NEW ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Dan Evans

The less you see of Dan Evans, the more of him there is to appreciate.

That notion inspired this young singer/ songwriter to take a break from his budding musical career in the Chicago area and sign up for the Spring 2008 season of NBC-TV's "The Biggest Loser." Eighteen million viewers followed him and his mother Jackie as they brought their lifelong battles with obesity into the national spotlight.

That battle ended triumphantly, with Evans trimming down from 310 to 174 pounds by the final episode. With that, the season ended but another adventure began, as he went to work on Goin' All Out, his EMG debut album, produced by Jim Kimball and Russ DeSalvo and distributed by EMG Fontana and Universal Music Group.

Having played guitar since age 4, Evans flaunts a strong musical sensibility on these 11 tracks, four of which he co-wrote and all of which he sings with a distinctive delivery. His smoky vocal timbre gives him an intimate, conversational tone on quieter passages, and when he reaches into his upper range, he summons a soulful, emphatic quality that's somewhat reminiscent of Huey Lewis.

The title cut serves as his first single. Written by Evans along with Kimball and Stephanie Lewis, it has the kind of catchy melody and slamming rhythm fans of Rascal Flatts and Keith Urban would appreciate. Add to that an exuberance that surely comes in part from having beaten the odds and scored an important personal victory on national television, and it's clear that a little Evans goes a long way.

2009 CMA Close Up® News Service / Country Music Association®, Inc.