's all that mattered to me was that I could pay what I needed to pay to take care of my kids. Yep. And so at that stage of the game, I said, Okay, I'm going to go full bore, and I'm going to book book out all these shows, and I'm going to go do it. And, and I've been doing doing it that way ever since. Yeah.

Randy Hulsey  29:26

Well, and I'm sure that it has its own stresses like corporate America, right? I mean, it's just, you know, you've got to write songs that are hits and that people like and there's always you know, that's always in the eye of the beholder, right what I like the next person doesn't like and there has to be enough draw from the likability standpoint to keep you employed, right? Yeah, to allow you to negotiate the good money for the shows.

John Evans  29:53

You've only got so many sisters and cousins and members and

Randy Hulsey  29:57

half of them usually don't even like your I gotta go see that he plays the same shit every time right? I

John Evans  30:04

already know his songs.

Randy Hulsey  30:05

Exactly. Now I think you've been labeled over the years as country folk. I'm sure rockabilly and some that I haven't heard of, but how would How would John classify his style if you had in who cares about genres at the end of the day, but just for the sake of the genre conversation? Where does John Evans and John Evans band fall into I would say,

John Evans  30:33

it'd be a combo it would be rude roots rock honkytonk probably roots rock music is basically what I do and and it's it stems from what goes on in and in old honky tonks my music sounds good and and a small room. Okay. Like, like a like Broncos. Okay? If you remember blind, Broncos was a was a honky Tonkin in River Oaks. And, you know, we could put 170 people in there at a time. And that's what we did. And that's, that's where we sounded, you know, like, the richer best their music sounded like the room looked. Yeah, no, and, and smelled, and it was like the neon and everything was like, Okay, this we fit in here. Yes. And the energy was always based. And I think it's why we kept people on the dance floor because I'm playing original music the whole night, maybe a Johnny Cash song, maybe an Elvis tune or Buddy Holly song or something. But we kept them on the dance floor because it was based in like, the energy of punk punk music. So we it was revved up and you wanted to dance honestly. That's why we get we get thrown into the the rockabilly thing so much. And the fact that I had an upright player that would that played slap bass, okay. And we'd like the bass on fire. And it was it was quite, it was fun to see that that

Randy Hulsey  32:09

slap bass serves as a percussion instrument in and of itself.

John Evans  32:14

Tunes kick drum. Yeah, yeah, I love it. I used to record it on records, and then record electric bass and play the exact thing that he played, but on electric bass, just so I could get more more tone out of it. Yeah. But yeah, it's, I love the instrument. Yeah,

Randy Hulsey  32:34

it is cool. And it certainly has a fit and in certain genres, more so than others. But you, you've won numerous awards, both as a songwriter and a producer. share with the listeners some of those accolades that that you've been awarded with, I think there was some Houston press stuff, and there's probably probably a lot of other ones that that I don't know about. But

John Evans  33:01

I've, I've really don't like to think about that stuff. Honestly. It's, it's kind of like people people send me like invites to a contest or, man, you can enter your music and you've got a chance to win something. And, and, and I never was much for putting. I grew up playing football where everything was about winning. Yeah. And with music. Music to me has always been more of our happiness. Yeah, happiness. And it's something where it's like, okay, I don't want to try to be the popular dude doing this. I don't want to go and say Hey, guys, look at me. Look, come Come see how great we look. Yeah, that sounds like I get it. I dig that for sure. You know what I mean? So we for about eight years in the Houston press awards, we won best songwriter and best country band best roots rock band I can't remember what all they are but a bunch of awards and I appreciated all of my still have I still have all those all the awards. I keep them in a box right now. I don't have them up anywhere. But well, they I'm not saying I don't appreciate people voting for me and all that. I think that's, that's awesome. Well, they

Randy Hulsey  34:22

don't define you as an artist for sure. But it's but it's nice that you've been acknowledged for those things. And that's, that's what I wanted to get across to the listeners the caliber of musician that you are, you know, I mean, yeah, we've got, we've got, you know, my cousin plays, you know, ukulele in the basement and, you know, and and music is not a competition at all, but you know, I play 130 shows a year on you know, pre COVID But I was never songwriter the year I was never this angle. later that accolade and that doesn't define me. But I think it's cool that you've been in the music community. They've they've teed that up and acknowledge you for those

John Evans  35:09

things. I really appreciate that. That's first of all, it's it's it's a huge honor to win all the awards, especially out of this community. I know that I know how music rich Houston is. And you can, you can ask all the touring musician, especially if you're in a blues band, or a blues rock band, or a metal band. If you're going to go pick up a band of musicians to take out on the road, and you need a bass player, you need a drummer or you need a lead guitar guy, you go to Houston. Yeah, it's because it's where it's where all of it is. And then you look at the songwriters that have come out in the town, and that have spent, you know, extensive time in Houston and, and you got Lucinda Williams and and Townes Van Zandt, and I just just a myriad of really awesome, awesome, well honed writers and musicians and singers and vocalists?

Randy Hulsey  36:11

Well, I was gonna say you, you're a humble musician, I can tell. And the again, the accolades don't define you. But there's a lot of musicians in Houston that that could get awards, but don't get those total, those types of nods. And that's kudos to you for that, right. I mean, you you know, as well as I do the market saturated here with great talent, right? There's a lot of I have personal friends that play that should have had record contracts years ago, but just were never in the right place at the right time. And they blow away a lot of the stuff that I've seen, it's like, why were you guys, why were you guys never on RCA or Sony or one of the well, or one of the big labels,

John Evans  36:56

it's because you need mentors, you got to have mentors to put you in the position in front of those people. Because honestly, that's that's like if there is a goal that I have for music in the long run, and what got me into production, and all that is, is trying to get to the state of the game to where I can help put people in front of the right people so that that can happen because the music industry, it's not just live music, it's not just what's going on in your hometown, and there aren't like roaming scouts just going around the country looking for that. Next one. You've watched on every every movie that talks about the music industry, that's all you know, I don't I don't know that that ever existed. But it's like you've there needs to be mentorship within the community that can help push that to the next level because because there's there's a window there's a window on on on your career and and and while that while you're you're hot that you need to you need to hit while aren't hot

Randy Hulsey  38:16

strike strike while the irons are hot Jack, it's an old adage for sure, for sure. And I kind of anticipated your answer for this next question. So I thought maybe I'll I'll rephrase the question. I was gonna ask you, do you do you prefer producing or performing? But I knew the answer would probably be Well, those are I love them both are two different things. So the rephrased question would be if you had one taken away, and you were only left with one or the other, which do you get the more enjoyment from at, at

John Evans  38:55

this stage of the game in my career, it would, it would, it would most definitely be production. It would be production, it would be songwriting, it would be producing and, and helping other people get get where they want to be in and and actually see. See the vision that they've got in their head that they can't explain to everyone taking that vision and, and turning it into something that is exactly what they had in their head, and then they get to go give it to the world and then that's that's that's the piece of art they wanted to show everyone and and that's really fulfilling for me. Yeah, you know, and I think that's I think that's where it would be it would be in production. I love I love live music. I love performing live. I think that's a little bit more on the selfish side of myself is like hey, let's go burn this place down. Yep, and and rock. Yeah, and I feel like I'm I've gotten to do that on some big, really big stages and on some really small stages. And, and I know, I know my band can do that. Yeah. And that's more of a personal thing.

Randy Hulsey  40:11

I dig, I dig that answer. And the reason I do is because I've had several people recently since I've started the podcast, say, which do you prefer doing the podcast or playing live? And I said, I love them both. Just like, I knew you would answer that question. But I, to be honest, I think that I get more satisfaction of sitting across the table from guys like yourself, and learning about where your head's at, and where you came from. And helping guys like you to gain even one more listener, I've done my job, right. And that's my gift back to my peers. I don't know you nothing. You don't owe me anything, but it's a community, right. And that's kind of the mindset behind it. It's not a monetary thing. And just kind of like you said, I get more satisfaction probably out of guiding somebody to the next level and watching them succeed. And that I think that comes with age, if you would ask both of us the same question. In our 30s, you would have got a totally different answer. Right? It would have been about it's all about Randy, and it's all about John right? How do I get to the next level?

John Evans  41:24

100% 100% When I was in my 30s, I had a loft downtown in downtown Houston across from Minute Maid Park. And, and it was, it was all based on okay, what's my next song? What are we doing? We would tour we'd come back. And I'd immediately walk across the street to the bar and sit down and start writing songs. So self consumed? Oh, yeah, you know what I mean? And, and I've gotten to where I've, I feel like, you know, there's something bigger? If I do have a talent at doing this, then I want to I want it to be less about me and more about the really talented person that I'm in the studio with?

Randy Hulsey  42:05

Well, I, I think you to be successful, I think you have to be a somewhat self consumed. Because if you're not looking out for yourself and making moves for yourself, who the hell is going to do it for you? Right? And I think that there has to be a little bit of a I don't know if I'd call it an arrogance or an ego, but there has to be a confidence and about, you know, what you do? I'm in sales for a living. Yeah. And even if maybe if I don't understand the technology, or I don't know what I'm talking about, sometimes. It's about how do I make you feel like I know, like, I'm calm, I'm confident, right? And you have

John Evans  42:48

to like, like, running a football team. As a quarterback, you have to exude that, if you don't, absolutely don't have a chance. And that was one thing, you know, I always go back to my football days, the experiences I had as a quarterback. And, and running a huddle full for people, you know, people respond differently to, to the way you communicate with them, some people need a need a hey, man, you need to do this, or I'm gonna kick your ass. Yes, or some people if you say that it's gonna tear him down, and they're not going to be not gonna do anything, do anything. So it's like you, you learn how to how to communicate, and you you I can usually see someone up in the first 10 minutes zactly and I judge a character I've, I've, I've put a whole lot of stock into pre production in producing record and getting in and talking and understanding who these people are and why they're doing this and what they want to do and, and getting to where everyone's on the same page. And then once we get on the same page, then it's like, Okay, let's go make let's go make music history with us.

Randy Hulsey  43:59

Exactly. Now, that's kind of a great segue because you you picked producing over performing share with the listeners, some of the people that you've produced for and worked with. I know a couple of them but in your own words share like maybe name drop a little bit you know, some some things that you've done successfully.

