Evan Marshall

Classical music, bluegrass, and pop are fused through the mandolin playing of Evan Marshall. Inspired equally by late classical violinist Jascha Heifitz and the dean of country guitar, <a href="spotify:artist:4dZrt8Ong5t7YYpvbfp0RU">Chet Atkins</a>, Marshall has crafted a highly experimental approach to the mandolin that blends bass lines, chordal accompaniment, and tremolo melodies without overdubs.

Although he studied classical violin as a youngster, Marshall found his natural musical voice after switching to the mandolin at the age of 14. Marshall's 1990 debut album, Mandolin Magic, was produced by <a href="spotify:artist:5udgy2xk333j33hKnwDz8O">David Grisman</a> and featured solo mandolin interpretations of songs by <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">the Beatles</a> ("Do You Want to Know a Secret," "Mother Nature's Son," "Michelle," and "You Won't See Me"), <a href="spotify:artist:1YuknfkSYTTbolRpwZBOv4">Gershwin</a> ("Summertime"), <a href="spotify:artist:5wTAi7QkpP6kp8a54lmTOq">Johannes Brahms</a> ("Hungarian Dances #5 and #6"), <a href="spotify:artist:4OihBPCQzR4GfbzqOY69Xm">Jacques Offenbach</a> ("Bacarolle"), and <a href="spotify:artist:1gRNBaI4yn6wCCTvRhGWh8">Don McLean</a> ("Vincent"). Marshall continued to showcase his interpretive skills on his second album, Evan Marshall Is the Lone Arranger, released in 1995. In addition to two more <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">Beatles</a> tunes ("P.S. I Love You" and "Here, There and Everywhere"), Marshall reworks <a href="spotify:artist:32zXZpxwb2bq7oGzAhe1Ii">Irving Berlin</a>'s "Someone to Watch Over Me" and <a href="spotify:artist:0roWUeP7Ac4yK4VN6L2gF4">Rossini</a>'s "William Tell Overture." Marshall stepped forward as a composer on his third collection, Mandolin Unlimited, released the same year. Produced by Mark O'Connor, the album includes solo tracks with overdubbed double mandolin pieces and several tunes featuring <a href="spotify:artist:3Fud2i8WgXSZCVmi961lXm">Sam Bush</a> and O'Connor on mandolin and <a href="spotify:artist:0ywYNLvCF4cNPxwfk3yjuW">John Knowles</a> on guitar. ~ Craig Harris, Rovi