NED EVETT INTERVIEW
(Originally aired on April 12, 2012)
Once in a great while, a guitarist finds a way to add a new twist to an old story. Such is the case with Ned Evett, who plays roadhouse boogie, amped-up folk-blues, and swampy ballads on custom fretless electric, flattop, and resonator guitars. Evett’s guitars feature mirror-glass fingerboards, a design he evolved while living in the Bay Area. The glass enhances sustain and lends a unique, singing clarity to his riffs, chords, and solos.
Evett’s 2012 album, Treehouse, features his raspy vocals, cinematic lyrics, and cleverly layered guitar parts that blend elements of Delta blues, Indian sarod, and Southern rock with the keening slide tones of early-’70s George Harrison and Badfinger. The mighty Adrian Belew produced Treehouse in his Nashville-area studio, and in our exclusive interview, Evett tells us about writing and arranging the songs, and how he recorded the album.
We'll hear selections from Treehouse throughout the feature and as a special bonus, we'll hear Evett play his fretless acoustic guitar during the interview while he explains his left-hand technique.