Brian Evans (singer)

Brian Evans

Brian Evans in 2012
Background information
Also known as The Croonerman[1]
Born Haverhill, Massachusetts
Genres Big band, crooning
Instruments Vocals
Years active 1981 - current
Website brianevans.com

Brian Evans is an American big band singer and actor. He is mostly known as a crooner.[2]

Early life

Evans grew up in Haverhill, Massachusetts. His parents divorced when he was young and he was raised by his mother, Helen Bousquet, and grandmother, who introduced him to big band music.[1]

In 1986, he and his mother moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career for him in the entertainment industry.[3]

Acting career

His first acting role was in a McDonald's commercial. He was later cast in the pilot of Beverly Hills, 90210 and Full House.[4] He also appeared in New Line Cinema's Book of Love.[5]

Writing career

His autobiography, Dreamer, was published in 1994.[6] Evans, Helen Bousquet, and Mark Andrew Biltz are the creators of the comic book series Horrorscope.[7] Kirkus Reviews described Horrorscope as "offbeat but clumsy", noting the "often formulaic" prose.[8]

Singing career

Evans on Fenway pitcher's mound

In 1996, Evans moved to Vancouver where he performed at the Babalu Lounge and released his first album, Quite Frankly. It became the #1 best selling independently released CD in Canadian history.[3] For the next two years he performed throughout Canada.[9] His second Canadian release, Maybe This Time, outsold the first,[3] and Evans was booked for a 377-show run at the Desert Inn in Las Vegas.[1] He is the only artist ever to record a live CD at the Desert Inn.[10] After the hotel was demolished, Evans opened for Jay Leno at The Mirage and then returned to Los Angeles where he made music for television and film.[1][11]

Evans returned to perform in Las Vegas in 2005 as the opening act for Leno at The Mirage Resort and for Joan Rivers, but later moved back to Hawaii in 2010, where he produced and served as an opening act for the Maui Celebrity Series.[1]

In 2011, Evans returned to Los Angeles and began work on his album My Turn with producer Narada Michael Walden.[1]

In 2012 he released "At Fenway". It became the first song to be licensed by Major League Baseball about the park in its history, and the National Baseball Hall of Fame added it to its library.[1][12]

In 2015, Evans filmed a music video for his song "Creature at The Bates Motel." It is the first time any music artist has been allowed to shoot a music video at The Bates Motel, the filming location of the Alfred Hitchcock film "Psycho." It features comedian Carrot Top.[13] By 2016 Evans had returned to Maui and to hosting the Maui Celebrity Series.[14]

Politics

In 2004, Evans moved to Maui and was a candidate for the United States Senate in Hawaii. He lost in the Democratic primary to incumbent Daniel Inouye 95% to 5%.[15] Evans says he ran to bring attention to the lack of dental coverage in health care plans.[16]

In March 2014, Evans announced he would run for United States Senator from Hawaii.[17] According to Evans, he wanted to bring attention to his mother's death and chose to enter the race after he saw how much national media attention it was receiving. He did not think he could win and spent no money on advertising and held only one campaign event.[18] He finished third in the Democratic primary with 2% of the vote.[19]

In addition to his Senate campaigns, Evans has also successfully petitioned several state governors to make proclamations on sleep apnea awareness.[18]

Personal life

In June 1991, Evans was convicted of felony theft and sentenced to six months probation after he called a Los Angeles travel agency impersonating Casey Kasem and charged $2,900 in expenses that the agency attempted to collect from the radio host.[4] While on probation, Evans was invited to sing the national anthem at a Baltimore Orioles game. His probation officer told him he could not leave California, but Evans went to the game and was sentenced to a year in prison for violating the terms of his probation.[4]

