"Along Came Sonny" is a new banjo instrumental from five-string banjo player Bill Evans' upcoming release "Things Are Simple" (Native and Fine Records 906-13)set for release on January 27, 2023. This track features some of the most well-known bluegrass musicians on the planet: New Acoustic Music pioneer Darol Anger and Chad Manning on fiddles, John Reischman on mandolin, Jim Nunally on guitar, Sharon Gilchrist on bass and Bill Evans on banjo. "Things Are Simple" spotlights seven original Bill Evans tunes along with Bill's debut as a lead singer on the title track, featuring his wife Babi and a string quartet arranged by Alisa Rose, and "True He's Gone," a mournful and unusual gospel song featuring Babi and daughter Corey Evans on harmony vocals. A special pre-release CD version of the entire project is available at www.billevansbanjo.com. Thanks for listening!

Along Came Sonny

Things Are Simple

"Gertie & Jake" is an up-tempo hard-driving bluegrass instrumental from "Things Are Simple," the new project from 2022 Steve Martin Banjo Prize recipient Bill Evans. This track features some of the most respected musicians in bluegrass music: John Reischman (mandolin), Jim Nunally (guitar), Chad Manning (fiddle) and Sharon Gilchrist (bass). The track is named after two of Bill's family's pets, Gertie the dachshund and Jake, the border collie. Banjo legend Alan Munde calls this "a good pickin' tune" and that's good enough for us!

Gertie & Jake

New Mexico-based player and Virginia native Bill Evans is the 2022 recipient of the Steve Martin Banjo Prize. He has been involved with bluegrass music and the banjo for over forty-five years as a player, teacher, composer, author and historian. Bill occupies a unique niche in the banjo world: he is celebrated worldwide for his traditional and progressive bluegrass banjo styles and his innovative original compositions. He also enjoys a reputation as an outstanding instructor and music camp director as well as being an expert player of 19th and early 20th century minstrel and classic banjo styles. He has recorded four critically acclaimed solo recordings, including The Banjo in America, a DVD/CD set covering music from the 1780’s to the present day, and is the author of "Banjo For Dummies" and "Bluegrass Banjo For Dummies." He directs his own music camps in New Mexico,  hosts four online instructional courses for Peghead Nation and four online workshops for Homespun Music.

Bill counts his many teachers and mentors as crucial to his development as a musician. These include Ben Eldridge, Bill Keith, Tony Trischka, Alan Munde, Ron Thomason, Sonny Osborne and J. D. Crowe. Bill currently tours with his solo show "The Banjo in America" and performs with guitar legend Dan Crary and with the All-Star California Bluegrass Reunion. Over the years, Bill has performed with Dry Branch Fire Squad, David Grisman, Peter Rowan, Jody Stecher, Tony Trischka , Kathy Kallick & Alan Munde, among many others.

Bill has taught at over 200 banjo and bluegrass camps all over the world and he has helped thousands of people to find joy in the banjo through his books, online courses and videos, workshops and one-on-one lessons. He feels that his greatest accomplishment has been to bring people together through the banjo.

Things Are Simple

Bill Evans Banjo

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