DAVE EVANS (AND RIVER BEND)
- From Portsmouth, Ohio. Lived in Olive Hill, Kentucky.
- His given name is actually William, but he became known as “Dave.”
- Was one of the few banjo-picking lead singers in bluegrass music.
- First pro job: with Earl Taylor and the Stoney Mountain Boys (in Yakima Washington).
- 1972, joined Larry Sparks and the Lonesome Ramblers.
- 1975-1978, worked with Lillimae and the Dixie Gospelaires, Red Allen and the Kentuckians, the Boys from Indiana.
- 1978, formed his own group River Bend.
- 1979, released “Highway 52” album (Vetco).
- 1980, released “Call Me Long Gone” album (Vetco).
- 1981, released “Goin’ Round This World” album (Rebel).
- 1982, released “A Few More Seasons” album (Rebel).
- 1983, released “Poor Rambler” album (Rebel).
- 1984, released “Bluegrass Memories” album (Rebel).
- 1985, released “Close to Home” album (Rebel).
- 1989, his career suffered a setback when he was sentenced to serve ten years in a federal penitentiary on a felonious assault charge. He served six years and was released in 1995.
- While in prison, he learned to play guitar.
- 1996, began performing and recording again.
- 1997, released Just Look at Me Now
album (Rebel).
- 2000, released Bad Moon Shining
album (Rebel).
- 2002, released Hang a Light Out for Me
album (Rebel).
- 2003, released High Waters
album (Rebel).
- 2006, released Pretty Green Hills
album (Rebel).
- 2008, released The Best of the Vetco Years
album (Rebel).
- 2011, underwent a quintuple bypass surgery on his heart. Reports are that he died (flatlined) on the table but survived the operation.
- 2013, a documentary film was released about his life titled “Last of the Breed: The Dave Evans Story.”
- 2017, died at the age of 66.