Will Kevans
Encyclopedia
Will Kevans is an award-winning singer-songwriter and cartoonist. He is signed to Judy Collins
' New York label, Wildflower Records and is married to the artist, Annie Kevans
.
bands such as The Hot Knives and The Riffs.
In 2008 Kevans won the International Songwriting Competition with his song 'Out There' and provided music for the computer game Scooby Doo.
Later that year, Kevans was a finalist in BBC
London’s 2012 Anthem competition with his song ‘London Fields’.
Shortly after that, Kevans was selected to represent Ireland in the Karlshamn Song Contest where he came 4th. The programme was broadcast live throughout the Baltic region and Sweden.
In 2009, Kevans released his debut single 'Dialling Tone' on IRL Records. Olivia Cole of the Sunday Times called the single a "Catchy debut single".
Kevans played at CMJ in New York in October 2009 where he was spotted by a representative of Wildflower Records. He was offered a deal with the New York label that night.
Kevans' first album, Everything You Do, was produced by Ian Grimble. The album featured slide guitarist Al Perkins
and guest vocals came from former Beautiful South songstress Alison Wheeler
. Keyboard skills were provided by James Blunt’s pianist Paul Beard
and guitar was supplied by ex-Steely Dan
and Doobie Brothers guitarist Elliot Randall.
The album was released in February 2010 and received much critical acclaim. Q Magazine said ”The country flavoured singer-songwriter pop of London Will Kevans can be both delightful & sincere" and the Guitarist Magazine said Kevans "has a great voice & polished pop rock writing."
Kevans is a Gibson
sponsored artist.
comic, Dennis the Menace
for the BBC
, and the Ribena
berries. He was chosen to be the Labour Party
's caricaturist for their conference in 1997. Tony Blair
, Cherie Blair
and Mo Mowlam
were among the people who sat for him. Kevans' illustrations have appeared in many magazines and newspapers, including Penthouse
, The Telegraph
, The Sun
and The Mirror.
Kevans was the lead designer on the Scooby Doo computer game and the Bloodhound Gang
's online game.
Judy Collins
Judith Marjorie "Judy" Collins is an American singer and songwriter, known for her eclectic tastes in the material she records ; and for her social activism. She is an alumna of the University of Colorado.-Musical career:Collins was born and raised in Seattle, Washington...
' New York label, Wildflower Records and is married to the artist, Annie Kevans
Annie Kevans
Annie Kevans is an English artist. She was named number 19 in Harper's Bazaar magazine's Forty Under 40 chart of hot new British talent, September 2007 and was named number 32 in New Woman magazine’s Brit Hit List and was described as the "new Tracey Emin"...
.
Musical career
Kevans was born in Birmingham but grew up in Germany on a military base. He moved to Llanon in West Wales at the age of 10. After a short stint in the army, Kevans moved to London where he became involved in the acoustic music scene, playing at venues such as Ronnie Scotts, the Water Rats and the Borderline. He also played trumpet for SkaSka
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
bands such as The Hot Knives and The Riffs.
In 2008 Kevans won the International Songwriting Competition with his song 'Out There' and provided music for the computer game Scooby Doo.
Later that year, Kevans was a finalist in BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
London’s 2012 Anthem competition with his song ‘London Fields’.
Shortly after that, Kevans was selected to represent Ireland in the Karlshamn Song Contest where he came 4th. The programme was broadcast live throughout the Baltic region and Sweden.
In 2009, Kevans released his debut single 'Dialling Tone' on IRL Records. Olivia Cole of the Sunday Times called the single a "Catchy debut single".
Kevans played at CMJ in New York in October 2009 where he was spotted by a representative of Wildflower Records. He was offered a deal with the New York label that night.
Kevans' first album, Everything You Do, was produced by Ian Grimble. The album featured slide guitarist Al Perkins
Al Perkins
Al Perkins is a Texas-born American guitarist. The Gibson guitar company called Perkins "the world's most influential Dobro player", and even began producing an "Al Perkins Signature" Dobro in 2001 - designed and autographed by Perkins....
and guest vocals came from former Beautiful South songstress Alison Wheeler
Alison Wheeler
Alison Wheeler is a British singer, best known as the female vocalist for The Beautiful South from 2003 until they disbanded in 2007....
. Keyboard skills were provided by James Blunt’s pianist Paul Beard
Paul Beard
Paul Beard was an author and was the president of the College of Psychic Studies. Beard was based in London, England for sixteen years.The organization was devoted to finding in spiritualism evidence of life after death...
and guitar was supplied by ex-Steely Dan
Steely Dan
Steely Dan is an American rock band; its core members are Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. The band's popularity peaked in the late 1970s, with the release of seven albums blending elements of jazz, rock, funk, R&B, and pop...
and Doobie Brothers guitarist Elliot Randall.
The album was released in February 2010 and received much critical acclaim. Q Magazine said ”The country flavoured singer-songwriter pop of London Will Kevans can be both delightful & sincere" and the Guitarist Magazine said Kevans "has a great voice & polished pop rock writing."
Kevans is a Gibson
Gibson
Gibson may refer to:* Gibson Amphitheatre* Gibson Appliance* Gibson Girl* Gibson Guitar Corporation* Gibson * Gibson Generating Station-Places:In the United States:* Gibson, Arkansas* Gibson, Georgia* Gibson, Iowa* Gibson, Louisiana...
sponsored artist.
Artistic career
Kevans has drawn well-known characters such as Billy No Mates and Postman Prat for ZitZit (comic)
Zit was an adult British comic that was published by Humour Publications UK, beginning with a free sample issue in January 1991, and with issue 1 in February 1991....
comic, Dennis the Menace
Dennis the Menace (UK)
Dennis the Menace, later called Dennis the Menace and Gnasher and now Dennis and Gnasher, is a long-running comic strip in the British children's comic The Beano, published by D. C...
for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, and the Ribena
Ribena
Ribena is a British brand of fruit-based uncarbonated soft drink, carbonated soft drink and fruit drink concentrate produced by GlaxoSmithKline. The original and most common variety contains real blackcurrant juice.- History :...
berries. He was chosen to be the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
's caricaturist for their conference in 1997. Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
, Cherie Blair
Cherie Blair
Cherie Blair , known professionally as Cherie Booth QC, is a British barrister working in the legal system of England and Wales. She is married to the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Tony Blair; the couple have three sons and one daughter...
and Mo Mowlam
Mo Mowlam
Marjorie "Mo" Mowlam was a British Labour Party politician. She was the Member of Parliament for Redcar from 1987 to 2001 and served in the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.Mowlam's time as Northern...
were among the people who sat for him. Kevans' illustrations have appeared in many magazines and newspapers, including Penthouse
Penthouse (magazine)
Penthouse, a men's magazine founded by Bob Guccione, combines urban lifestyle articles and softcore pornographic pictorials that, in the 1990s, evolved into hardcore. Penthouse is owned by FriendFinder Network. formerly known as General Media, Inc. whose parent company was Penthouse International...
, The Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
and The Mirror.
Kevans was the lead designer on the Scooby Doo computer game and the Bloodhound Gang
Bloodhound Gang
Bloodhound Gang is a Collegeville, Pennsylvania-based American comedy band, although it began as a rap group and gradually changed its genre throughout the years...
's online game.