John Evans  44:23

I was you know, I was based out of Houston and I toured around with with with Corey Morrow and Pat green and and Roger Krieger. And that whole Texas scene of people into a tribe you know, I've I met all of those guys. And we we we were out playing shows all over Texas. Before there was a scene called the Texas music scene, you know, before it was like anything prior to that would have been willing Nelson and the outlaw stuff so it was early on there. and they were making these records that that sounded great. But it was, it was more of a hill country type of vibe. And my stuff was a lot more energetic. Yep. And so people heard my records, and they're like, Wow, that's, it's cool. What you did with the vocal on that, or I really liked that guitar tone, or how'd you get the drums to do that? And why does it sound like this parch am radio and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And so, as I was meeting people around, they, they kind of asked me how I was getting my records like that. And it's like, well, it's just the way I hear it in my head. And, and they're like, can you do that for me? And I was like, yeah, let me hear what you got. And, and so it started off. Am I wandering on? Am I wandering on this question? No, not at all. Um, what was the end question here?

Randy Hulsey  45:58

A bit just about producing, like, some of the people that some of the people that you were working with, yeah. And we can edit that. I mean, we can edit No, I

John Evans  46:06

spaced, that's fine. Um, I do

Randy Hulsey  46:08

that all the time. But

John Evans  46:09

I, what ended up happening happening from from me traveling around was I've met a bunch of musicians. And then they dug the records that I was making, and they asked if I could do it for them. And so I've, I've, I've started off I've, I mean, I started off with a band called The U joints, u joints.

Randy Hulsey  46:32

And they auto mechanic reference, I guess, right? Yeah,

John Evans  46:35

there's like this super punk, trashy, the trashiest spaniel you've ever heard. And they're like, we want it to sound like your record. And I was like, it's probably not gonna sound like with you guys playing. And so I was like, let's dive into let's dive into what y'all do. And so we made this really great country punk record. That sounded super trashy, and it sounded like, like, they played the songs on the very best day that they could have ever played the song. Okay. And, and so it's like, the best worst record you ever listened to? Yeah. And then from there, people kind of like the way I might just like the way I've used vocals and the way I use the drums and the way I'd the how the guitar came in. And then I started producing more people. And then I got up to where I guess I'm trying to think my first big band, I produced a band called f CO, here in Houston, back in the late 90s, early, early 2000s. And they had some success with that. And I ended up just to name a few people. I've a couple years back, I did Jesse Dayton's record. I've done core blonde core blends of big, big artists out of Canada. And the first record I did for core was record called cabin fever. Okay, we did that in Edmonton. And that record when it came out, Justin Bieber had just put a record out. And on Canadian radio,

Randy Hulsey  48:12

let's say you're talking about Edmonton, Alberta, then mix it up in Canada,

John Evans  48:16

okay. And that record came out in Canada, and Justin Bieber was at number one. And the next week, Corbin knocked him out of the number one spot so it's like, nice. So did that record and I've I've done three records for him so far. He's got one out right now called agricultural tragic. That's really awesome. He's got a regular version and a deluxe version.

Randy Hulsey  48:39

I'll have to check that out. Yeah, I haven't heard his stuff. But that's part of why I love doing this is because I get to learn about new people that I've never even heard of. And I get to get turned on to their style show for sure.

John Evans  48:52

So core blonde, you've you've got to his name has been misspelled more times than visit l

Randy Hulsey  48:57

u n d Yeah. Lund log C O R B, E CORB.

John Evans  49:02

Portland. Yeah. And, and then I've done I've gotten to work with a country singer. I ran into him, probably 2011 2012 and his name's Jason James. Okay. And I've done two records with him so far. And he's really super old school sounding big, big into Hank Williams and lefty Frizelle and George Jones that style of music and we've done to two really classic country records with him. And we're working on another one right now that we haven't jumped in the studio yet but that's that's the the next project there. And then I've done some work with Hayes Carl COVID produced K mag yo yo few tracks on K mag yo yo and CO wrote that song with him. And

Randy Hulsey  49:56

who else didn't You didn't you have some success? or maybe even a number one hit with Roger rock back in 2000 2008 ish 2009. I remember correctly,

John Evans  50:08

I've done I've, I've written or CO written a lot of songs for Roger, and it got to where we we were, when he started to write a record, he was like, okay, man, I need to hit the first one he asked me for was my mother's redneck too. And he took that one in and made it a radio hit in Texas. And so the next one came around and and I think in which they get mixed up, but I've done probably five or six songs with him. And on each record, we, we usually get a single we had the song, I had a song that I was playing called on from the beer joint. And, and I played it kind of a mixture between Hank Williams and Jerry Lee Lewis kind of style. And he heard it and he was like, oh, man, that's an anthem. And he said, Can I Can I ride on that with you? And I'm like, Yeah, and he's like, it seems like it needs a chorus. And I was like, Yeah, let's go. Let's go do it. And so we rewrote it. And that ended up in 2012. I think it was the number one song in Texas. Nice and and Yeah, amazing stuff.

Randy Hulsey  51:25

Yeah. In it's interesting that you mentioned Hayes Carl i He's one of my favorites. And I performed some of his songs and my shows and there's there's one that I that I love that I usually don't because I don't want beer bottle thrown at me, but it's the If I ever find Jesus,

Adam Gordon  51:44

alright. Good. She

John Evans  51:45

left me for God. Yeah, yeah. So

Randy Hulsey  51:47

that can that can be misinterpreted one way or another. So oh, he's

John Evans  51:51

saying he's saying that on the opry stage, I think and, and almost got ran run out of town. No kidding. Yeah, it was. I think it was there as either there or, or you played it in Kentucky or I can't remember. And then you had to go play the Ryman. But yeah, that one, I was really angry when he when I heard that the first time. I was like, how did you not call me? Like how did I not get him?

Randy Hulsey  52:23

I think I think it's pretty brilliant. And I've played a couple of Facebook Lives, you know, during COVID. And I had it had dwindled down one evening to probably, you know, a handful, maybe two handfuls of people. And I of course, I knew personally all these people. And I'm like, Okay, it's time to pull this song out. And now, you know, every time after that, it's like, Hey, can you play the Jesus? It's like, it's, it's kind of wildly popular, right?

John Evans  52:52

No idea that he had written that song and I was at the mucky duck. And he was playing a show with the duck and I was hanging out with rescuing Teresa at the bar. And he started talking about it. And, you know, half the reason I got I became a big fan of Hayes was for the way he responded between songs. You know, his, his leads between between tunes are as good as they get. I mean, in my in my book, I think yes, that's where a lot of his talent lies. And, and he told the story, and the whole time I was like, what, what's the song and then he started singing it and it like, it's like, someone cut me out at the knees. Like, I couldn't believe it. I heard the hook and I was like, Oh my gosh, yeah, I can't believe I can't believe you didn't call me. Thanks a lot.

Randy Hulsey  53:45

I appreciate you. Appreciate you. Thanks, bro. No, he's a woodlands product I guess. And you were telling me Jackie ratio

John Evans  53:58

packing room to is a local problem interest.

Randy Hulsey  54:02

He's in but Hayes's in Nashville now is Yes. Correct. Okay, yeah, he

John Evans  54:06

I got there in November of 2019. And he got there in May of 2019. Okay. So he was like, Are you really gonna come show up and I'm like, I'm gonna do it dude.

Randy Hulsey  54:17

Yeah, that's awesome. And so do you produce your own stuff? Or do you have somebody else it's kind of like the doctor I don't want to operate on my family right I'll let my my partner do that or somebody else do it is that is that kind of the mindset with you? Are you you don't mind predict you probably I mean, who knows your stuff better and how you want it to sound than you right? But I didn't know if you pass that duty on to somebody

John Evans  54:43

I've had I've had one person produce a record and that's check Saunders and he produced biggest fool in town Okay, and just completely crushed it, you know, went and and played all the guitar parts woodshed, I mean, into all the rockabilly stuff completely slayed the record. And then he also convinced me during all of that he was like you need to just go bought Telecaster, he's like you're gonna be a tele player. He told me that and and I believed him. And I went and got a Telecaster and and then from there on out it was it was about, I guess three years before I could cut another record. And then at that stage of the game I was I was thinking I was gonna get girth Morlocks to do my next record. And by the time it it, it it came to the time to do it. It was like no, I'm gonna I'm gonna produce it myself. Yeah. And I produced out of control. At ardent in Memphis, had a manager based out of out of New York that said, Hey, man, let's go do this. I know there's people that aren't and, and great studio, a lot of history. And so in there, and then from there on out, I've produced every record I have. I've also associated myself with really good engineers that that can dial up what I want. Sure. Like the a lot of the sounds. If it was just me engineering, we wouldn't it wouldn't sound the same.

Randy Hulsey  56:13

Yeah. Now I know that you were, were you born in the Northeast is that

John Evans  56:19

I was born in Quantico, Virginia. Okay. My dad, my dad was in the Marines. He was Marine Corps helicopter pilot, flew President Johnson. HMS one and spent to two terms and Vietnam. And then when I was born, he, he got an opportunity to get out. And he jumped at it and got out. And then from there, we moved to Memphis. And from Memphis, we moved to the woodlands, Shenandoah Valley when I was in kindergarten, and then, and then we were there for a year and then we moved to Sage mountain down south. I grew up grew up in sage Mont and did a little switcheroo. Yeah, in the middle of it.

Randy Hulsey  57:04

Yeah. And what about where? Where was the tie? Weren't you in Austin for a while? Did you live in Austin at one time, or

John Evans  57:12

I spent? I spent the past from 2010 through November 2019 in Austin. Okay, so all in all, the big chunk of my learning years of the industry was based out of Houston, so I was always like, Oh, he's from Houston. Like, I always they're like, why don't why aren't you in Austin? Why aren't you in Nashville? Why aren't you in LA? Why aren't Why are you based out of Houston? I was like,

Randy Hulsey  57:45

Well, why not?

John Evans  57:49

Was Houston Houston rocks. Yeah. It was great city, for sure. best food in the world.

