Testimonials

Young Bluegrass Musician Is a Rising Star!

by Rose Ballard (The Mountain Eagle August 27, 2008)

"The music is always great at Down Home Mountain Days. They have two main stages, bluegrass and country, plus two small music stages and other stages for clogging. I always stay at the bluegrass.

The highlight of the music was listening to a young lad by the name of Evan Lanier who is 11 years old. Look out, James Shelton, he is on your heels! Larry Sparks, he can raise his leg just like you.

Evan has been playing guitar since 2003 and picked up the banjo the summer of 2007. He spends every spare minute either playing guitar or picking the banjo. His summers lately have been spent at Grandma and Grandpa’s so he can pick all he wants with Noel Bolen (Grandpa). The time practicing has paid off because people love to hear him pick! He doesn’t say much on stage but he isn’t there to talk. He wants to play.

Evan is the grandson of Noel Bolen who played bass for Harold Staggs & Friends of Bluegrass for many years and is well known far and wide. Noel has been teaching Evan to play music for about five years.

Evan is in the sixth grade and enjoys school very much. He is sort of shy so I didn’t want to embarrass him by trying to ask too many questions. If you ever have a chance to hear a band called Evan Lanier and the Bluegrass Express, please take time as you are in for a treat.

Not only does Evan play a guitar he is a great banjo player. It really was a pleasure to watch and listen to Evan, and see a group of older men taking such an interest in him. I have met Red Spurlock who plays in the band. Evan has some mighty fine musicians to guide him such Bob Hamblin and of course his grandpa, Noel Bolen.

Bob has a band, Dixie Riders, and Red Spurlock has a band, Red Spurlock & The Rainbow Ramblers. All are known quite well through the Dayton, Fairborn Ohio area. I would like to encourage anyone to guide any young child who shows interest, whether it be music or sports."

Take a Listen to Red Spurlock Live on WYSO The Midnight Ramble  in 2010. 

This is a link to the whole 2 hour show. 

Listen to great stories about Evan and music by Red Spurlock and The Rainbow Ramblers, The Red Heads, Red Allen and The Kentuckians, and Evan Lanier & The Bluegrass Express.

https://www.wyso.org/arts-culture/2010-09-04/red-spurlock-live-on-the-midnight-ramble

Dayton Daily News