Died On This Date (November 19, 1983) Tom Evans / Badfinger

Tom Evans
June 5, 1947 – November 19, 1983

Tom Evans is best remembered as founding guitarist and sometime vocalist for British rock band, Badfinger.  Evans had been Liverpool when, in 1967, he was asked to join the Iveys, a Welsh band fronted by Pete Ham.  Within a year the band was signed to the Beatles’ Apple Records. The Evan’s penned “Maybe Tomorrow” was the band’s first single and cracked the US top 100.  In 1969, the band changed its name to Badfinger to record The Magic Christian which included “Come and Get It,” written by Paul McCartney.  Evans sang lead on the track which became a top 10 single around the world.  One of Badfinger’s follow-up singles was “No Matter What,” another instantly recognizable hit.  As a session player, Evans played or sang on John Lennon’s Imagine, George Harrion’s All Things Must Pass, and Ringo Starr’s “It Don’t Come Easy.”   Perhaps Evans’ most famous song as a songwriter was the huge Harry Nilsson hit,  “Without You,” co-written with Ham.  In 1975, Pete Ham committed suicide, putting an end to the original Badfinger.  Evans continued on performing in other bands, including a couple of new versions of Badfinger.  On November 19, 1983, Tom Evans, 36, took his own life by hanging from a tree in his yard.  It has been speculated that he was overwhelmed by disputes over royalties and legal action that could have potentially destroyed him financially.

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