One of life's great pleasures is making music with family. I grew up singing in choirs with my Dad and more recently I've been helping my 7 year old daughter, Sofia, with her violin lessons. We play together pretty much every night. I always look forward to it and she sometimes thinks it's ok.... but, we are building a bond that will last a lifetime.
My brother Richard and I have written a few songs together, including a very special song to me "Black Saturday". This song was written to mark the first anniversary of the terrible fires that claimed Marysville. My Dad and his wife Jill had a lovely house up there that was destroyed by the fires. As luck would have it I had asked them to dinner that day a week or so before so they stayed with us while the disaster unfolded on the radio. I shudder to think what might have happened had they still been there when the fire swept through. A year later we gathered as a family (and with many of the friends Dad and Jill had made in Marysville) in the big shed on the Marysville property to remember the day, those who were no longer with us, and to celebrate life. The shed (which Dad insisted on calling a workshop) had miraculously survived the fire and Dad took this as an enormous positive in the sad landscape that beautiful Marysville had become. Richard and I sang this song at that gathering.
Sadly my Dad, Ray Evans, passed away this week (June 17) having lived a full and happy life and surrounded by those he loved. I sang "Black Saturday" last night for the first time since Dad's passing. It was tough but we got through it.
Richard is a proper writer. He has published several books and I am inspired by the depth and skill of his writing. It is another one of life's pleasures to be able to collaborate with him on songs. Usually he writes the lyrics and I find the music then we will massage the words if they need to "flow" a bit better to the music.
Richard has also been writing a blog on his thoughts on Bob Dylan songs which I think is quite brilliant. The link is right here. I urge anybody interested in songwriting or Bob Dylan or who enjoys good writing to check it out.
Richard Evans - My Year With Bob Dylan
I will have a streaming version of Black Saturday up shortly as well as some (pretty rough but honest) clips of the celebration in the Marysville shed.
Cheers
Patrick Evans
My brother Richard and I have written a few songs together, including a very special song to me "Black Saturday". This song was written to mark the first anniversary of the terrible fires that claimed Marysville. My Dad and his wife Jill had a lovely house up there that was destroyed by the fires. As luck would have it I had asked them to dinner that day a week or so before so they stayed with us while the disaster unfolded on the radio. I shudder to think what might have happened had they still been there when the fire swept through. A year later we gathered as a family (and with many of the friends Dad and Jill had made in Marysville) in the big shed on the Marysville property to remember the day, those who were no longer with us, and to celebrate life. The shed (which Dad insisted on calling a workshop) had miraculously survived the fire and Dad took this as an enormous positive in the sad landscape that beautiful Marysville had become. Richard and I sang this song at that gathering.
Sadly my Dad, Ray Evans, passed away this week (June 17) having lived a full and happy life and surrounded by those he loved. I sang "Black Saturday" last night for the first time since Dad's passing. It was tough but we got through it.
Richard is a proper writer. He has published several books and I am inspired by the depth and skill of his writing. It is another one of life's pleasures to be able to collaborate with him on songs. Usually he writes the lyrics and I find the music then we will massage the words if they need to "flow" a bit better to the music.
Richard has also been writing a blog on his thoughts on Bob Dylan songs which I think is quite brilliant. The link is right here. I urge anybody interested in songwriting or Bob Dylan or who enjoys good writing to check it out.
Richard Evans - My Year With Bob Dylan
I will have a streaming version of Black Saturday up shortly as well as some (pretty rough but honest) clips of the celebration in the Marysville shed.
Cheers
Patrick Evans