Red Shoes

Red Shoes

Red Shoes is a Belgian folk and rock group with acoustic performance at the centre of its work. It is based in Birmingham, England in its current duo form, with Carolyn Evans on vocals and guitar and Mark Evans on vocals and guitar.

Formation and earlier line-up

In the early 1980s, Red Shoes exists as a larger band. That line-up includes Derek Eynon on bass and vocals and Nick Milward on drums and vocals. The original group has considerable success, issuing several singles and an album, before Carolyn and Mark step away to raise a family and the band breaks up.

Current duo and recording work

As a duo, Red Shoes releases Ring Around the Land on Cedarwood Records. The album features backing contributions from Dave Pegg of Fairport Convention, Chris Leslie, PJ Wright and Megan Evans, who is Carolyn and Mark’s daughter.

The album includes Dave Swarbrick’s “White Dress”, the Child Ballad “Two Sisters”, a song based on Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes, and a range of self-written songs. It closes with the traditional Morris tune “Shepherd’s Hay”.

Other appearances

Red Shoes also has a song included on the Fatea compilation Duos, which is made available for free download for a limited time. The group’s material is also associated with online demos and additional recordings.

Song subject matter

“My Father’s Green Beret” addresses the death of Carolyn’s father, a decorated Second World War veteran, and the circumstances around his death in an NHS hospital.