Rod Evans
Encyclopedia
Rod Evans is a former English
singer and was a founding member of Deep Purple
in 1968. He provided vocals for the group's first three albums, including the hit singles "Hush" and "Kentucky Woman
". He was replaced by Ian Gillan
in 1969.
in The Maze, formerly MI5. He was also in a band called The Horizons in the mid 1960s.
He was a founding member of Deep Purple when they formed in Hertfordshire
in 1968. The most recognised song recorded with Evans singing is "Hush", which reached #4 on the U.S. Billboard charts in October, 1968.
After recording three albums with the band, he was dismissed
and replaced with Ian Gillan
in 1969. After his departure, Deep Purple became a heavier outfit, as opposed to the more progressive and pop driven sound established with Evans.
, Rod recorded a solo single for Capitol, then went on to form Captain Beyond
, along with former Johnny Winter
drummer Bobby Caldwell
, former Iron Butterfly
bassist Lee Dorman
and guitarist Larry "Rhino" Reinhardt
, who also was part of the last incarnation of Iron Butterfly. This band proved to be very influential, but sales never reflected their musical achievements. Lack of commercial success ended the group after three albums.
Evans left Captain Beyond and the music business after their first two albums. He then became a director of respiratory therapy at a West American hospital until 1980.
name accompanied by unknown session musicians. The line up was Rod Evans (vocals), Tony Flynn
(guitar), Tom de Rivera (bass), Geoff Emery (keyboards), and Dick Jurgens III (drums), son of famous big band leader Dick Henrey Jurgens
.
After several shows ended in near riots, Evans was sued by the management of the real Deep Purple
and they were awarded damages of $672,000. As a result of the lawsuit, Evans no longer receives royalties from the band's first three albums.
city of San Francisco from the early 1980s onwards.
Reportedly he was contacted by Captain Beyond guitarist Larry "Rhino" Reinhardt to join the band for a reunion, but Evans wasn't interested in being part of the project.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
singer and was a founding member of Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
in 1968. He provided vocals for the group's first three albums, including the hit singles "Hush" and "Kentucky Woman
Kentucky Woman
"Kentucky Woman" is a 1967 song written and originally recorded by Neil Diamond. Another well-known version is the 1968 recording by Deep Purple....
". He was replaced by Ian Gillan
Ian Gillan
Ian Gillan is an English rock music vocalist and songwriter, best known as the lead singer and lyricist for Deep Purple. During his career Gillan also fronted his own band, had a year-long stint as the vocalist for Black Sabbath, and sang the role of Jesus in the original recording of Andrew Lloyd...
in 1969.
Early career
Before joining Deep Purple, Evans played together with Ian PaiceIan Paice
Ian Anderson Paice is an English musician, best known as the drummer of the English rock band Deep Purple. As of Jon Lord's departure in 2002, he is the only founding member of the band who never stopped performing with the group, and the only member to appear on every album the band has...
in The Maze, formerly MI5. He was also in a band called The Horizons in the mid 1960s.
He was a founding member of Deep Purple when they formed in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
in 1968. The most recognised song recorded with Evans singing is "Hush", which reached #4 on the U.S. Billboard charts in October, 1968.
After recording three albums with the band, he was dismissed
Termination of employment
-Involuntary termination:Involuntary termination is the employee's departure at the hands of the employer. There are two basic types of involuntary termination, known often as being "fired" and "laid off." To be fired, as opposed to being laid off, is generally thought of to be the employee's...
and replaced with Ian Gillan
Ian Gillan
Ian Gillan is an English rock music vocalist and songwriter, best known as the lead singer and lyricist for Deep Purple. During his career Gillan also fronted his own band, had a year-long stint as the vocalist for Black Sabbath, and sang the role of Jesus in the original recording of Andrew Lloyd...
in 1969. After his departure, Deep Purple became a heavier outfit, as opposed to the more progressive and pop driven sound established with Evans.
Post Purple
After leaving Deep PurpleDeep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
, Rod recorded a solo single for Capitol, then went on to form Captain Beyond
Captain Beyond
Captain Beyond was an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1971.-History:The original line-up for Captain Beyond were singer Rod Evans, drummer Bobby Caldwell, guitarist Larry "Rhino" Reinhardt, bassist Lee Dorman and keyboardist Lewie Gold...
, along with former Johnny Winter
Johnny Winter
John Dawson "Johnny" Winter III is an American blues guitarist, singer, and producer. Best known for his late 1960s and 1970s high-energy blues-rock albums and live performances, Winter also produced three Grammy Award-winning albums for blues legend Muddy Waters...
drummer Bobby Caldwell
Bobby Caldwell (drummer)
Bobby Caldwell is a drummer, songwriter, producer and arranger who co-founded rock cult bands Captain Beyond and Armageddon during the first part of the 1970s. Prior to these projects he played in some of Johnny Winter's seminal albums like Live Johnny Winter And and also on Saints and Sinners...
, former Iron Butterfly
Iron Butterfly
Iron Butterfly is a US psychedelic rock band best known for the 1968 hit "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida".Their heyday was the late 1960s, but the band has been reincarnated with various members. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida is the 31st best-selling album in the world, selling more than 25 million copies.-History:The...
bassist Lee Dorman
Lee Dorman
Lee Dorman is an American bass guitarist best known as a member of the rock band Iron Butterfly. He also played in the band Captain Beyond. Dorman is from St. Louis, Missouri, and moved to San Diego, California in the 1960s. He began playing bass guitar in his teens...
and guitarist Larry "Rhino" Reinhardt
Larry Reinhardt
Larry "Rhino" Reinhardt is an American guitarist who played with Iron Butterfly and Captain Beyond, and at one point he was known as "El Rhino" and "Ryno".-Early history:...
, who also was part of the last incarnation of Iron Butterfly. This band proved to be very influential, but sales never reflected their musical achievements. Lack of commercial success ended the group after three albums.
Evans left Captain Beyond and the music business after their first two albums. He then became a director of respiratory therapy at a West American hospital until 1980.
Deep Purple reformation controversy
In 1980 he was approached by a management company which specialized in questionably-reformed bands with big names, and he began to tour under the Deep PurpleDeep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
name accompanied by unknown session musicians. The line up was Rod Evans (vocals), Tony Flynn
Tony Flynn
Tony Flynn is a rock guitarist best known for his stints with Steppenwolf and an unauthorized 1980 "reunion" of Deep Purple. He was originally hired to play with Steppenwolf in 1977 to fill in for Kent Henry, and found himself called upon multiple times until 1980, at which point John Kay and...
(guitar), Tom de Rivera (bass), Geoff Emery (keyboards), and Dick Jurgens III (drums), son of famous big band leader Dick Henrey Jurgens
Dick Jurgens
Dick Henry Jurgens was an American swing music bandleader, who enjoyed great popularity in the late 1930s and early 1940s....
.
After several shows ended in near riots, Evans was sued by the management of the real Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
and they were awarded damages of $672,000. As a result of the lawsuit, Evans no longer receives royalties from the band's first three albums.
Later life
He has not appeared publicly since the court case and his current whereabouts are of considerable interest to fans of early Deep Purple. There have been considerable, unverified rumours that he entered the medical profession and was practising in the USUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
city of San Francisco from the early 1980s onwards.
Reportedly he was contacted by Captain Beyond guitarist Larry "Rhino" Reinhardt to join the band for a reunion, but Evans wasn't interested in being part of the project.
External links
- The Highway Star – Information from a Deep Purple fansite.
- Additional information – Further reading.