Randy Hulsey  57:55

Yep. Now you you have residents in Nashville. Yes. But you live and down in the Dickinson area. Yeah.

John Evans  58:04

I live with with my dad right now. I live in I live in Nashville. But I'm also down helping take care of my folks and in Dickinson. They've, my dad, my mom and dad have a house down on the Dickinson bio. Okay, right there where the 146 Bridge crosses over the Dickinson bio. Yeah. So we're one of those guys down there with appears with the with the lights on.

Randy Hulsey  58:27

Okay, is that what did they call that? Shore? What's the community right there at 146.

John Evans  58:36

There's sure Aker South Shore harbor. I'm thinking like, okay, and then there's Bay cliff, and we we live across the bio from Hellman's which is really old seafood company. Yes. Okay. Yeah. Well, I

Randy Hulsey  58:52

know that I played Jackie's brick house down in the key my area and, you know, I come up the 146 to Jackie so I don't play that side of town that much. But I was thinking that you had a place in Dickinson or somewhere down down down south

John Evans  59:09

it's it's considered Dickinson Okay, that's that's the mailing addresses I gotcha. But we're on the Texas City side of the bio.

Randy Hulsey  59:16

Okay. And so album wise, I think you said you had not nine albums out was polyester the latest one that you've ever put out all

John Evans  59:29

yesterday's the latest that has been distributed

Randy Hulsey  59:33

in it was that was like a 2000s 1516. Somewhere around that timeframe. 2016 release

John Evans  59:39

date. We recorded it actually in 2012. Okay, so it took took a while to get that one out.

Randy Hulsey  59:50

Now you I think there was some inspiration on that album, that that kind of circled around Your daughter, Abby, is that correct? Abigail? Okay.

John Evans  1:00:03

The coolest thing about that record in the biggest connection that I had with her was that, you know, I'd been cutting in studios and producing in studios. And we had a little house in Austin, that it was right in the cool part of, of town. And I thought it would be neat to, to record the record at the house, okay. And, and so I called Steve Christianson from here in Houston. And he said, Yeah, man, I'll, I'll just load up the studio. And we'll come set up and record for 10 days or however long takes, I was like, Okay, and so Abigail was there the whole time. Abby was there and, and she was giving me the thumbs up or thumbs down on on my, you know, the production of how it was going? Sure. Like, no, that's cool. But it could rock a little harder Dad, come pick it up, pick it up. So we had, that was the that was the biggest part with with that album. And the fact that I'd written those songs with her in the house, like, those were all all new songs that I'd written since I'd been in Austin the past two years. And that whole time Abigail was living with me for the first time. And that was part of the reason we moved to Austin was was was she was gonna move in with me and and I asked her I picked her up in Beaumont. And I said, Okay, we've got we've got a choice. We can either live in Houston, or we can move to Austin. And she said, let's move to Austin. Yeah. Sounds cool. Right. Sounds cool. She gave me the Knux Yeah. So you did it. We got this. And so we went we moved in with Hayes actually, for for like three weeks lived in Hayes's laundry closet.

Randy Hulsey  1:01:58

And that it smell in there now.

John Evans  1:02:00

This haze of course. And then found a house and and moved directly in it was it was pretty amazing. So all the songs were were were written with her in the house and, and her on the road with me.

Randy Hulsey  1:02:16

Can we maybe chat about her just rule over Italy? So you you lost Abby and 2013? Is that is that timeframe? Correct? That's correct. Teen and December 23, December 23. And that's which makes it even tougher right around Christmas time. You know, it's been it's there's no great time to to lose anybody you love. But it's hard around the holidays, because I think everybody's more sentimental and had the the there's emotional tie. I don't know. But I could I could see where that would be tough.

John Evans  1:02:54

Yeah, it was it was a it was a tough scenario. Abigail, if y'all if y'all don't know, Abigail had a rare skin disease called Epidermolysis Bullosa. And it's spelled kind of exactly like I pronounced it. So if you want to look it up, it's, it's a skin disease where your upper layer of skin doesn't want to bond to the lower layer of skin to put it in layman's terms. And it also affects is like, all, all of your epidermis is affected. So it affects your hands, your elbows, your shoulders, your face. And then also a lot of your internal organs are also considered epidermis. And so yeah, it was a scenario where from the day she was born, we we were doing everything to keep her alive. Yeah. And she was on Spider

Randy Hulsey  1:03:55

Man while now there was a film that I believe was an award winning film, South by Southwest type thing that featured you and Abby and your ex and it in it, man. It basically kind of walked through you as a musician and how you guys had to care for her and then her her skin issue. I forgot where I was going with that. I guess tell us first of all, tell us a little bit about the film butterfly girl. And then the second part of that would be how would the listeners go and find where to watch this because I think it's very interesting if you don't know about the disease. And you're John Evans fan, and Evans family fan. I think it's important to to spend the hour and 17 minutes on the on the documentary I found it very interesting. So tell us a little bit about that.

John Evans  1:05:00

So when, when we were approached about about doing this, I thought, Well, I think I'm okay with getting followed around and, and, and documenting Abby's life because it is such a alternative life for a kid that was her age, you know, it's it's a coming of age kind of documentary where she was up against all odds and and I sat down with her and and said Do you really want to do this, this is something that you want to do because because it's gonna expose, it's going to expose what you actually go through. And she said, Dad, I think I want to do it. And then we've we sat on that for a few months. And then I'm I talked to the director and I said the only way we're going to do this is if, if, if you can shoot this and, and at the end of it, I can see that you you aren't portraying her as a victim. And that this is this has shot and displays as showing the strong side of who she is. And, and I felt like they did a really great job that I agree, you know, I didn't want to like, like Stranglehold the director and say, hey, you know, don't do your job. But I at the same time, I wanted to make sure that Abby was well represented and and, and that people could see the how strong she she was and is and you know, she was alive through the whole thing. And yeah, we had, we had no idea that she was she suddenly going to pass away. Yeah. And so we got it completed. And then and then a year later South by came up and, and accepted it to South by Southwest. And and it was it was after she had passed away. And and and so that was really tough time was a tough year, you know, to go through? Yeah. You know, I've I've found that you know, the struggles that you find in a relationship or with with your friends or your parents or whoever the struggles? Are what, what make that relationship really, really valuable. And, and the more you go through in a relationship. You know, it's what it's what builds the strength that that helps it last forever.

Randy Hulsey  1:07:42

Yeah. And I what I what I picked up, you talked about the courage and the strength. And if you see the film, you'll understand. I mean, this condition is not a joke, in any stretch of the imagination. And I may use the wrong terminology here or the wrong defining words, but I don't mean it in any kind of disrespectful means. But her courage was so great that she became a lab rat for better for, you know, I mean, I can't think of a better way to put it, but I mean, she's the one that called, she went to Stanford and basically said, Hey, do you have openings? Do you do need human guinea pigs? Right? Yeah.

John Evans  1:08:32

She said, Yeah, I want to I want to go and, and, and do whatever experimentation we can do to help find a cure for this. And, yeah, and, and the way she saw it was like, Hey, I get to go to San Francisco. That was a way to get out there. Like I get to, I get to see the west coast and, and, and it was really awesome. It's like, I'm, I'm really proud of her. Yeah, she's she's, that's pretty

Randy Hulsey  1:09:02

badass. rageous Yeah, for sure. And I think that was around the time that she was ready to just be your own person, right? And just go do what I think 19 year old people do, you know, just go see things and meet new people and because you know, she was your quote unquote, merch girl and she sold your stuff. And you know, I think we all have our own identity, you know, you you have your own identity. I have my own identity. I'm, I'm have a lot of tattoos and you you know, you have your look and and we all want to be remembered for certain things. And

John Evans  1:09:39

absolutely and and she had she had been smothered by her mother and me that, you know, there was just something where we there was no two ways around it. We were always looking after her

Randy Hulsey  1:09:50

but you did what you had to do. Right? I mean, I wouldn't have done any difference.

John Evans  1:09:54

Yeah. And so she was she was getting ready. She was she was ready to fly the coop, fly the coop

Randy Hulsey  1:10:01

Now, thanks. Thanks for sharing that. And you guys if you if you can I watch that on YouTube. Is there can you think of another? I IDM?

John Evans  1:10:16

Oh, that I know that it was on. It was on Hulu. Okay, for the past year, I'm not sure. I'm sure it's still there. But I haven't I haven't checked lately, okay. Sometimes it's tough to go back and watch that I could

Randy Hulsey  1:10:32

imagine, I could imagine what you guys if you want to learn more about the condition and then just kind of see what it's like for a father and a touring musician and a couple that you know, had a bond with a daughter, you know, that was the, the tide that bind, or tie that bound, or however you want to say that but you guys worked in conjunction or tried to work in conjunction with one another, to get her the best help that you could possibly get, but it's definitely worth the watch of learning more about the disease. And then, you know, just the trials and tribulations of having been dealt a pretty rough hand there for sure.

John Evans  1:11:13

And the end. And it's not, it's not a downer, a downer documentary. So now you go in looking at going to watch it and, and, and it's kind of inspiring it is, you know, it's not it's not something where it's like, oh, knows, it's, it's pretty, pretty inspiring.

Randy Hulsey  1:11:34

Well, and I we talked a little bit pre pre hitting the record button, this button on the show. And I don't know if I could go through those things. But you know, I mentioned to you that we all we all find this fight or flight, we we step up our game, I and it was kind of interesting, my mind went to probably about a month or so ago, I got in the middle of a dog fight like a literal two dogs locked in engagement. And the listeners can't see but I've got scars on my hands of trying to separate these dogs. But I took one dog bite right here on the thumb. And the reason why I'm telling the listeners that is I know that when I'm Travis picking my guitar and I hit that one spot. It like it wakes you up like it hurts. And I said when I watched that documentary, all of the conditions with with Abby skin like what in the living hell could that have felt like I know what a blister. You know, when I was getting calluses to play the guitar, and I remember what the blisters felt like, right? This is something that she dealt with, on a constant like Jesus. I mean, these blisters were golf ball and baseball size blisters. Right? Didn't they get that big? It's

John Evans  1:12:53

Yes. Something that we're using, we had to it really affected her hands and our elbows or knees and her feet. Things that moved a lot. You know, it's just something where you're going to, it's going to be there's going to be a Bration Yeah. And, and so, yeah, it was one of those deals, and she didn't know any better. Yeah. Or whole life. It doesn't make it less painful. But it was like she had she she knew what was in store if something happened. And, and so it's like, Okay, here's another day, I just got to deal with this and, and move on. And that's that shows you the type of strength she had.

