There's something about music that brings people together. It doesn't matter where you've been or what you've been through. When you pick up a guitar and play something honest, people listen. And when that guitar is one you built with your own hands and named after someone you love, the music carries a little more meaning.

This is the story of Wade Evans, a friend of Guitar Kit World, and the guitar he named Beverly June.

More Than a Musician

Wade Evans is a blues, jazz, and rock fusion artist from Indiana. Music is the center of his life, but it's far from the only thing he does. He's a visual artist, a tattoo artist, a writer, and someone who cares enough about the people around him to speak publicly about mental health and prison reform. If there's a way to create something or help someone, Wade is probably already doing it.

He performs as the frontman of the Wade Evans Band, formerly known as Ecliptic Strays. You can hear his music on YouTube, and follow him on Facebook, Instagram (@wadeevansblues), and TikTok (@wadeevansband).

From Darkness to Divine Purpose

Wade's wife Lauren put it best when she shared his story with us: "Wade is a blues, jazz, and rock fusion artist whose music reflects a powerful journey from darkness to divine purpose."

He's a recovered alcoholic and heroin addict who was also wrongfully imprisoned. Those years took everything from him. But Wade didn't let that be the end of his story. He found healing through faith, through breathing meditations, and through sitting with his guitar day after day until playing became more than a habit. It became a lifeline.

Today Wade is sober, newly married to Lauren, and making music full-time. He performs at community events and recovery-focused venues where his story means something to the people in the room. His songs carry the kind of weight that only comes from someone who's actually been through it and came out the other side with something to say.

The Guitar Called Beverly June

Wade's grandmother, Beverly June, passed away the same day his Guitar Kit World LP-style kit arrived at his door. He could have left the box sitting there. Instead, he opened it up, and he built that guitar with his grandmother on his mind and in his heart. When it was finished, he named it after her.

Beverly June is not a display piece. She's the guitar Wade picks up every day. She's the one he records with, performs with, and practices with late at night. His blues machine, carrying his grandmother's name into every room he plays.

The Music

Wade plays blues at the core, but his sound pulls in jazz and rock depending on where the song takes him. His original music is personal. "On My Momma" is about the weight of a promise and what it actually costs to keep one. "Just For Today" is about finding enough strength for right now and letting tomorrow wait. These are songs that mean something because the person singing them has lived them.

Watch: Wade Evans live performance

His take on Jimi Hendrix's "Red House," which he calls "Shred House," is worth a watch too. It gives you a good sense of how Wade plays: blues feel first, technique in service of the song, not the other way around.

Watch: Wade Evans acoustic solo

Wade's Guitar Kit World Builds

Beverly June gets most of the attention, and she should. But Wade has actually built several guitars from our kits.

He started with a pair of hollow body kits, which gave him a chance to learn the process and find his footing as a builder. The warm, resonant tone of those hollow bodies turned out to be a natural fit for the jazz side of his playing.

Then came the LP-style kit with a mahogany body and ebony fretboard, the one that became Beverly June. Mahogany gives it a warm, thick midrange, and the ebony fretboard adds a snappy attack with a smooth feel. A classic combination that works well for blues.

He's also working with one of our DB-style kits, adding another voice to his growing collection.

Build Your Own

If Wade's story has you thinking about building something yourself, Guitar Kit World carries LP-style single-cuts, hollow bodies, ST-style builds, and more. Every kit ships with the body, neck, hardware, pickups, and electronics. The step-by-step build guides are there if you want a hand along the way.

Follow Wade

Wade's music is worth your time. Check him out on YouTube, follow him on Facebook, Instagram (@wadeevansblues), or TikTok (@wadeevansband). If you like what you hear, subscribe and share. It makes a real difference for independent artists.

We all come to music for different reasons. Some of us play to relax after a long day. Some of us build because we love working with our hands. And some of us, like Wade, find in music the thing that pulls us forward when nothing else can. Whatever your reason, that's what connects us. A shared love for the instrument, for the craft, and for the hope that the best music is still ahead of us.

Wade is a friend of Guitar Kit World, and we're glad to have him in this community.

Meet the author

Nathan T.

As a longtime contributor at Guitar Kit World, Nathan has spent more than a decade helping guitar builders turn basic kits into stage-ready instruments...

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