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Margie Evans

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Margie Evans
Birth nameMarjorie Ann Johnson[1]
Born(1939-07-17)July 17, 1939
Shreveport, Louisiana, United States
DiedMarch 19, 2021(2021-03-19) (aged 81)
GenresBlues[2]
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter
InstrumentVocals
Years active1960s–present
LabelsVarious including United Artists, ICA and L & R Records
Websitemargieevans.com

Margie Evans (born Marjorie Ann Johnson; July 17, 1939 – March 19, 2021) was an American blues and gospel singer and songwriter.[2] She started recording in the late 1960s and continued to record for five decades. She secured two hit singles on the US Billboard R&B chart. She has variously worked with Johnny Otis, Bobby Bland, T-Bone Walker, Big Joe Turner, Lowell Fulson, Joe Liggins, Lloyd Glenn, Willie Dixon, Al Bell, and Monk Higgins.

Her main influences were Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, Big Maybelle and Big Mama Thornton.[3]

In addition to her musicianship, Evans was noted as a motivational speaker and rights activist, as well as a promoter of the legacy of blues music.[4]

Life and career

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Marjorie Ann Johnson was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, United States, in 1939.[1] Raised as a devout church goer, Evans' early exposure to music was via gospel.[5] In 1958, she moved to Los Angeles. She initially sang as a backing vocalist with Billy Ward between 1958 and 1964, before joining the Ron Marshall Orchestra between 1964 and 1969. She then successfully auditioned to join Johnny Otis Band.[1] During her four-year stay there, she performed on The Johnny Otis Show Live at Monterey and Cuttin' Up albums. In addition to her recording and performing duties, Evans used her influence to help set up the Southern California Blues Society to help promote the art form through education and sponsorship.[5]

Evans commenced her solo career in 1973, and found almost immediate chart success. Her track "Good Feeling" (United Artists 246) entered the R&B chart on June 30, 1973 for four weeks, reaching number 55. However, it was another four years before "Good Thing Queen – Part 1" (ICA 002) entered the same chart listing on July 9, 1977 for eight weeks, peaking at number 47.[1] In 1975 she supplied backing vocals on Donald Byrd's album, Stepping into Tomorrow.[6]

Also sandwiched between these hits, in November 1975, Evans appeared on German television filmed at the Berlin-based Jazz Tage concert with Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Bo Diddley and James Booker.[7] Using Bobby Bland as her record producer and part-time song writing partner, Evans co-wrote the song "Soon As the Weather Breaks", which reached number 76 (R&B) for Bland in 1980.[1][8]

In 1980, Evans performed at the San Francisco Blues Festival and Long Beach Blues Festival, repeating the feat at the latter a year later. Her touring saw Evans take part in the American Folk Blues Festivals in 1981, 1982 and 1985.[9] In 1983, Evans was granted the Keepin' the Blues Alive Award by the Blues Foundation.[3]

Performing into the early 1990s, Evans toured the United States, Canada and Europe, as well as appearing with Jay McShann at the Toronto Jazz Festival.[3] In the same decade, Evans continued her welfare work, by helping to organise the 5-4 Optimist Club for children from the South Central Los Angeles district.[5] Her 1996 album, Drowning in the Sea of Love was her last solo output.[2] She recorded three albums with the Swiss blues singer Philipp Fankhauser in 1989, 1994 and 2016 respectively. In 2015 and 2016, Evans returned to the stage, guesting with Fankhauser in front of sold out venues throughout Switzerland.[10]

She died on March 19, 2021, aged 81.[11]

Discography

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Albums

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Year Title Record label Producer
1982 Mistreated Woman L & R Records Horst Lippmann and Margie Evans
1983 Another Blues Day L & R Records Horst Lippmann
1990 Too Late Rising Sun Marvic Music Co. François Love and Margie Evans
1996 Blues Classics L & R Records Horst Lippmann
1996 Drowning in the Sea of Love Terra Nova Records Robert Susz

[2]

Singles

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Year Title Record label Producer
1973 "Twenty Nine Ways" Yambo Records Willie Dixon
1973 "When I Make Love" Yambo Records Willie Dixon
1973 "Good Feeling" United Artists Monk Higgins
1977 "Good Thing Queen Part I" ICA Recording Group Monk Higgins
1979 "You Are To Me" ICA Recording Group Monk Higgins and Al Bell

