A Letter to You | Sat 26-02

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Youtube
Soundcloud
Spotify
Traxsource
Beatport
Discogs

Baltimore native Marc Avon Evans possesses one of the most soulful baritones you will ever hear. Blues & Soul Magazine has compared Evans velvety voice to the R&B legend Donny Hathaway, for both its power and subtlety.

The versatility and depth of Evan’s songwriting craft make him stand out even further with beloved releases in neo-soul, house, acoustic hip-hop folk, and spoken word realms. Inspired by greats like Jimi Hendrix, Marvin Gaye, Sting, and Sade, Evans decided to focus on his lyrical development and perform on the open-mic poetry circuit. “I desired to be a better lyricist. Mainstream radio is full of great voices with little to say. I wanted my lyrics to be able to stand on their own.” As “The Songbyrd”, Evans has traveled with the poetry trio “Da Minista, JaHipster, and The Songbyrd” up and down the East Coast from Massachusetts to the Carolinas.

Evans was born into music, yet amazingly, this son of a painter & jazz saxophonist didn’t discover his talent until studying Chemistry at Morgan State University. As a member of the world renowned Morgan State University Choir, Evans discovered his love for music. In 1993, Evans formed a band and covered jazz, funk, rock, pop, & soul. That year he began writing and recording songs he would later release on the compilation The First Seven Years, a soulful collection of rhythm & blues songs capturing his life & love experiences.

In 2004, while working as a session vocalist for Code Red Recordings, he wrote the single The Way You Love Me, a soulful house tune that has become a standard in the genre. After capturing the attention of Simon Dunmore, CEO of Defected Records UK, he recorded and released the full album The Way You Love Me in the fall of 2008 and the 2 disc Deluxe Edition in the fall of 2009. Independently, Evans also released both Live & Acoustic and Intervention in 2009 on his label VOR Music Group.

The single and album both titled “The Way You Love Me” became a House Smash Hit. The success and acclaim sparked a global following that has led to regular international touring with playing some of the best Festivals like the Baltic Soul Weekender, Margate Festival and Scottish Soul Weekend. His performance of “The Way You Love Me” at the Baltic Soul Weekender together with an orchestra is listed as one of the Highlights of the 15 year long Festival , and he is one of the few Artists who was invited twice for the Baltic Soul.

But Evans has not left his beloved hometown behind, frequently performing in a range of projects that reflect his wide musical embrace. And every week he co-hosts Acoustic Thursdays at Peace & A Cup of Joe, Baltimore’s longest continuing open mic series and a home to many of the city’s best and up-and-coming musicians and spoken word artists.