Randy Hulsey  1:13:31

Absolutely. Absolutely. And we'll we'll change gears here a little bit. Yeah. And again, John, thanks for that. I know that you're kind of digging into the brain archive and sometimes taking you to a to a place that's probably a little tender. Even Even still, it'll always be tender. But I think it's important for it's an important story for people to know if they're not if they've never dealt with something like this. So it's, you know, we're trying to, I think, tell the listeners in a positive light. It's it's an inspirational documentary. And you know, it's

John Evans  1:14:05

awesome. You know, y'all should go watch it and Meet Abigail. She's, she's awesome. Yeah.

Randy Hulsey  1:14:10

So so possibly Hulu, and for sure YouTube is where I watch that. But again, to change gears a little bit, I wanted to share a few song clips here. There was a release that you had called lollygaggin, while back in 2009. And I'm gonna share a clip, you know, I kind of went through the catalog and I said, Oh, I like that one. I like that one. So I picked out some of my favorites. But this first one here that we'll take a listen to, is a song called the things I didn't do. And we'll take a listen to that and then we'll come back and chat a little bit about the song cool.

John Evans  1:14:54

I've heard G strings fall flat. I've seen a G string fold Floor perspective changes everything choices around a cigarette or more minutes when the curtain fall so I was only passing through and judge me Lord Paul. All the things I did help me leave behind wretched scar beauty on this world. might leave a mark could be paved into row where people live on or man every day is

Randy Hulsey  1:15:47

Judge me Lord Paul please judge me lord of the things Need a restroom or anything

1:34:10

okay check yep

Randy Hulsey  1:34:26

yep check check so we just listened to things didn't do so will so that was a song called things I didn't do what what inspired that song

John Evans  1:34:44

glad you asked that. That's that's a

Randy Hulsey  1:34:47

I asked Greg questions. This great

John Evans  1:34:49

he dug deep it was funny. There's a group of people that though the the art car you Joe, is it the orange group? Is that what I think so? Yeah, yeah. And they were doing a tribute tribute show that was going to be a big show, probably six or 700 people. And I was going to have to get up and sing three Townes Van Zandt songs. And I'm not if you've ever been to a show 99% of it's all original material. And I grew up wanting to write songs and not necessarily cover songs. And the ones that I did cover were were tunes that I basically had to had to play at a beer joint in Pasadena to to make them happy. Yep. Folsom Prison

Randy Hulsey  1:35:46

or something. Sure. Yeah, the staples.

John Evans  1:35:49

And, and so I always it was, it was kind of something in the back of my head where it was like, Okay, you're going to do original music. You don't need to go and learn a bunch of cover songs. And then it got to where it was really tough for me to recall the lyrics of cover songs. And so I was going to have to get up and sing three Townes Van Zandt songs. And so I took it really seriously because the last thing I wanted to do was get up and sing a town song and screw it up. I had to do a Dylan song once. And, and this is after the Townes Van Zandt thing, and, and it plugged me, I just listened to some Dylan songs. I found one that was rocking. And I was like, Yeah, I'll do that one. And so they said, Okay, you're doing that one. And then I went to learn it. And it was five and a half minutes long. And it was nothing but lyrics. And he, he did one phrase, you know, every now and then. And so I had to get up and do that. And I was terrified, but I did it. And, and it ended up being really cool. But for the town songs, it was just going to be me. No backing band. Yep. And so I started learning the songs. And and it took me about two weeks, basically, every night going through the songs and looking at the lyrics, and then singing the song and then taking the lyrics away, and then trying to make sure I didn't screw them up. And we got to about two days before the show. And a tropical storm came through Houston, and the show canceled. And I was elated. And at the same time, I was disappointed kind of mad, more so than disappointed. I was like I just put all the time in doing something I don't want to you know, I don't I don't want to learn other people's lyrics and I really don't want to put that kind of effort into something. Because I can't screw up a Townes Van Zandt song, and I was like, I would have been better off if I just wrote my own Townes Van Zandt song. And I was like, hey, well, I'm going to do that. And so I put myself in the place of Townes Van Zandt, and then I wrote things I didn't do. And it was like point blank, wrote the song right there on the paper, picked it out on the guitar, as a finger picking song. And, and then I remembered the lyrics was crazy. I was like, it's like, I knew that one better than I can't even remember the three songs I was gonna do for Townsend's Interesting.

Randy Hulsey  1:38:32

Yeah, I only do one by him and my shows and I think it was one that probably Willie made famous poncho and lo Yeah, right. Great. Great tune.

John Evans  1:38:41

Yeah. Um, and when I say that, it's, it's, it's not out of disrespect. Now it's the artists. There's so many like Willie Nelson. I wouldn't want to screw up one of his songs either. Yeah. You know, it's just I've got so much respect for songwriters, for sure. And especially ones with those credentials, and and that everyone sees, as you know, the, the pinnacle of songwriter, yeah, whatever. They're sure where they've, they've placed him now, you know, so it's like, I'm just gonna write my own towns on being that

Randy Hulsey  1:39:16

that's cool. And so off that same effort. You also had a song called Waco, Waco, and we'll take a we'll take a quick listen to that and come back and chat about it.

John Evans  1:39:31

One Night Stand for girls who won a Texas ban spelling student could die. Which way to go the wrong way, go away. Go away, go. Face to face. I'll be there Half Naked a Rolex not Maseko even though it is a fake go get the Casa shaken Pecos for lead for heaven's sake, the borrower trespass and the crowd

Randy Hulsey  1:40:31

that sounds like a typical night in the life of a musician on the road. But but in your own words, what? What is that song about? And where is the wrong side of Waco?

John Evans  1:40:43

It's everywhere, everywhere. Yes, it's everywhere. So what what happened there was I was playing a show and Stephen Bill and I was coming from Houston. And I had a fill in piano player that was was going to play piano for us this night in the big dance hall, you know, and, and Big Show, He left early in the morning, and he kept calling. Okay, where are where are y'all now? And I was like, man, we're coming. I promise, dude. I don't know. Right? Right now we're, we're about 100 miles on the outside of Waco and he was like, so you're almost here. And I was like, No, we're on 100 miles out on the wrong side of Waco. And, and the whole band. When I said that sitting back there they'll go Oh. And by the time we got to Stevensville I'd written the whole thing. I could just sit there like okay, bam, bam. Just throwing throwing lyrics into the into the phone. And we got there late. And but but we ended up we we started playing at the right time.

Randy Hulsey  1:41:56

Yeah, that's that's what mattered in the end. are musicians ever on time for anything? Everyone knows. It's

John Evans  1:42:01

like, What time are you playing tonight? John? I'm like, whenever it's whenever the strike yes, nine ish. It's, you know, this. We're we're not playing a theater. Yeah, we're we're at a beer joint. Yeah, exactly. When they when they

Randy Hulsey  1:42:17

crammed up, right. Yeah, exactly. Well, would you consider yourself a natural songwriter? Because I believe that you're either a lyricist, or you're a lyrical airhead. Like you can either write a song or you can't write a song would would you say that that gift? is a natural or do you have to work really hard to to come up with ideas and melody lines and things like that?

John Evans  1:42:43

Um, I think I like my music has been steered through emotion more than anything else. I've got my influences, which are based in Delta Blues, Honky Tonk rock and roll country. And from a lyrical standpoint, I kind of think about, what would I think have I heard someone else say this? Would I think, oh, that's, that's a good line? Or would I be to your region? And so I've always got that kind of edit button in my head. Yeah, I want to push the gamut. But at the same time, it's like, it's like, okay, so I don't like to censor my stuff myself. But I do like to edit. Like, like, like, back in the day it was, I'm going to go out and drink. And I'm going to write, and I'm going to drink and I'm going to write and I'm going to drink, but I'm going to edit this thing sober. And so that was my mentality early on. But I think it is. I think it's more of a more of you either have it or you don't have it for sure. You know, and, and, and people that force it. I can I can You can tell yes, hell, for sure. And I can like with other artists. When when I'm producing a record, it's like, Okay, I'm gonna be brutally honest with everything. We're, if we're going to do the record, we're going to do it the way it needs to be done. And I'm going to be brutally honest. And the reason you're hiring me is is because for your expertise, you trust me. Yeah. And if you don't trust me that I understand that it's no hard feelings, you should find someone else.

Randy Hulsey  1:44:27

Well, as a good producer, you have a due diligence to to be the guide, right? You're got to be the guy, the record

John Evans  1:44:34

is a complete success or a complete failure and that in your hand, that's right hands is on my shoulder. So that's the way I approach every project.

Randy Hulsey  1:44:45

That makes sense. And so one of my one of my favorites off the 2008 release, called Lucky 13 was a song called hoochie and a honky tonk and let's let's play a quick clip of that and then we'll come back and chat. Alright

John Evans  1:45:06

on jealousy and self respect and I can see the flames behind me as I drive off in my car. She's just in no count hoochie cowboy sad to

1:45:34

steal my down gas. She says sucking down my last breath, a whiskey kill. God damn scars. She's my broken heart

Randy Hulsey  1:45:53

I love that line. You don't have any tattoos or tattoos or scars. And we were having a conversation before we started recording and John had made some comments about my artwork on my arms. And he said, Well, I don't have any yet. So I really didn't think about that too much until just now. Was that song written in? Like a first person? Like?

John Evans  1:46:26

Yeah, I guess.

