Singleton Street articles on faith, music and autism... and a few video clips.
Updated: 3/2/08
Wingin’ it
Rosemount Town Pages - 02/22/2008
By Kala Schmidt

In my dream, there was a picture of Jesus in cartoony clothes handing me a banjo,” Craig Evans, said. “Who was I to argue with God?”

So, at the age of 48, Evans, a Rosemount resident, began to re-learn the banjo. Evans said that though the dream he had of Jesus handing him a banjo may sound silly to some, for him it was a calling.

Now, years later, that calling is becoming even clearer as Evans and his fellow Singleton Street band members, gear up to release their first Gospel CD, titled “Wingin' It.”




















Singleton Street is a four-person band with an old-timey, bluegrass-meets-Irish-folk feel to their music and ‘wingin' it” is exactly the route Evans took to become involved with the band.

Evans has been associated with music since his childhood in Iowa. His mother was the organist at the local Methodist church. Evans remembers playing his family's records continuously, listening particularly to classical pieces such as the “Can-Can” and “Flight of the Bumblebee.”

“I could never understand or get enough of the power of music,” Evans said.

In high school, Evans began playing the banjo, the same five-stringed version of the instrument his ancestors played in the early 1900s. However, as Evans graduated from high school his life began to fill a different mold and music was pushed aside.























“What was fun as a kid kind of got put away,” Evans said.

Evans began working in various jobs including journalism, marketing, infomercials and web writing. It was not until much later in his life that Evans began to re-learn the instrument of his teenage years. Evans had a dream Jesus came knocking on his door carrying a banjo and the only response Evans could give was, “yes.”

Taking lessons from a minister in Michigan, Evans re-learned what he had forgotten and began to perform around Minnesota.
Evans saw Singleton Street, which at the time consisted of three members — guitar players Sherri and Chuck Leyda and bass player Jimmy Newkirk — on a random outing one wintry evening. After hearing the threesome play bluegrass music at Dulonos, a pizza restaurant off Lake Street in Minneapolis Evans asked to jam with them; one rehearsal later he was a member of the band.

Around the same time, Evans met a woman by the name of Deanne Parks. Parks, originally from Atlanta, Ga., was a local artist who introduced Evans to Rosemount United Methodist Church. Neither knew at the time their marriage would be the first event held in the church's family life center. Now, five months later, the family life center will play host to another important event in Evans' life: the release of Singleton Street's first gospel CD.
A unique form of music

Singleton Street's music is difficult to describe in just a few words, because as the diversity of the United States grew to encompass many different cultures, so too did the old-timey, bluegrass folk music.

Each time Singleton Street plays, they are in a sense re-playing the journey of the music's evolution.

“We really have fun as a band arranging songs,” Evans said. “It becomes a dialog. We are talking our language in our instruments. I'd like to say it's a profession, but I'm glad to say it's not a profession. It's something we do for fun.”

Evans said the group discovered their shared love of gospel music in 2004, but with the interruptions of daily life it took Singleton Street a few years to develop enough material and, more importantly, enough time to record a gospel CD.
Craig Evans
Singleton Street's "Wingin' It!" CD cover.  Original
artwork by Rosemount artist, DeAnne L. Parks
Singleton Street - (L to R) Jimmy Newkirk, Chuck and Sherri Leyda and Craig Evans
Artist DeAnne L. Parks
The CD release party will be Singleton Street's official introduction to the Rosemount United Methodist Church. The CD will be released at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23 at Rosemount United Methodist Church. The songs on the CD range in temperament from the light, rhythmic feel of a lullaby, to a quicker, up-beat style of reflection. The release party will be held in the family life center and will feature a live performance by Singleton Street. The group will play the CD tracks along with some bluegrass songs. Refreshments will be served after the concert. Although the gospel music is Christian in lyrics, Singleton Street invites people of all ages and religious affiliations to attend.
Singleton Street playing at Craig Evans and DeAnne L. Parks wedding in September '07
BY KATIE MINTZ - SUN NEWSPAPERS
(Created: Wednesday, February 20, 2008 9:42 PM CST)

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The members of Twin Cities' band Singleton Street have more in common than their love for old-time bluegrass music.

Three in the four-piece outlet have autistic children and all have a passion for sharing their Christian faith.

"We really have two agendas whenever we play. The first is to present gospel music," said Craig Evans. "In addition to spreading the gospel, we spread good news and messages of hope about autism."

Evans lives in Rosemount with his 16-year-old stepson who has Asperger's Syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism. Chuck and Sherri Leyda of Delano have two young children with the disorder.




















The group's newest release "Wingin' It" - as in angel wings - brings together these similarities in a presentation of gospel standards and hymns in bluegrass style.




















Evans' rhythmic clawhammer banjo is matched with mandolin and lead guitar from Chuck Leyda and lead vocals from Sherri Leyda. Jimmy Newkirk of St. Louis Park rounds out the group with bass. All four contribute their voices to Singleton Street's signature harmonies.

The band was born in 2000. Evans joined on in 2002 after meeting the other three members, who before becoming Singleton Street played Irish music. Since, they've played at numerous bluegrass festivals, churches and coffeehouses.

"We're four people that have our day jobs and get together on the weekends to make music because it's a form of celebration," Evans said.

Recording "Wingin' It" was a lot like a Singleton Street show, said Evans. Rather than focus on perfection, the group made sure to capture its passion and energy in the studio.

"When we perform, we pride ourselves on having as much energy as we possibly can," he said. "Our goal is to enjoy ourselves doing what we like to do, which is sing and entertain."

And, he said, that's the expectation for listeners, too.

"Anyone can enjoy this music. It gets you humming and your toes a tapping," said Evans.
Band name: Singleton Street

Band members: Craig Evans, Rosemount; Chuck and Sherri Leyda, Delano; and Jimmy Newkirk, St. Louis Park

Latest title: "Wingin' It"

Previous releases: "Almost Live" (2004)

Genre: Bluegrass

Release date: December 2007

Where available: Homestead Pickin' Parlor, 6625 Penn Ave. S., Richfield; Northwestern Book Store, 12985 Elm Creek Blvd., Maple Grove; and online at www.elderly.com and www.banjo.com

Price: $15

Description: The four-piece acoustic band plays toe-tapping hymns and songs in old-time style on its first all-gospel bluegrass release.
Cover of  Singleton Street's "Wingin' It!" CD
Singleton Street - (L to R) Craig Evans, Sherri and Chuck Leyda and Jimmy Newkirk
Craig Evans' great-uncle, Clifford Slife was holding an open-back, 5-string
banjo in this 1907 picture taken with William Sherman Weaver, Evans grandfather.
Craig Evans with a couple of Chuck Lee open-back banjos
Singleton Street can be seen live this weekend at its CD release party in Rosemount. The group will play at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, at Rosemount United Methodist Church (UMC), 14770 Canada Ave., where Evans is a member. A dessert reception will immediately follow the concert.

The Minnesota Bluegrass and Old-time Music Association and UMC's Fine Arts Council are sponsoring the event. A free-will donation will be collected at the door to support future community outreach concert programs at UMC.

Terry Field, director of worship arts at UMC, said she's happy to have Singleton Street perform at the church.

"They're fantastic," said Field. "People experience God in so many different ways and hearts are touched not just from the word, but through music, through art, through dance and drama. They are so inspired and they inspire others to join them in reaching out and touching hearts."

For more information on the show, contact Rosemount United Methodist Church at 651-423-2475. For more information on Singleton Street or to preview its music, visit www.singletonstreet.com or www.myspace.com/singletonstreet.
Wingin’ It
Singleton Street
Independent Release 2007

Reviewed 12/18/2007 by Joan

Don’t get too comfortable when you put Wingin’ It, the
newest CD by Singleton Street on the stereo. You won’t
be sitting still for long. This long-awaited release, three
years in the making, simply moves, in every sense of
the word. The album presents 13 tracks of old-time
Gospel favorites presented in the band’s inimitable
foot-tapping style.

Singleton Street is a four-piece acoustic band from
Minneapolis, Minnesota. Sherri Leyda leads most of the
vocals with a soaring voice that holds up well to the
exuberant instruments behind her. Sherri’s husband Chuck
Leyda’s guitar lead or crisp mandolin dance through every track with a precision of tone and attack that can only be described as joyful. Jimmy Newkirk’s bass is a firm foundation, but he sneaks in a few great licks now and again to remind us of his skill. And banjoist Craig Evans’s clawhammer provides the color and sparkle that makes this offering soar. The four instruments sound bigger than they are, and the four-part harmonies are choral and close without being overly smooth. These are musicians who are individually talented, but who come together as a greater sum.

On first listen, I felt immediately drawn into a warm room filled with music. The record creates a space that is intimate and folksy. These songs are handmade and heartfelt. This may be old-time style, but there is a modern freshness that is engaging. It is difficult to capture the exuberance that a band demonstrates during a live performance on a recording, but Wingin’ It gives us just that.

Singleton Street feels their mission is sharing their strong Christian faith with their audiences. “There's something very powerful and moving about sharing faith with loved ones through Gospel music. It's ongoing. The love is still there... you can feel it when you sing. We love sharing this feeling with all our audiences. The best part is you can see that ongoing love resonate with them! Gospel music does that to you.” said Craig Evans in a recent interview. And while that message comes through loud and clear, this album is more tent-revival than Sunday-sermon. It’s readily apparent that these four talented folk are having a whole lot of fun.

Vocal harmony is a strong suit here. Normally, it is difficult for a female vocalist to blend into three strong male voices below her. Sherri shows a great skill in this regard. As a lead, she floats above the band nearly effortlessly. As the top of a four part vocal, she’s warm butter on the pancakes—rich and smooth. Singleton Street also manages to avoid the cliché of the comic basso profundo. Jimmy Newkirk’s bass is a deep velvet background that lets the higher registers sparkle. All three men have strong voices and impeccable timing. “Get in Line Brother” is the best showcase of the harmonic and vocal ensemble capabilities of the band.

Wingin’ It offers a mix of upbeat hand-clappers, gospel standards, and a tear-jerker or two. “Red Clay Halo,” by David Rawling and Gillian Welch is destined to be a new gospel classic and is perfectly presented here. Craig Evans’s vocal is homey with an energetic sensibility that keeps the song from becoming corny. “Gone Home,” a perennial sentimental favorite, is sweet but not cloying. The arrangement balances impeccable three- and four-part harmonies and complex guitar counterpoints. The acapella track, Hank William’s “House of Gold,” is plucked from an old Kentucky choir-loft, but the pace and length of the arrangement keeps the song from plodding. “Old Hymn Medley” follows, showcasing the instrumental talents of each player. The vocal tag-ending lacks only a “amen!” finish. “Angel Band,” another gospel standard by Ralph Stanley, is presented gently and tenderly with a hint of swing. The last track on the record is a pleasant surprise. “The Harvest” is a nostalgic ballad with a chorus that ends in a wisp of a yodel. Charming and wistful, the song speaks to the universal desire to return home to rest. It closes the album with a soft smile.

Singleton Street has given us their message in music that is both touching and downright, downhome fun. As the cover art implies, it will lift the listener up, but with toes a-tapping. Add Wingin’ It to your music collection, and let it move you.

For more information about Singleton Street and Wingin’ It, to purchase CDs or book the band, visit them at:
www.myspace.com/singletonstreet

The following "Wingin' It!" review by Joan Radell appeared on www.banjohangout.org and in the February issue of Inside Bluegrass, the Minnesota Bluegrass and Old-time Music Association (MBOTMA) monthly newsletter.
Band attests faith with bluegrass gospel album
Here are youtube videos of the 2/23/08 Rosemount UMC CD Release Concert.
Get In Line Brother
By the Mark
Red Clay Halo
I Saw the Light
The Harvest
When I Lay My Burdens Down
During the introduction of this beautiful piece, Chuck talks about his children and their life with autism.  It's a part of the reason we like to carry messages of hope to families touched by this baffling condition. 
Bluegrass or gospel, the message Singleton Street printed on the inside cover of the CD jacket remains the same.

“That somewhere, someone is calling us ... calling us home to a place where we are more alive, more at peace and more truly ourselves than anywhere else we could be. That call may sound slightly different to each one of us. Be sure to listen!”
See video clips from the 2/23/08 performance at the bottom of this page.
See video clips from the 2/23/08 performance at the bottom of this page.