Dr. Tom Evans (Sloth Band) has passed 1 May 2009

Subject: RE: Help: 'The Original Sloth Band'
From: GUEST
Date: 01 May 09 - 12:48 PM

Sadly Tom Evans passed this am after a battle with cancer. What a great player and singer he was.

Subject: Dr. Tom Evans (Sloth Band) has passed
From: gwonya
Date: 01 May 09 - 11:23 PM

We've lost a great Toronto musician today. Tom's vocals and playing with Ken and Chris Whitely made for some real musical magic. My prayers go out tonight to his family and friends. What a loss....

Subject: RE: Dr. Tom Evans (Sloth Band) has passed 1 May 20
From: GUEST,Malcolm
Date: 21 May 09 - 07:34 PM

Subject: RE: Help: 'The Original Sloth Band'
From: GUEST,Malcolm
Date: 21 May 09 - 07:44 PM

I knew Tom and the Sloth Band back in the early days, and years later (mid-70's) I met him in his fathers optometrists' office. Tom then looked after my eyes for some 25 years, and looked after my wife's eyes until late last year, when another doctor was working in Tom's office. Tom was a good man, a helpful optometrist, and a fine musician. I only found out today (via a form-letter from the company Tom has passed his business files to) that he had died. I'm going to go downstairs and dig out the albums, and have a Scotch as I listen again to the music that he left behind. My condolences to his family, many of whom I met over the years.

Subject: RE: Dr. Tom Evans (Sloth Band) has passed 1 May 2009
From: GUEST,Catherine Nasmith
Date: 04 Jun 09 - 12:10 PM

I have learned this week of the passing of Tom Evans. He was my high-school sweetheart, my first innocent love. He and I edited the highschool newspaper together at Don Mills Collegiate. I was Vice-President of the student council, with Ken Whitely as the President. Tom, Ken and Chris exposed me to music, the Riverboat coffee house, Mariposa folk festivals and so much more.

I became an architect, Ken and Chris' father Ron Whitely was the only architect I ever met before University. We spent much time together at the Whitely's basement, jamming, or out making super 8 videos of us just being kids.

Tom's family were my family for this period, and made a huge difference to me at this critical time in my life. His mother a wonderful role model as wife, mother and homemaker. She taught me how to throw a great party. I had my first drink in their home....the obligatory Mateus Rose. I am now teaching my nephews and nieces some of the recipes she shared with me.

We had three years together before University before different paths in life separated us. I haven't seen him for 25 years, but I hear of him from time to time from my mother who has remained a patient of his.

I am very sorry to hear of his premature death from cancer. Next weekend I will be participating in the Ride to Conquer Cancer to raise funds for cancer research. Tom's death is one more reason to ride as hard as I can over the 200k course.

I have raised 5000.00 so far.

My condolences to his wife Diane, and their children as well as his family.

Catherine Nasmith

Subject: RE: Dr. Tom Evans (Sloth Band) has passed 1 May 2009
From: GUEST,Dianne Firth
Date: 13 Dec 14 - 10:14 PM

Catherine, I had not seen this until now.
What a sweet response to this.
Are you still in Toronto?

Get back to me if you are and if this is still operational.
I think that he really dug you as his first love.

Dianne firth.

Subject: RE: Dr. Tom Evans (Sloth Band) has passed 1 May 2009
From: GUEST,Jim Rivis
Date: 13 Apr 15 - 11:05 AM

It's now April 2015 and , while receiving in the mail OSBs Whoopee after Midnight (LP) I am sad to hear of Tom's death.
In 1969/70 I lived at 109 1/2 Scollard Street, right in the middle of the Village (Yorkville) while studying Photography at Ryerson. I have crystal clear memories of cramming into The Riverboat for , at least two, Original Sloth Band gigs. They were and still are one of my all time favorite groups and I had so much fun seeing them there and at several Mariposa concerts on the Toronto Islands. 'Diga Diga Da' and 'Papa De Da Da' were two of my faves and Tom on his toilet plunger...oh..and 'Gimme a Pigfoot...' !
What a blast !!!! Sorely missed.

Subject: RE: Dr. Tom Evans (Sloth Band) has passed 1 May 2009
From: GUEST,Jim Rivis
Date: 29 Nov 15 - 05:29 PM

I KNEW that I knew but wasn't sure but I was Right and just now reconfirmed that Tom had died.Also forgot that I had written above note. So why am I writing this? I have been working to nominate The Original Sloth Band on the Jug Band Hall of Fame Site and one of the areas that needed filling out was Birth and Death dates so, as I said above, I had a sense about Tom and the confirmation had me in tears all over again. I don't think he realised just how appreciated he was, being that he was possibly the quiter one of the bunch...and so drollmin the best sense of the word. Another reason I was focussing on Tom these past two days is that a) I just scored a sealed copy of the 1978 album on Ebay and noted that there were gaps in the listed instruments that he played on the website and, recalling that I so enjoyed Tom's 'plunger' on Hustlin' and Bustlin' that I vowed to find out what it was called. The descriptive name is a 'friction drum' . It originates from a native Brazilian Cuica. I am pretty sure Tom Evans's was homemade. Chris could verify that. Once my new acquisition arrives I shall have all three LPs and can settle back into my 73rd year reminiscing to those oh so good TO days in the late 60's/ early 70's. Oh, I have also gotten back heavily into Geoff Muldaur (jim Kweskin etc) and, lastly, in wondering why I had so much love for this genre of music, I determined that it came from the cartoon movie houses that I frequented so often while a student in London in the late 50's. Those cartoons used the music of the 1920's for their soundtracks. Nonwonder I am also such a Bix Beiderbecke fan.

Thanks, OSB. And thanks Catherine Nasmith for your great letter above ! Don't you have a musician brother ?