Randy Hulsey  1:46:28

Or you can plead the fifth that

John Evans  1:46:31

I wrote that one with my, my all time first time songwriting buddy Rodney Walker, and we, we wrote it via text message back and forth each other. And it was we were trying to one one up each other on the line. Oh, sure. And the, the tattoo line was Abby had to have a surgery, a hand surgery. And, and they had to take skin grafts from her stomach, like underneath her belly button. And, and they took the skin grafts on there, and then they grafted it on our hands. And we knew we knew that it was going to leave a scar. Okay. And it was about a six or seven inch scar that that basically it was going to be like parallel with her waistline. Okay, like so straight across her stomach. And so I talked to talk to the doctor at while Abby was in there. And I said, so this is going to be a scar and just going to be there forever, right? And he said, Yes. And the doctor, his name is Dr. naturae. Sybil, Dr. naturae Is there any way that you can make it look like a Cadillac v. So that it goes down to a point. So it's like, so it's like a tattoo, but it's a scar? And he said, Yeah, I can do that. And so he made the scar look like a Cadillac V like, like the emblem on the front of your Cadillac. And, and I told ABBY I was like, Hey, you're gonna, you're gonna have a scar, but your tattoo one is going to be cool. It's going to be a Flying V and and, and it'll be just like a tattoo, but it's a scar. It's cooler than a tattoo. Yeah, she's like, Yeah. And so we did that. And then after we did that, that's why I put that put that line in the in the song. Well, I think that and you know, beer life, bar life. Everyone's got tattoos and when are you going to get your tattoo? Yeah, whatever. And so that's that was my one clever line that I've had it.

Randy Hulsey  1:48:51

I like it. I think that we've all probably experienced a version of a hoochie at the bar, right? At some point. I mean, we all grew up, you know, it's, it's all in the guards.

John Evans  1:49:01

Male or female exact.

Randy Hulsey  1:49:02

Oh, yeah, absolutely. I

John Evans  1:49:04

hoochies to oh, there

Randy Hulsey  1:49:05

there the for sure there is that? Would you say that most of your songs are written based on factual of events? Or do you or do you? Do you dream songs up to write does it always have to be an experience? Or it's or does it come out better if it's an experience or do you just you know, pick up pick a word out you know, and songwriting classes, you pick a word and then ride your ride around the word right? So I didn't know if some of your stuff comes out like that or not, or if it's a combination

John Evans  1:49:43

there. Most of my songs the stuff that ends up making, making the record has has got a connection to me somewhere okay, you know, and and that's, I've, I I'm not sure who told me it may have been Rex better Well, the guy who previously on the Old Quarter down in Galveston, yeah. He said, Man, you got to live it to ride it, man, you got to live to ride it. He was sure he played with Townes, Van Zandt and all that. And he's always like, You got to live it to ride it. And so that that early on in my career that kind of stuck with me and so it makes sense. Yeah, it's, well, it puts you in a place of authority over what you're talking about, or singing about, and it makes it believable. If you believe it, then everyone else will believe it. So that's where I've based most of my writing, but I do I, I do use, I think about writing courses in, in high school, where I would, I would have an assignment and then I'd have to go write about the assignment. Like, when I first went to Knox junior high, I was in a creative writing course. And it was my first day there and it was a Friday and, and the lady said, you got this assignment, you got to make up. Make up your own product that you're going to sell and you need to write a commercial, and then get up in front of the class on Monday and sell it. And so I thought, okay, I don't know anybody. This is the first time I'm getting up in front of anyone and and, and so I made up a I made up a product called Super shine cleaner. Okay, and super shine cleaner was eyeglasses cleaner. And so I made up a of a commercial and I got up in the front of the class. Basically the first day that anyone said hi to me, and said hi to Hi there, all you friends, neighbors, this is John speaking so get your ISP can come on down and buy my cleaner. It's like me because it's from Pasadena. It's just got class, if you've got a smudge, it'll clean your glass. People wear glasses know what I mean? You can't see unless you glasses a clean, just squirt out a dab and rub it on. And if you get another smudge, just do it again. $1.99 is all it costs with super shine cleaner. You won't even get lost super shine cleaners. Once you say get on the squirt, get off the spray. Dig that's cool. And so that was my introduction to everyone is so my sister and I gotten the bedroom, you know that we can before Monday and we wrote that thing and then ever since then I've been writing it was like that was the that was the kickoff. Yeah, remember it?

Randy Hulsey  1:52:28

Wow. You know, and it's cool that you remember every word of that still to this day. I guess when you write it you tend to not forget it is what they say muscle muscle memory for sure. For sure. Now there was one off the polyester release that I think polyester we talked about coming out around to 2006 C and it was a or is a tune called grandma's chair. And I think the first time I saw the video on youtube I think Jack Ingram had actually introduced the song and I think and I correct me if I'm wrong and you may know more than I do but I think right Benson is the host of that show and he was with a group called asleep at the wheel which had a lot of success. We'll take a listen to Grandma's chair and then we'll come back and chat a little bit about that cool

John Evans  1:53:25

guy friend flakes in a brand new town the both kind of dirty bit both been around the just me little love cars there who are brand brand new a god house down the street from a grocery store. Squares are cheap when you buy two packs 2.2 miles from Joe I've got a house down the street from a grocery store great place to broke in. I've got a head start with

Randy Hulsey  1:55:01

I, since I started doing these clips, you know, I've listened to the clips over and over again. And I really fallen in love with the song. And as we were letting it play, you held up a pack of cigarettes across the table. What inspired the song and, you know, you made a, I guess a reference to the cigarettes in the in the song talk a little bit about that.

John Evans  1:55:20

Well, my my sister, my sister, and her husband always called cigarettes squares. When I was in high school, like you got a pack of squares. And so I always remembered or always saw a pack of cigarettes as a pack of squares. Yeah, you know. And so that song was written soon after Abby and I moved to Austin. And it's all about, it's all about, you know, moving to a new place starting over, for me moving to Austin was felt like starting over because I was because Abby was, was living with me, we found this little bitty house, his tiny little house right around the corner from a grocery store and, and I had this, this chair that was my grandmother's chair, still have it and recovered it the whole nine yards and, and through two or three relationships. My girlfriend's like, You got to get rid of that chair, man, that thing's old. It's like, you got to get rid of that. And I was like, No, man, that's my grandma last year, I'm not gonna, I'm not getting rid of it. And so when Abby and I moved us, the first thing is like, taking that thing with us. And no matter what, no matter where we move, as soon as we get that thing in the house, then you know, we'll have we'll have some family here. And it'll feel like home, whether we're in Houston or Austin or San Antonio, or wherever it is, you know, that'll be something that anchor Peace Foundation. That's true. And so that was that was an exciting time when when that song was written and what it meant to me and Abigail and

Randy Hulsey  1:57:17

yeah, that's cool. And I always, you know, I, we talked outside that I was a smoker for years. And you know, I always refer to him as hey, give me a pack of smokes right, but I've never heard squares, but that's certainly the hip name for him. I dig that name. Hey, I got to pack the squares. That sounds really cool. That sounds Austin II to

John Evans  1:57:42

make. Squares cheap when you buy two packs for more. Exactly. Emily Emily does a cover of that. That were Emily's a singer. She she's she's really talented. And she doesn't cover that. That's awesome. And she says smokes that she Yeah, she says smokes on like, Squarespace

Randy Hulsey  1:58:05

depends on if you went to Adobe or South Houston, that thing. Right? We will get on that subject again. But so you had a you were part of South by, right for those that don't know, South buys abbreviated for South by Southwest. What What was the involvement there with your band or with yourself as an individual artist? I'm assuming that you played shows at South by right?

John Evans  1:58:29

Yeah, every every year you there's there's invites and you sign up to see if you're going to get invited whether you're going to be an official South VI and yeah, if I moved to Austin, then all of a sudden they started accepting me. It was it was something else. It was it was weird. I mean, becoming an official artists. Everyone. I think there's a there's a lot of musicians that protest South by because it's like, Man, you've got no one's getting paid anything and and you know, we're paying exorbitant prices for parking. And, and if you're playing three shows a day, for five days at three different venues and you have to drive around and park different places you could be spending $200 A day in parking. And then the parking went up. And Lyle and Scott were it was like crazy. So

Randy Hulsey  1:59:34

yeah, so it was that more is that more of an exposure thing for the artists. It's like I had no idea that the artist,

John Evans  1:59:42

it's another exposure gig Chase. And and the thing the thing about that was it played a bigger role back in the early 90s. Because, you know there were bands and there were They were there were a&r people there and record labels and people were gonna discover you getting signed out of South by Yep. And then all that changed. And, and the music business tanked with the digital and everything that happened. So no one was getting signed, and then you're playing exposure gigs. And it's like who am I exposing myself

Randy Hulsey  2:00:27

to the wrong people apparently, it's funny that that that whole exposure conversation in the music business is kind of funny, I had a buddy down and Galveston that I've played a couple of times with set in with and he became a big name over in France and has a great following over there. But he said that I think at one time, there was a restaurant that was opening up. And I mean, in the he's, he's the guy that's played red rocks. And you know, I mean, he's not he's not you're, you're Randy holds these right. And in other words, he's done his time. And this, this new restaurant spun up, and they call him and said, Hey, man, we heard a lot about your stuff, you know, and listen, your stuff is great. We're having a grand opening. And we really like to get you here. But you know, we're new, and it would be great exposure for you. Right? And he's like, Yeah, and I thought about it. And I said, so that's a catering business. He said, what I wanted to tell him was, well, you know what, next weekend, I'm having a party down here in Galveston for 50 of my closest buddies, and you should cater all the food for free. It'll be great exposure for you, right? It's kind of like, why why do you devalue my shit? But yet, you think I have to pay for your shit. Yeah. It's frustrating. And especially to somebody that like yourself, that makes a living doing that, because people drive down the value of the artists. And there's a lot of conversations around people that go into these these places to play. And they're like, oh, yeah, I'll play for 50 bucks, or I'll play for 100 bucks. And then the guys like, you go in there, and they think that you're 100 bucks, too. And it's like, you can't you're just devaluing the, the whole, yeah, great artists out there.

John Evans  2:02:18

It's tough. The $500 gigs for a five piece band or a six piece band have been around since the 80s. It's like the end that's like, still considered to someone that's 18 or 19 years old, hey, they're paying us 500 bucks, right money. That's great money. And it's like,

Randy Hulsey  2:02:39

not somebody's paying a mortgage, though.