On October 5, 2012, Evans' mother died after knee surgery. Evans stated that his mother, who suffered from sleep apnea, was not monitored by hospital staff, did not have her sleep apnea machine, and "was dosed out on morphine" at the time of her death.[20] Following her death, Evans filed lawsuits against a number of groups and individuals, including Steward Health Care System, Cerberus Capital Management, Governor Deval Patrick, and the Massachusetts Nursing Association.[20][21]

On June 25, 2013 Evans filed a lawsuit against the Hampton, New Hampshire Board of Selectmen for "conspiracy to commit fraud" and "intentional infliction of emotional distress" after the Board voted 3 to 2 against Evans' request to erect a plaque to honor his deceased mother on a town street corner. He sought $10 million in damages.[20] The case was dismissed in October 2013.[22]

Evans also filed a civil suit against the Boston Red Sox, Fenway Sports Management, Larry Lucchino, Tom Werner, and John W. Henry. Evans claims that after he began his public campaign against Steward Health Care System (which owned the hospital where his mother died), Steward, the Red Sox, and a shared public relations firm "conspired to torpedo" his "At Fenway" music video by sullying its reputation with members of the local media and undermining his efforts to sell advertising to major sponsors before the video was launched on YouTube.[21]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Burnett III, James H. (July 19, 2012). "Brian Evans feels redemption in hit Red Sox song". The Boston Globe. Retrieved January 8, 2013.
  2. "Crooner Brian Evans Lands in Beantown". The Rainbow Times. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 Ferguson, Lisa. "Crooner Evans finds his niche". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 Israel, Betsy (December 12, 1994). "Caseying the Joint". People. Retrieved January 8, 2013.
  5. Willis, John A. Screen World 1992.
  6. Oldenburg, Ann (February 13, 1995). "Brian Evans tells his 'horrific' prison tale". USA Today.
  7. Saperstein, Pat (October 15, 2009). "Zenescope snaps up 'Horrorscope'". Variety. Retrieved January 8, 2013.
  8. "Horrorscope: Kirkus Review". Kirkus. April 16, 2014. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
  9. "Doing it Frank's way.(singer Brian Evans draws comparisons to Frank Sinatra)". Maclean's. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  10. "Evans goes 'Live' at D.I. — on CD". Las Vegas Sun. March 9, 1999. Retrieved January 8, 2013.
  11. Weatherford, Mike (January 14, 2005). "Leno Still Delivers". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved January 8, 2013.
  12. "Brian Evans, singer with a checkered past, has an all-night shoot at Fenway". Boston Globe. 2012-09-26. Retrieved 2013-01-08.
  13. "Strip Scribbles: Mayweather Jr.-Pacquiao tickets; Pamela Anderson's $1M divorce?". LasVegasSun.com. Retrieved 2015-10-18.
  14. Leach, Robin (January 7, 2016). "Strip Scribbles: Brian Evans, William Shatner, Mecum Auctions, Quick Jet Charter". Las Vegas Sun.
  15. "HI US Senate - D Primary Race - Sep 18, 2004". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2010-07-02.
  16. Duran, Nicole. "Evans, a Crooner and Actor, Wants to Play Politician Next". 09/07/2004. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  17. Rousseau, Morgan (March 13, 2014). "'At Fenway' crooner Brian Evans running for Hawaii's U.S. Senate". Metro. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
  18. 1 2 Moreno, Loren (October 7, 2014). "How a Las Vegas Crooner Won Enough Votes to Help Keep Hawai'i's U.S. Senate Race a Nail Biter". Honolulu Magazine. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
  19. "2014 Official Hawaii Primaries Results". Hawaii Office of Elections. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
  20. 1 2 3 Reid, Nick B. (June 28, 2013). "Brian Evans files lawsuit against Hampton selectmen". Seacostonline. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
  21. 1 2 Convey, Eric (December 26, 2013). "Singer sues Red Sox over music video's performance". Boston Business Journal. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
  22. Reid, Nick B. (October 17, 2013). "Singer who wants Hampton Beach street named for late mom rejected in court". Seacostonline. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
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