Ean Evans

Ean Evans
Ean Evans with Lynyrd Skynyrd in 2008.
Background information
Birth name	Donald Evans
Also known as	Mississippi Kid
Born	September 16, 1960 Atlanta, Georgia
Died	May 6, 2009 (aged 48) Columbus, Mississippi
Genres	Southern rock
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	bass guitar
Years active	1980s–2009
Associated acts	Outlaws, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Evans Capps

Donald "Ean" Wayne Evans (September 16, 1960 – May 6, 2009) was the bassist for Lynyrd Skynyrd from 2001 until his death. He joined the band following the death of Leon Wilkeson.

Evans was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. He moved to Columbus, Mississippi, after marrying his wife, Eva. He started in music at the age of five, playing trumpet and having an orchestral background until his teen years. Picking up the guitar at 15, soon he was playing the southeastern rock circuit with various cover groups.

A few years later he switched to bass so as to bring a fellow guitarist into the band. In the 1980s he played bass for a rock band called "Five Miles High", along with Mike Reynolds (drummer), Reuban Lace (guitarist), Carl Brown (keyboardist), Del Stockstill (guitar). The group played venues from Georgia to Kentucky and all over the south east. It was rated in the top 10 rock bands of the 1980s in a Mississippi radio station contest.

Around 1983 FMH disbanded, and Ean returned to his native Atlanta, Georgia. There he welcomed his newborn daughter and worked on plans to form a new group with close friend keyboardist, Joey Huffman. This project quickly became the band, "Babe Blu" (with former FMH members Carl Brown, Reuban Lace, and adding JT Williams on drums). Babe Blu immediately become a top draw in Atlanta, and on the southeastern club and college circuit. However, in 1987, Ean left Babe Blu permanently to be home with his young family, and to work on his own original compositions.

He studied the styles and techniques of John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin), Geddy Lee (Rush) and Leon Wilkeson (Lynyrd Skynyrd) giving him an aggressive approach to the bass guitar.

In 1988, he was picked up by his then personal manager, Jay Jay French of the then recently disbanded Twisted Sister. Evans formed his first original band "Cupid's Arrow". They became quite popular in the Atlanta area. After composing and recording over 50 songs, Ean became a full-time studio musician.

It was during this time he was called to join the Outlaws by leader Hughie Thomasson, who showed him worldwide touring experience. The Outlaws stopped touring when Hughie was called to join Lynyrd Skynyrd.