John Evans  2:02:41

Yeah. And so at some stage of the game, you've got to get to where you're, you're playing the venues that have a cover charge, and then you have to be able to put enough people into where you're making the money. And then it gets it gets to where, you know, you it's feasible to go play the place, and you can make the right amount of money.

Randy Hulsey  2:03:01

So you mentioned some places, I guess, the Saxon was one of them, but you've also played and I don't know how many times and you can educate us on this, but green Hall was one of the places that you've you've played once or multiple times. I don't know.

John Evans  2:03:17

gazillions, really? Yeah, I've done I've done a ton of the I used to play there every fourth of July. Did that for I guess four straight years? Well, I wrote the Luby's jingle. Tastes like Texas feels like home early, early 2000s. And we went and shot it at Green hall and I had no idea Yeah, it was cool. And we got to eat free Louise for a while and then

Randy Hulsey  2:03:43

we had Lou and platters for life. Yeah, we You look like a fried fish.

John Evans  2:03:50

We live that life all up for us that whole life up and about a month.

Randy Hulsey  2:03:56

The life of a struggling

John Evans  2:03:59

fan got bad on Luana platter. Yeah, yeah. It was great.

Randy Hulsey  2:04:02

And now actually, Luby's was a customer of the IT firm that I worked for. And I guess they filed bankruptcy and are going out of their way.

John Evans  2:04:12

hoping someone someone picks him up. Pick him up. Yeah. Or I am at least I always like to be I did too. I did too. But yeah, green Hall. I've I've played a million shows there but I've never headlined like a Friday night or Saturday night. Okay, so that's that's that's one of these days when I'm an overnight success. Yeah, I guess maybe I'll get to do that.

Randy Hulsey  2:04:35

And I guess that could be and again, you've played a lot of these places correct me if I'm wrong. That could be the holy grail of the rooms and Texas to play would would you would you say that's fair or or it's one of one of the ones that are up there? Sure. Hop right.

John Evans  2:04:56

For sure. It's it's it has got As much street cred is anything, you know, and it is upper echelon place sounds always really good. And your crowds, crowds awesome. And that's yeah, if you get a chance to play green hall you go and play it.

Randy Hulsey  2:05:17

Oh, I'd have they have to pay to play there. So I'll probably never play. But I'm okay with that. And I'm totally I'll come watch you a songwriter

John Evans  2:05:27

show up there and bring you up there with okay. I could come hack

Randy Hulsey  2:05:31

up some stuff for sure. For sure. Did you did you get to crawl through the chicken wire window when you play there? Yes, I have. Yeah. Yes, I the last time I was at Green Hall. I saw Cindy Alexander play and she's going to be a guest on my show. She's a artist out of LA. And I think she was opening for the bacon brothers, Kevin. Kevin Bacon, the actress Kevin Bacon and his wife was in attendance that night and was literally almost standing right next to me. I think her name's Kara or something like that. But anyway. But that but I saw them crawl through the the window, the chicken wire, you have to enter through that to get to the stage or whatever, you know, you don't walk through the through the room, you come in through the chicken. I

John Evans  2:06:22

try not to climb through too many chicken Windows anymore.

Randy Hulsey  2:06:27

It's a good way to get shot back in the day. You could do those things and you just get reprimanded and say John go home and get bad long legs

John Evans  2:06:33

and they get tangled up.

Randy Hulsey  2:06:36

Sure. So tell tell the listeners what projects. What do you currently have going on right now?

John Evans  2:06:45

Okay, right now I've got about to start some pre production for Jason James. He's country singer, based out of Texas City that plays all over the place plays green Hall plays a lot of great places, had his first record deals with New West. Small label out in Nashville. And then I've got been doing Steven Castillo record. He's got a band called The Western Express out of Austin. And they're kind of like a, like a, like an early Mavericks sounding band really cool. Mike, Ethan Messick and Ben Morris are doing a project that I'm working on, they both have their own respective bands. And they've come together teamed up to they've always wanted to do a record together and they wanted me to, to kind of meld their two sounds together. So that's, I'm I'm busy with that. I'm trying to think what else um, I'm leaving out right now. I've got I've got to have my own projects that are are basically in the can. So I'm hoping to get I've been kind of waiting for the COVID dry spell to to dry up and and start moving again. And that seems like that could happen in the next six months. So yeah, hopefully so hopefully I'll get one of those. I've got a record out right now that that not out but finished that I'm really nervous about releasing because it's it's so outlandish. Recording and production wise,

Randy Hulsey  2:08:36

but we had that conversation outside now by the pool. You gotta you got to release it John. Just take my advice. Okay, if you take nothing from Randy take you got to put it out. Don't sit on it because first instincts are always the best.

John Evans  2:08:50

I'll send you I'll send you the first track off of it. Okay,

Randy Hulsey  2:08:53

fair enough.

John Evans  2:08:54

Let you be the judge of this and then core blend just released agricultural tragic, you should go check that out. Who else? I've got a single that's out right now. What is that called? James Stein. We put it out. It's called Outback baby. Okay. And, and it's it's his single but we do add on it. So it's a lot of fun, but it just came out last week. Is

Randy Hulsey  2:09:26

that something that Wednesday? Okay. Is that something that can be found like on iTunes, Spotify,

John Evans  2:09:31

iTunes, Spotify, anywhere you find your music? It's It's James Stein. Lee and that's S T. i E i in LA Stein Lee. Okay. Yeah, it's German.

Randy Hulsey  2:09:46

Okay. And you'd made mention earlier about the mavericks and in am trying to jog my memory is this the same? This is the group was Raul malo was the leader. center for that. Okay. Yes. I was trying to make sure I had that right in my head. Yes. What a great voice he

John Evans  2:10:05

has. What a singer. Oh, yeah. Ricinus Oh, yeah.

Randy Hulsey  2:10:10

Oh, yeah. Tell me a little bit about Emily Bell and the talkbacks I and I just stumbled across her through you hadn't heard of her before. So who were the talk backs?

John Evans  2:10:27

The talk backs are her band. Okay. Which it's just, it's, it's our Austin mob, some of the guys that I put in putting the studio with me from time to time, depending on the project that I'm working with. But it that was a new band that she put together after her first release of Emily bell in Technicolor. Okay, gotta check that one out. That one was was was a really cool record that we did. Around the same time. 2012 ish. And and then she put out an EP called Goddess of destruction, which was was pretty cool. Pretty cool. production wise. And she's just a great singer, great singer, great songwriter.

Randy Hulsey  2:11:24

Is this the talkbacks? Is this just hired guns? Or, or is this a solid band that that is like, you do everything together? Right? It's not just like, yeah, you come in and do the guitar. You do the bass and then you I mean, it's a cohesive unit, the talkback

John Evans  2:11:43

it was the the talkbacks were the live band that she played with. Gotcha. So it's, it was the touring band that we use for about a year and a half, two years.

Randy Hulsey  2:11:54

And Emily is in Nashville. She's in Nash. Correct. And that's permanent residents. Yes. For her. Yes.

John Evans  2:12:02

So we've got a place in Nashville together and she lives there and I'm back and forth between here between Houston Nashville and Austin or wherever.

Randy Hulsey  2:12:11

Yeah. Or a location near you. Right

John Evans  2:12:13

location. You're what?

Randy Hulsey  2:12:14

Where did you meet Emily?

John Evans  2:12:16

I met I met Emily a long time ago and in Houston, through the southern back tones and Johnny Falstaff, and just all all of our music friends. She was she was she studied what was it? Music? Music acting? What's that called? Music Theater? Yeah. Theater at at a hspva. Okay. Yeah. And years after she was out of high school. She started showing up at some of our shows. And then, years after that, I met her at one. I saw her again at one of my shows, and I hadn't seen her in forever. And I was single and she was single. And then I was playing a thing for sugar here. Sugar Hill, recording studios at at the continental club. And then when I got finished with my set, I got off stage and she just grabbed me and kissed me and then it was all over. Wow. Yeah. It was awesome. Magnetism. Magnetism. We, you animal. Yeah, we, we went on. We went on, like three dates in one night that night. It was

Randy Hulsey  2:13:28

it was is that possible? It's it was crazy, apparently. Crazy. I don't think you'd lie to me.

John Evans  2:13:34

It was great. And then. And then we've actually really liked each other. So we kept talking and on the 11th of May, was the first day that that she threw the kiss on me. And and we've been together for 11 years since this May 11. And I flew back to Nashville on the 11th and bought her a ring and asked her to marry me and she said, yeah, nice. We are now congrats. Officially

Randy Hulsey  2:14:05

engaged. I was wondering if you're gonna take this conversation. They're like I open the door for you and let you just walk right through it. Yeah, I don't know if you heard it first on backstage pass radio or not. But anyway, it doesn't really matter. So yeah, congrats are in line there. And I would say it's about time. Yeah. 1111 years. It really is. We've

John Evans  2:14:25

we've been through the wringer together and yeah, she's awesome. Yeah. And

Randy Hulsey  2:14:31

well, we wish you I wish you guys all the happiness in the world. That's a certainly a big step for for people in general. But it sounds like you guys are certainly compatible. The music is, you know, the the tie that binds? Yeah, one of the things anyway,

John Evans  2:14:48

she's super, super talented. She's super talented and as far as singing and writing and she's she's writing for a production company out of LA that that makes TV TV shows like they've got what is it? Border Force USA on I think it's the Discovery Channel or net geo Yeah, but she does that she she makes TV shows she writes songs she makes albums she's just super creative and super talented.

Randy Hulsey  2:15:23

Very cool let's we'll switch gears a little bit you guys make sure you check out Emily Belle and the talkbacks I know that you can find them on Spotify for sure. And I'm going to assume that you can find yes out on iTunes as well. If you find them on one I'm sure you'll find them on the other is kind of the mindset

John Evans  2:15:42

look up Emily bell in Technicolor and then also look up Emily Bell. Goddess of destruction. And we built on the talkbacks Goddess of destruction. Yeah.

