Bio
Dustin Evans was born and raised in Wessington Springs, a town of about 1000 people in eastern central South Dakota.
THE EARLY YEARS
Dustin’s dad had started a band called Kyle Evans and the Company Cowboys in 1969, so there was never a time when Dustin wasn't around music. He first performed on stage with his dad at age three. Dustin took piano lessons as a child and was active in band and music throughout school. He played drums for a rock band as a freshman in high school, then sang lead vocals and played guitar for another band his junior year.
THE OUTRIDERS
Dustin occasionally sat in with his dad’s band, at some point filling in for each member, including Kyle himself. This generated some interest among the Kyle Evans audience, and Dustin soon co-founded a country band called The Outriders, along with the son of his dad's drummer. Their first show was the summer after their senior year. Word about this group spread quickly, and the calendar started to fill up. That’s when Dustin first realized there could be a future in music.
DUSTIN EVANS AND GOOD TIMES
The Outriders eventually parted ways, and after college, Dustin set his sights on recording an album in Nashville, while joining forces with Good Times, an already popular band in Mitchell, SD. The band stayed busy every weekend, packing dance halls and street dances around South Dakota. Then, with the help of a popular music competition, they got the attention of a prominent talent buyer who offered to book the band in some bigger events around the country.
THINGS GET ROLLING
Fairs, festivals, rodeos, NASCAR events, and large nightclubs soon followed, as well as spots opening for some of the biggest names in country music. The band was offered major sponsorships and was playing around 125 shows per year, while also releasing new music. Dustin then decided to make Nashville his home, flying back and forth to join the band for shows. He also saw some modest chart activity with original songs like “Good Ol’ Days To Come” and a military tribute, “If I Die Before You Wake.”
WESTERN UNDERGROUND
In 2005, after the passing of rodeo and country music legend, Chris LeDoux, his band Western Underground approached Dustin about joining them to finish out their remaining dates, and possibly carrying on with the group. Dustin spent the next five years touring with Western Underground and recording an album with them, while still splitting time with his own band.
BACK TO BASICS
Since then, Dustin has gone back to playing primarily with his own group and occasionally performing solo acoustic shows. He’s started a family and has two little girls, which prompted a move back to his home state of South Dakota in 2017.
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Since those early days with The Outriders up until now, here are some of the South Dakota cities where you may have seen Dustin and the band.
- Aberdeen, SD
- Agar, SD
- Akaska, SD
- Alexandria, SD
- Alpena, SD
- Arlington, SD
- Armour, SD
- Artesian, SD
- Avon, SD
- Belle Fourche, SD
- Beresford, SD
- Black Hawk, SD
- Blunt, SD
- Bridgewater, SD
- Burke, SD
- Canton, SD
- Chamberlain, SD
- Clear Lake, SD
- Corsica, SD
- De Smet, SD
- Dallas, SD
- Dante, SD
- Deadwood, SD
- Delmont, SD
- Dimock, SD
- Edgemont, SD
- Egan, SD
- Emery, SD
- Estelline, SD
- Ethan, SD
- Faith, SD
- Faulkton, SD
- Flandreau, SD
- Fort Pierre, SD
- Fort Thompson, SD
- Freeman, SD
- Garretson, SD
- Geddes, SD
- Gregory, SD
- Grenville, SD
- Groton, SD
- Harrisburg, SD
- Harrold, SD
- Hartford, SD
- Henry, SD
- Highmore, SD
- Hoven, SD
- Howard, SD
- Hudson, SD
- Humboldt, SD
- Huron, SD
- Ipswich, SD
- Irene, SD
- Iroquois, SD
- Isabel, SD
- Kadoka, SD
- Kimball, SD
- Lake Andes, SD
- Lake Preston, SD
- Lane, SD
- Langford, SD
- Lemmon, SD
- Lennox, SD
- Letcher, SD
- Madison, SD
- Martin, SD
- Miller, SD
- Mission, SD
- Mitchell, SD
- Mobridge, SD
- Montrose, SD
- Mount Vernon, SD
- Mina, SD
- Murdo, SD
- Nisland, SD
- Onida, SD
- Orient, SD
- Parkston, SD
- Philip, SD
- Pickstown, SD
- Pierre, SD
- Plankinton, SD
- Platte, SD
- Pollock, SD
- Presho, SD
- Pukwana, SD
- Rapid City, SD
- Redfield, SD
- Saint Lawrence, SD
- Salem, SD
- Scotland, SD
- Sioux Falls, SD
- Sisseton, SD
- Spearfish, SD
- Stickney, SD
- Sturgis, SD
- Tabor, SD
- Tea, SD
- Tripp, SD
- Tyndall, SD
- Verdon
- Vermillion, SD
- Viborg, SD
- Volga, SD
- Wagner, SD
- Wakonda, SD
- Watertown, SD
- Webster, SD
- Wessington Springs, SD
- Wessington, SD
- White Lake, SD
- White, SD
- Willow Lake, SD
- Winner, SD
- Wolsey, SD
- Woonsocket, SD
The band is proud to have played the main stages at some of South Dakota’s biggest fairs, including the South Dakota State Fair, Sioux Empire Fair, Brown County Fair, and Central States Fair.
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Over the years, Dustin Evans has played thousands of shows across 35 states for millions of people. Here are a few notable venues:
Cheyenne Frontier Days (Cheyenne WY)
Country Thunder (Twin Lakes WI)
Country Thunder (Florence AZ)
Country Stampede (Manhattan KS)
Country Stampede (Sparta KY)
Country Jam (Grand Junction CO)
Country Concert (Ft. Loramie OH)
Route 66 Festival (Springfield MO)
Comstock (Comstock NE)
Nebraskaland Days (North Platte NE)
Metra Park (Billings MT)
American Royal (Kansas City MO)
Sioux Falls Arena (Sioux Falls, SD)
Sanford Pentagon (Sioux Falls, SD)
Sanford Premier Center (Sioux Falls, SD)
Corn Palace (Mitchell, SD)
Brickyard 400 (Indianapolis IN)
Pepsi 400 (Brooklyn MI)
Texas 500 (Ft. Worth TX)
Indy 500 (Indianapolis IN)
Remingtons (Topeka KS)
Remingtons (Springfield MO)
Crystal Palace (Bakersfield CA)
Loud American Roadhouse (Sturgis SD)
Tumbleweed (Stillwater OK)
Grizzly Rose (Denver CO)
Cow Palace (San Francisco CA)
Billy Bob's (Ft. Worth TX)
In Cahoots (St. Louis MO)
The Saddle Rack (Fremont CA)
8 Seconds Saloon (Indianapolis IN)
Crazy Horse Saloon (Irvine CA)
Sundance Saloon (Mundelein IL)
Bluebird Cafe (Nashville, TN)
Buffalo Chip (Sturgis SD)
Dustin has also performed the national anthem for NBA, NHL, PRCA, and PBR events.
Support act for:
Tim McGraw
Toby Keith
Brad Paisley
Keith Urban
Trace Adkins*
Charlie Daniels
Dierks Bentley
Chris Young
Montgomery Gentry*
Old Dominion
Joe Diffie*
Chris Ledoux*
Blackhawk*
Jerrod Niemann*
Jake Owen
Lee Brice
Randy Houser
Neal McCoy*
Clint Black*
Ricochet*
Perfect Stranger*
Daryle Singletary
Daryl Worley
Phil Vassar
Don Williams
The Guess Who
Little Texas
Lee Ann Womack
Collin Raye
Dwight Yoakam
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Peter Noone
The Temptations
Larry The Cable Guy
Rodney Carrington
Billy Currington
Tracy Byrd
Sammy Kershaw
Sawyer Brown
Little Texas
Trick Pony
Big & Rich
Diamond Rio
Tracy Lawrence
Lonestar
Sugar Ray
Uncle Kracker
Sister Hazel
Restless Heart
Martina McBride
Little Big Town
Ronnie Millsap
Carrie Underwood
ZZ Top
*multiple shows
Shared festival stages with:
Blake Shelton
Brooks & Dunn
Reba McEntire
Kenny Chesney
Alan Jackson
Alabama
Doobie Brothers
Huey Lewis and the News
REO Speedwagon
38 Special
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Styx
Don McLean
Faith Hill
Mark Chesnutt
LeeAnn Rimes
Tanya Tucker
John Michael Montgomery
Rascal Flatts
Zac Brown Band