Eugene Evans

Although James Brown’s funk styles were copied ad infinitum in the 60s and 70s fewer artist were influenced by his more soulful vocals. Eugene Evans was one of these. His two superb Hollywood singles – possibly cut at the one session – have JB’s stamp all over them. Not just in Evans’ intense, almost painfully tortured vocals but in the overall feel of the songs generated by the production. Indeed the band may well have been Brown’s, so close to his stripped down approach do they get. Although One Hurt and Lonely Man are excellent deep soul pieces, for sheer emotional effect Too Much Pain is the best of his cuts. I don’t know of any other recordings by this guy, sadly, and other 45s by artists with similar names like the Gene Evans on Golden Beam are clearly not the same person. I wonder why we’ve never heard from him again.

 

Note ~ “Lonely man”, “One hurt” and “Too much pain” can all be found on the Ace UK CD “Serious Soul: Too Much Pain” (CDKEND 194).

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