Randy Hulsey  2:15:52

Let's talk just high level real quick about gear guitars. Is there a go to guitar being a musician and a guitarist myself? Is there is there one guitar that this is my this is my baby this is my go to. And I realize every guitar is different every guitar you know, you might have three of them on stage. They're all tuned different. Or I didn't know if there's one for you that that you gravitate

John Evans  2:16:20

for acoustics for my acoustic shows. I played two guitars once once a beater once one that I'm well I'm not scared to take either one of them but the beater that I've got is a guild it's a 1970s killed and I love it I'm wearing through the face of it like Willie Nelson right now so love that guitar love it in the studio. And so anything 1977 I think 7677 All the way down to the 60 sevens are super super killer and then my mind for sure go to that I would go to no matter where where I'm playing it can be the opry or the tonight show or anywhere else is my Gibson. Big Gibson guitar fan. I've got a Gibson advanced jumbo custom shop from Fuller, fuller guitars. And and it's an awesome, awesome axe. I'm recommended for everyone that can find one.

Randy Hulsey  2:17:35

Yeah, I have. I love the sound of the Gibson hummingbird and you know I've kind of pigeon holed myself. I'm a Taylor player. Right. And I've always loved Taylor's but I but I love that that Gibson sound and it's it's very unique. It's it's

John Evans  2:17:57

always always felt it's always felt right to me and sounds trite with what I'm playing. And I use great big strings. I play Thirteen's and, and I play the hell out of them like really hard. And I'll play them until they break. So like, I had to deal with elixir for a long time. So I fell in love with elixirs, and I've been using the poly webs. Yeah. And so I like to rock them and I like to wear them down. I like to wear them down until they break. Yeah. And then the new set of strings is like okay, they're okay, but I need to get them worn in.

Randy Hulsey  2:18:36

So you so yeah, and I'm an elixir player to the poly web, the Nano website. Those are my strings of choice. So are you saying that you'll continue to keep a pair of elixirs or a set of elixirs on a guitar until you break one and then you change it? Is that a special sound that you you like to get out of the guitar? Because I think the brightness and the life of it after a certain time plays out and I'm a string changer myself, right? Of course. And then you have the oils of the hands that saturate them and you don't get the you don't get the same brilliance? Yes. That you let you kind of gravitate towards maybe not tomorrow. Yes. And something on the opposite end of that.

John Evans  2:19:20

I'm a I'm a string puller and a squeezer and I like my guitars have I? I buy them because the neck is big and fat like a baseball bat. And so I really I fall back on the strength of my fingers for getting the tone that I want out of the guitar and I think it comes from the old Delta Blues stuff. Yeah. Where I heard all the stories of of the tones kind of come out of your comes out of you and it comes out of your hands and your and it's not because you've got a great set of strings, you know? Sure and so I've And a lot of times in the studio, I, I'll change them over to flat rounds, I'll use flat rounds if I'm doing blue stuff or something like that. And then I've got to start over with a new set of strings. And, and usually I, I go between two sets to guitar, so one's always got an old set of strings. Yeah. And then, and then for electric, I'm a, I'm a telly guy. I've, I've, I've always started off on television. And it's the same thing. I've got a I've got a 1952 Custom Shop tele that was built in the late 90s. And it's got a no caster neck on it. So it's like a sawed off baseball bat. And and then all the old pickups from the I guess they call it a closet classic. Yeah. And so I like that. My amp is a is a Dr. Z and and it's got a tone knob and a volume knob. And so it's kind of goes in that same. It's not a purist thing. It's just a preference reference deal.

Randy Hulsey  2:21:15

Well, I think for the listeners that are not guitar players, I guess the heavier the set of strings, I guess the the thought processes, the more sound you you can get out of it versus a you know, a light gauge of string. And for those that don't play guitar, the heavier the gauge is, the more of an ass weapon it is on the fingers. And you would be surprised how big a difference I mean, because I've played a heavier gauge before because I was like, Oh, I'm gonna, you know, get some more sound or fuller sound. And after playing a couple of shows and like, and these just taught, I mean, your fingers,

John Evans  2:21:55

you've got to get, you've got to get used to them. I made myself get used to them early on, but for whatever reason, but um, it's and it's not more sound, you know what I mean, though? Like, like, a lighter gauge string is just a different sound. Sure. And, and, and that's awesome. tonality wise, just a different thing. different people like different things. Is that why they make red cars and green cars? You know? And I've, um, there are a million guitar players that play light strings a whole lot better than I play my heavy string. Sure. Yeah, it's just a preference.

Randy Hulsey  2:22:36

What about from a pedal perspective? Are you a pedal guy or are you just a what you're getting out of the amp? Like, do you have special pedals that you use for certain sounds?

John Evans  2:22:45

I'm, I'm into whatever works. I've got a tremolo pedal I've got I've got a a fuzz pedal. And the first pedals made by a guy in Austin. So it's a no name fuzz pedal. Okay, boutique. Yep. And, and then I've gone through a million different delay pedals. So it's, it's like whichever delay, I feel like it's working the best time. And that's and that's it that in the micro, a micro amp, okay, so that the microwaves the best that I've found that will boost the signal without changing your tone. Okay, so interesting. is good. And a tuner. Yeah, so it's not nothing, nothing too crazy. Nothing fancy. Nothing fancy. Yeah.

Randy Hulsey  2:23:30

So what does the show schedule look like? Since COVID has seemed to let's just call it ease a bit like Are you are you booking what's on the horizon for you from up from a live show perspective? Or is it still just you're working on these projects kind of behind the scenes and not going out? Too much live right that's

John Evans  2:23:51

that's pretty much my deal. I'm, I'm focusing on finishing up projects. And I do have a couple shows. I've got one at Market Street square COMM And my record label splice records based here in Houston. They're they're running a series of shows on Saturday nights for the next, I guess for the next four. Four Saturdays in a row. June the 12th. I play to tons of steals playing with us at night can be fun. I've got think I've got a show at a songwriter show. The night before in Conroe it at the corner pub, one of my one of my favorite little venues up there. And and then I might have I'm doing river revival with splice records out on the Guadalupe River in September, so I think it's September Yeah. Okay, but it's just very few shows and then and then the occasional show that pops up that that I want to go play but right now I'm, I'm really focused more on on the production and then there's a whole lot of work that goes into putting out a new album. And so I want to make sure I do that really well with the new the new record. And, and then so hopefully I figured out I should be going back at 100% by 2022. Right now it's it's big enough stuff going on. I played this weekend. I played three shows this weekend this past weekend, and I realized how out of band shape I'm in. I got tore up you're showing me your dog bites I tore up my knuckle play the guitar really hard. Yeah. And I didn't I mixed in an acoustic show in the middle of two electric shows and a cripple myself for my Sunday show so but I'm okay I'm ready to go again now but I just don't have anything on the books.

Randy Hulsey  2:26:00

Yeah. The ones that you do have lined up are those solo shows are those full band shows?

John Evans  2:26:08

The Market Street square June 12 is a full band show that's when you want to see

Randy Hulsey  2:26:14

tell tell the listeners how they can find that the schedule right do on social media like Where can they find the schedule? Because I haven't seen you play live course I've seen a lot of YouTube stuff but I haven't had the pleasure of seeing you live and when certainly like to come support. And so yeah, share with so that we can find you

John Evans  2:26:34

for for the Market Street square show. You could go to splice records.com or just Google splice records and and their website will pop up and let you know where all of those shows are including river revival. I'll have that on that website. And then for my social media, my Twitter, my band page on Facebook, and my Instagram is at Jeb rocks, Texas. That's JEBROCKSTEXA S. Okay, so at Jeb Rock, Texas will get you everywhere. And then my personal page on Facebook is is facebook.com forward slash the Western Tsar and that czar spelled see the AR

Randy Hulsey  2:27:24

Okay, perfect. Well, you guys make note of that, do you? Uh, you have time to maybe play a song? That dude, okay. All right. Well, have

John Evans  2:27:34

you have you had a song before? No, no. First one, verse one. And it's just like the beard joints? Really? Yeah. Like, there's so many beer joints that I opened up early, but I'm very proud of that. Yeah. Cool.

Randy Hulsey  2:27:49

I mean, let's, let's hear one we'll, I'll kind of do some editing here. So okay, do you want to go ahead and pull the guitar out and we'll go from there is my Gibson. Yeah, and then just so you know, we'll come back from that with the quickfire questions and then we're done. Okay, so you kind of know the timeline gotcha Oh, no you're good? All thanks we got more upstairs can't fit them all in there unfortunately. I'm not sure if we a few need a boon this might go a little bit more for you, but just set it up how you feel comfortable. Okay. Where's your restroom? right there to the right. To the right. Yep.

John Evans  2:31:32

Are you running a gate or anything on that?

Randy Hulsey  2:31:36

I think so. Yeah.

Adam Gordon  2:31:37

That you may want to turn that guy off

Randy Hulsey  2:31:41

the gate on what the vocal mic or

John Evans  2:31:46

if you turn the gate

Randy Hulsey  2:31:48

off, you might come look at this real quick. So this is the audio processing that I have on there, right now. Okay. Noise guy we could we could turn the processing completely off for the song that you're going to do. Like that's, that's the settings and I don't know that much about him yet, unfortunately. But if so you could turn noise gate off. If that's what you're talking about. In then, I think I think the little down arrow thing will take you back at page if you want to go back or you can just turn everything off. Oh, yeah, if you I think if you disable it like that, and then go back now it's now it's disabled. What's up, buddy? What's up? Yeah, we're trying to get down here. What's up? What's up? haven't ordered yet. Actually, we'll probably be done here in the next 10 minutes if y'all want to wait on me. 1015 minutes. Okay, okay. Yeah, we're just chilling. Alright, I'll be I'll be there as quick as I can.

John Evans  2:33:51

See what that sounds like without the the gate on it. Is it picking anything up there?

Randy Hulsey  2:33:58

Chip to Hey, hey, hey. Hey, hey, hey. That sounds pretty good. From over here.

John Evans  2:34:11

Yeah, yeah. You might even be able to apply that afterwards.

Randy Hulsey  2:34:18

Yeah. I'll play around with it.

John Evans  2:34:21

Yeah, because if that sounds okay to you, um, I think that's going to be easier for you to record.

