Elgin Evans

• Born: June 21, 1909
• Genres: Blues
• Instrument: Drums

Biography

Elgin Evans, born Elga Edmonds, was notable as the first permanent drummer in Muddy Waters' band. Born in 1909, he played the washboard as a rural blues musician, in settings where drums were unavailable or inappropriate; but by the 1940's he had moved to Chicago and was a busy drummer on that city's burgeoning postwar blues scene. Fate took a hand at the end of the 1940's, as Muddy Waters had set about organizing a permanent band. The one he led had used Baby Face Leroy on drums but in early 1950 Muddy replaced Leroy with Evans in his performing band. It took some time for Evans to make it onto a Muddy Waters record, however, as Leonard Chess, who ran the label bearing his name for which Muddy recorded, apparently had little faith at the time in Evans' sound. Muddy's records from around this time featured other players (including Chess himself on one session, for which he replaced Evans to get the bass-drum sound he was looking for). Ironically for a member of Muddy's band, Evans' earliest Chess recordings were with Jimmy Rogers, and it wasn't until 1953 that he was actually credited with playing on one of Muddy's sessions. He was subsequently a part of Little Walter's band, while Fred Below and, later, Francis Clay ultimately replaced him in Muddy's band from 1954 onward. Evans ceased recording work at the end of the 1950's, and his whereabouts since are unknown. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide