American singer-songwriter
Musical artist
Paul Evans (born March 5, 1938)[1] is an American rock and roll singer and songwriter, who was most prominent in the 1950s and 1960s. As a performer, he had hits with the songs "Seven Little Girls Sitting in the Backseat" (his biggest hit, recorded with The Curls), reaching No. 9
on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1959), "Midnight Special" and "Happy-Go-Lucky Me".
Evans had a sizeable hit in the UK and Australia in 1978–79 with the morbid country song "Hello, This Is Joanie" (as it was titled on the New Zealand pressing released by Polydor Records) or, as it was known on a Spring Records release, "Hello, This is Joannie (The Telephone Answering Machine Song)".[1][2] In a 2004 interview Evans revealed that the voice of Joannie was provided by country artist Lea Jane Berinati.[3]
Evans also had minor hits with "After the Hurricane" which hit No.2 on April 8, 1961 on Vancouver's CFUN chart, and "Feelin' No Pain" which hit No.23 on Canadian CHUM charts.
Popular culture
"Happy-Go-Lucky Me" has been featured in the John Waters' film Pecker,[1] and episode #3.10 of the comedy television program Scrubs. In 2014, the song has been included in advertisements for the video game Clash of Clans.[citation needed]
The song was also featured in the pilot episode of the 2016 Hulu miniseries 11.22.63.
Songwriter
As a songwriter Evans' songs were performed by numerous performers, including Elvis Presley, Jimmy Dean and Pat Boone. His most successful songs were "Roses Are Red (My Love)", which was a number one hit for Bobby Vinton in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100; and by Ronnie Carroll in the UK reaching no. 3 in 1962; and "When" a chart topper in the UK Singles Chart and #5 in the U.S. for The Kalin Twins.[1]
Recordings
With Larry Kusik,[4] Evans wrote "Live Young"[5] for the 1963 Warner Brothers spring break movie Palm Springs Weekend.[6] Evans' songs have also been recorded by Jackie Wilson, Frankie Lymon, Fabian, the Coasters, and more recently by Reba McEntire. His work has also been used in films and as the theme music for CBS This Morning.[1]
Autobiography
Although he has written many song lyrics, Happy Go Lucky Me: A Lifetime of Music was published in 2021 by McNidder and Grace and is his first book. His autobiography describes his journey from getting his start in the music business, becoming part of the Brill's songwriting community and the sixty-three music-filled years that followed.
Books
Happy Go Lucky Me: A Lifetime Of Music McNidder & Grace (29 July 2021) ISBN 978-0857162182