Randy Hulsey  2:34:27

Okay. And if you need to move that chair out of the way. I'm gonna find my tuner here. There it is. Make sure make sure I don't make you sit through disaster And when you're ready if you want to just kind of tell us what's your play on and any any anything about the song that would be awesome

John Evans  2:35:52

Hey See this? Okay. I'll try a brand new one. Awesome. Yeah, so if anyone wants to like steal this and go get rich off of it, here's here's your chance.

Randy Hulsey  2:36:12

Before it's copyrighted.

John Evans  2:36:14

Yeah, this is a this is a song called Mother Nature's howling. And it was it was it was I wrote this during COVID and at the same time it we had we had storms and flooding in Louisiana and and just crazy stuff going on. And, and whenever I dive into the Delta, Delta Blues and and Mississippi and Louisiana I always have visions of witch doctors and Marie Laveau and and then the Mississippi River and the big floods and and there's the devil is always involved in it because of the crossroads and so that's that's what this is about. This is about the time the time during the pandemic and and how God or Mother Nature always comes out and and fights the bad guys and gives them what they deserve. So hopefully I'll play this in tune and you'll be able to hear it the natures have been upside in my hair. Thunderbolts lied and bigger in vine bullfrogs abandoned in the city when done shut down spooky in the street saying no one I gotta start over okay, I think I got it

2:38:07

okay

John Evans  2:38:10

I'll just start that's fine. Do you still use that story

Randy Hulsey  2:38:12

right Yeah, absolutely.

John Evans  2:38:14

Okay, I think I've got this now. Okay, there we go just upside my head fond bowl bold slide and bigger in viden bull frogs ban and then they really see the wind down shut down spooky and the street God did it again spooky Okay one more time Mother Nature's how upside my head found bold slide and bigger in financial fraud band and then they live the city went and done shut down. Spooky in the streets saying no. Nature's house with devils on tour and his brand new shoe to Lake Charles Lafayette and that this amps bleed water Have you heard the Mississippi River was got the Delta Marina Bo Bay than in crawfish room stomp past the devil play and pig she have been in the Air till the roof drip dried ma the nature bed and say his last goodbye mud that's run through this town and the street he sold nobody proud something like that

Randy Hulsey  2:40:52

nice a dig that. So that's a brand new one that you've come up with. Yeah, and that's not on. Of course it's not laid out on a on an album

John Evans  2:41:01

yet. I'll probably get extended from that. But that's the that's the bare bones. I like

Randy Hulsey  2:41:07

it. I like that and tell share with the listeners a little bit about the guitar that you're playing there.

John Evans  2:41:13

So this is this is my Gibson advanced Jumbo. So that was this was originally a pre war Gibson that was was made or it was a remake of that and and anniversary edition and this one was made. It's a custom shop. Advanced jumbo for fuller guitars. Nice the fuller here in Houston. Yep, Fuller's guitar. Sure. It's there edition of

Randy Hulsey  2:41:43

it right down on 610. Right. Yeah.

John Evans  2:41:46

I love those guys there. I've actually got two of these guitars. So the first one broke, and I had to get another one.

Randy Hulsey  2:41:55

Wow. I like it. Nice tone. It's just got the day. I like it. Yeah. That Yeah. Well, thanks for sharing that with us and the listeners. If you'd like we go to some quickfire questions real quick. All right, and we'll get a wrapped up. So this is kind of a little segment that I like to do where it's just like, just throw out the first answer that comes to mind. You don't have to elaborate unless you want to just kind of keep it concise. But the first one is stray cats or Elvis? Elvis. Carl Perkins or Jerry Lee Lewis. Oh,

John Evans  2:42:38

that's the toughest one. They're

Randy Hulsey  2:42:40

not I didn't say they were going to be easy, John. I just said that they were quickfires. Right.

John Evans  2:42:46

So So I I would I'm gonna say Jerry Lee Lewis, which is crazy. I'm Carl Perkins is one of my favorite guitar players on the planet 100%. Like that's those would be a number one go to guy but Jerry Lewis really, really affected my guitar playing my guitar style. I learned how to play the guitar because I wanted to play the guitar like he played the piano. Yeah. And, and so much of my hockey talk and boogie woogie stuff is straight, straight out of the book of Jerry Lewis. It's crazy.

Randy Hulsey  2:43:26

Cheers, Jerry Jerry Lee Lewis trivia question for you. Um, maybe, maybe I'm wrong. But anyway, where where is he from? Where did Where was he born? Do you remember?

John Evans  2:43:42

He's a Louisiana guy.

Randy Hulsey  2:43:43

Yeah, yeah. Farah de Fer de Louisiana. That's right.

John Evans  2:43:47

Yeah, yeah. I knew that. My my cousin, Jean Dillard. She saw my mom's side of the family. She she worked for Jerry Lee. In Alabama. Really for a long time. Yeah,

Randy Hulsey  2:43:59

that Muscle Shoals thing? Yeah. Well, I It's interesting. I watched a documentary the other day about Muscle Shoals. And if you remember the line in scunnered song, Muscle Shoals has got the Swampers I never knew what the Swampers were Do you know what the crew the musicians? Yeah, like I never knew like What the hell's a swamper right.

John Evans  2:44:27

So these shoes that I've got these, I I saw a picture of of Jerry Lee and and it was his latest birthday that he had and and all of all of his family Mickey Gilley and everyone their standard and I'm so happy and just like grabbing him on his shoulders and everything. And he's sitting in this chair with his feet propped up in these, these white shoes, his white shoes and he's got this this huge snarl on his face and he's kicked up in and I told my mom the story and she said, Well, John, Johnny, my mom talks like this. She's Southern belle. You know, Johnny, you will. Those are what wisi would call his go to hell shoe. That means he can wear those shoes wherever he wants to keep his chin up. Haha. Yeah. And I was like, Yeah, I bought two pairs.

Randy Hulsey  2:45:22

I need a pair. That's awesome. That's a great story behind the shoe there. What about what about TV or radio? Your TV guy or radio? Yeah. radio guy. Perfect vacation for John Evans.

John Evans  2:45:43

Punta Mita Mexico or Yeah. On the beach in Mexico Yes. Coral blue green water that's what I want to do. That's why he believes that area,

Randy Hulsey  2:46:00

acoustic or electric both Strater Telecaster Telecaster. Well, we already covered this when producing are performing

John Evans  2:46:14

depends on how much whiskey

Randy Hulsey  2:46:15

Exactly. Rock or rockabilly rock early bird or night owl. I know. Favorite place to play you can plead the fifth on that one to feel like McGonigal is mucky duck in town here. Yeah, yeah, the duck. Yeah, I'll have a I think a staple artists that is played there. A lot of years is committed to do my show. Shake. Russell

John Evans  2:46:53

shakes. Awesome. Yeah, yeah. Shake,

Randy Hulsey  2:46:55

so I haven't got it. Yeah, I haven't got him on the. We haven't scheduled anything yet. But I've got some confirmation that it will do the show with me. So I'm looking forward to that one. Yeah, he's

John Evans  2:47:05

a great guy. Yes. Good. Good friends with Jack Saunders. Who used Yes. Voluntown Yep.

Randy Hulsey  2:47:11

About your favorite song to play live. You have one? Like this is my this song right here. This is I know you love all your babies. And you don't call any of them ugly. But is there one that sticks out in your mind that it's just it's just a good live song?

John Evans  2:47:31

Oh, man. Hot Rod country. Okay. Off which release? That would be off of is that unlucky? 13 Or is? No that's on? lollygaggin Okay, sound lollygaggin lollygaggin. Lucky 13 They run together now.

Randy Hulsey  2:47:52

And that wasn't a quick fire question. I wasn't trying to stump you. But

John Evans  2:47:55

yeah, like that one. Yeah, yeah. I like rockin that one.

Randy Hulsey  2:47:58

Nice. What about formal training? Or play by ear? Play by your number one influential musician or band?

John Evans  2:48:15

might sound strange with Hank Williams. Yeah. He wrote it from a songwriter standpoint. He he, in my opinion, wrote it all. And he wrote it in the simplest format. So use the fewest amount of words and got the most impact out of every word. That's, that's, that's the goal for me. Yeah, writing songs is like that's, I think that's where the the genius in the song is. We can say it in the fewest amount of words

Randy Hulsey  2:48:49

for sure. Yeah. I never thought of it that way. That's a great explanation. Well, it's been a blast. I want to thank you for for driving all the way out here and taking the time to talk to me and share your story. And put up with me. Great, the listener. Thank you. I appreciate that. And, as always, I asked the listeners to like, share and subscribe to the podcast. I asked that you guys check out John on his social media platforms online, check out the schedule, get out and support these musicians. It's been a rough time over the last year with COVID and so many, you know full time musicians being out of work. It's been a struggle and they've had to stay relevant and try to make money in different kinds of ways. So as always support John also make sure you check out Emily Bell online as well. And thank you guys for tuning in and listening to John and I chat. You can find me and the Show on Facebook at backstage pass radio podcast on Instagram at backstage pass radio, on Twitter at backstage pass PC. And then on the website at backstage pass. radio.com John, thanks again for being such a great guest,

John Evans  2:50:23

Randy, thanks for having me.

Randy Hulsey  2:50:24

It's been my pleasure you.

John Evans  2:50:26

I really enjoy the podcast. Thank you and great job and I appreciate you doing that for for all the music. Yeah, for sure. Thank you. I'm support your local musician, for sure. Local venues

Randy Hulsey  2:50:37

for sure. And you you guys take care of yourselves and each other and thanks again for tuning in to Backstage Pass radio.

Adam Gordon  2:50:46

Thanks so much for joining us. We hope you enjoy today's episode of backstage pass radio. Make sure to follow Randy on Facebook and Instagram at Randy Hulsey music and on Twitter at our Halsey music. Also make sure to like, subscribe and turn on alerts for upcoming podcasts. If you enjoyed the podcast, make sure to share the link with a friend and tell them backstage pass radio is the best show on the web for everything music. We'll see you next time right here on backstage pass radio.

Randy Hulsey  2:51:20

Sure, and IRS. I just I did it because I just got tired of carrying equipment around. You know, it's just one