HUMBOLDT – Joey Evans credits a number of musical influences for his style, from Neil Young and Bob Dylan to contemporary artists such as Pearl Jam.
One of his biggest influences, however, is his father, “Papa Joe” Evans of Humboldt.
The younger Evans, 37, serves as front man for Low Water, a self-described bluesy, rock ‘n’ roll and country band that performs at 8 p.m. Saturday at Sidelines Bar and Grill in Iola.
“We’ll have a little bit of everything,” Evans said, including a number of songs he’s written and performed for years. “And there will be three brand new songs I’m going to guinea pig for the audience.”
Evans also has called a number of friends from his native Allen County to join the band on stage.
“It may be an eclectic evening,” he said.
Evans, of Spring Hill, is in Humboldt for the Thanksgiving weekend, and for the show at Sidelines.
AS A CHILD, Michael Joseph Evans Jr., was surrounded by music but gave little thought to performing.
His father had been a lifelong musician, playing the drums for a number of country and western and rock ‘n’ roll bands through the years, including a George Jones tribute band.
His mother, Margaret Reeves, meanwhile, usually sang regularly at church outings and the like.
“The music was always there, but it wasn’t really something I was interested in performing,” Evans said.
Two formative happenings occurred about the time Evans enrolled at Pittsburg State University. First, he began listening to Pearl Jam and the band’s distinctive alternative rock stylings. “That was the first time I really considered performing music instead of just listening to it,” he said.
Secondly, while at Pitt State, Evans began hanging around another area native, Chris Coffman, a guitar enthusiast.
A fledgling poet, Evans found himself reading some poems aloud while Coffman played, to see if the lyrics and melody would match.
More than a few did.
The duo began visiting local bars during open mic nights, enough to gather a devoted following, and Low Water was born.
Other Allen Countian Rex Close occasionally plays guitar for Low Water, while Evans’ father is on the drums.
Evans offers a healthy dose of appreciation for another area band, Smokehouse, whose members provided tips and other guidance.
WHILE THE gigs were available, Evans found two irrefutable truths to his music: while he’s become an accomplished performer on stage, he’s much more comfortable penning songs than playing them for the public; and as a family man, he needed to rely on more than a performer’s wages.
“We never really pursued more than what we’ve done now,” he said – singing gigs once or twice a month. “We do this mostly for fun.”
Today, Evans works as an industrial painter in the Kansas City area. He also makes frequent drives to Houston, Texas, where his daughter, Jasmine, and her mother live.
His spare time is limited.
“I guess if I had my dream, I’d play one of these songs and the right person would hear it and simply ask me for a song-writing job,” he said. “It’s about like buying an occasional lottery ticket and hoping to win the lottery that way. It’s fun to daydream.”
And while his public performances are limited, his songwriting is not. Evans has written hundreds of songs, “most of which people will never hear because they aren’t that good. But there are about 60 or so that I really like and want to keep in my memory.”
Papa Joe Evans said his son has sold himself short.
“He’s a tremendous songwriter and lyricist,” Papa Joe said. “If people listen to his lyrics, they’ll appreciate these songs even more.”