Collaborations and compilation albums

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Year Title Artist Record label Producer Vocals on
1969 Cuttin' Up Johnny Otis Show Epic Johnny Otis Three tracks
1970 Live at Monterey! Johnny Otis Show Epic Johnny Otis One track
1981 American Folk Blues Festival Various Artists L & R Records Horst Lippmann and Fritz Rau Four tracks
1982 American Folk Blues Festival Various Artists L & R Records Horst Lippmann and Fritz Rau Three tracks
1982 American Folk Blues Festival Various Artists Amiga Records Horst Lippmann and Fritz Rau One track
1985 American Folk Blues Festival Various Artists L & R Records Horst Lippmann and Fritz Rau One track
1985 We Shall Walk Through The Valley in Peace Rickey Grundy & Williams Family L & R Records Horst Lippmann and Margie Evans Eight tracks
1989 Blues for the Lady Philipp Fankhauser Funk House Blues Prod. Philipp Fankhauser Four tracks
1994 Thun – San Francisco Philipp Fankhauser Funk House Blues Prod. Philipp Fankhauser and H. Raymondaz Three tracks
2016 Unplugged – Live at Mühle Hunziken Philipp Fankhauser Funk House Blues Prod. Marco Jencarelli Nine tracks

Music catalogue / compositions

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Title BMI Work # Composer Publisher
"Another Margie's Boogie" # 47034 Margie Evans
"Blue Blue Blues" # 127657 Margie Evans, Cash McCall
"Chilly Waters" # 207852 Margie Evans, Cash McCall
"Come To Me" # 232686 Margie Evans, Cash McCall
"Don't Throw No Stones At Me" # 329426 Margie Evans, Cash McCall
"European Holiday" # 385217 Margie Evans, Cash McCall
"Giving Up The Street For Love" # 477042 Margie Evans, Robert Calvin Bland
"God The First Good Thing Man" # 485627 Margie Evans, Virginia P. Bland, Frank Lucas Alvert Music, Bridgeport Music Inc.
"Going Away Blues" # 487607 Margie Evans, David Clark
"Good Thing Queen" # 485627 Margie Evans, Virginia P. Bland, Frank Lucas Alvert Music, Bridgeport Music Inc..
"Hurry Sundown" # 599375 Margie Evans, Cash McCall
"I Got The Restless Blues" # 625566 Margie Evans
"I'll Be There" # 636988 Margie Evans, Cash McCall
"I'm On My Way" # 663001 Margie Evans, Virginia P. Bland, Isbell Alvertis Alvert Music, Bridgeport Music Inc..
"I've Been Buked" # 681815 Margie Evans
"ICA Special" # 699154 Margie Evans, Virginia P. Bland Alvert Music, Bridgeport Music Inc..
"It Ain't Nothing But Common Sense" # 734905 Margie Evans
"It's A Shame" # 734905 Margie Evans, Cash McCall
"Let The Telephone Ring" # 861502 Margie Evans, Cash McCall
"Loser" # 908825 Margie Evans, Cash McCall

All information from the database of BMI.com

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Whitburn, Joel (1996). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–1995. Record Research. p. 297.
  2. ^ a b c d "Margie Evans". AllMusic. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
  3. ^ a b c "Margie Evans' Wild, Wild World : Concert: The singer, who says that 'blues is so much fun for me,' travels to Europe and to Canada for the opportunity to perform". Los Angeles Times. December 4, 1992. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
  4. ^ Dunbar, Julie C. (2011). Women, Music, Culture: An Introduction (1st ed.). New York City, United States: Routledge. p. 172. ISBN 978-0-203-83477-0.
  5. ^ a b c Lipsitz, George (2010). Midnight at the Barrelhouse: The Johnny Otis Story (1st ed.). Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States: University of Minnesota Press. pp. 142/4. ISBN 978-0-8166-6678-2.
  6. ^ "Stepping into Tomorrow > Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
  7. ^ Bakker, Vincent (2009). The Gangster of Love: Johnny "Guitar" Watson: Performer, Preacher, Pimp (1st ed.). CreateSpace. p. 298. ISBN 978-1442141476.
  8. ^ Farley, Charles (2011). Soul of the Man: Bobby "Blue" Bland (1st ed.). Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States: University Press of Mississippi. p. 188. ISBN 978-1-60473-919-0.
  9. ^ "American Folk Blues Festival Discography". Wirz.de. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
  10. ^ Dave Penny, "Obituary: Margie Evans", Blues & Rhythm, No.360, June 2021, p.12
  11. ^ "Margie Evans, Iconic And Sophisticated Queen Of The Blues, Dies At 81", All About Jazz, April 3, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2021
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