Evanescence

Musical group

Terry Balsamo

• Born: October 8, 1971
• Place of Birth: Tampa, Florida

Amy Lee

• Born: December 13, 1981
• Place of Birth: Riverside, California

Tim McCord

• Born: June 28, 1979
• Place of Birth: Sacramento, California

Will Hunt

• Born: September 5, 1971
• Place of Birth: Gainesville, Florida

Troy McLawhorn

• Born: November 4, 1968
• Place of Birth: Fayetteville, North Carolina

• Amy Lee
• Vocalist, pianist, and songwriter

• Terry Balsamo
• Guitarist and songwriter

• Tim McCord
• Bass guitarist

• Troy McLawhorn
• Rythm guitarist

• Will Hunt
• Drummer

Contribution: Evanescence is a multiplatinum hard rock band led by singer Amy Lee. The band is primarily known for the Grammy Award–winning album Fallen (2003), which includes the hit single “Bring Me to Life,” featured in the 2003 film Daredevil.

Background

Lead singer Amy Lee met Evanescence cofounder Ben Moody at a youth camp in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1994. Moody approached Lee while she was playing piano and singing, and he convinced her to start a band with him. Evanescence was formed the following year, when Lee was nearly fourteen years of age. As teenagers, Moody and Lee played together—Lee on the piano and Moody on guitar—at local coffeehouses and bookstores. They released two extended plays (EPs, a type of short album), Evanescence EP and Sound Asleep EP in 1998 and 1999, respectively. Songwriter David Hodges joined Evanescence in late 1999 and helped pen many of the songs on their independent demo album, Origin, released in 2000, as well as their 2003 debut album, Fallen.

In 2001, Evanescence signed on with Wind-up Records, under the management of Dennis Rider. The band moved to Los Angeles, where the record label trained them in performance for two years before bringing in producer Dave Fortman. In 2002 Hodges left the band, and by 2003 Evanescence had expanded to include three of Lee and Moody’s friends—John LeCompt, Rocky Gray, and Will Boyd—all of whom had previously worked with the two in Arkansas.

Lee studied classical piano growing up and plays piano for many of the band’s songs. After graduating from Pulaski Academy in 2000, she attended Middle Tennessee State University briefly, studying music theory and composition before leaving to devote more time to the band. Lee is known for writing her own songs and for designing her own costumes for concerts. Later in her career she also took up the harp.

Career

Evanescence’s debut album with Wind-up Records, Fallen, was released on March 4, 2003. The album sold six million copies in the United States and seventeen million copies worldwide and reached number three on the Billboard 200 album chart, spending a total of forty-three weeks in the top ten. The songs “My Immortal” and “Bring Me to Life,” the latter of which features guest vocalist Paul McCoy of 12 Stones, both reached the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100. The popularity of “Bring Me to Life” was due in part to its use in the superhero film Daredevil, released the previous month. Fallen was nominated for five Grammy Awards and won the awards for best new artist and best hard rock performance.

In the middle of the world tour for Fallen, in October of 2003, cofounder Ben Moody decided to leave the band, citing creative differences. Guitarist Terry Balsamo of the band Cold filled in for Moody for the remainder of the tour; he decided afterward to join Evanescence as a full-time member. Evanescence had started as a Christian rock band, but after Lee and Moody broke off their relationship, Lee decided to take the band in a different direction.

In 2004 the band produced a CD and DVD combination called Anywhere but Home, featuring one of their live performances. The band’s second studio album, The Open Door, was released in the United States in October of 2006. Bass guitarist Tim McCord joined the band that same year, replacing Boyd, who had quit. The album debuted at the top spot on the Billboard 200, becoming the seven hundredth title to do so in Billboard’s history. The album’s first single, “Call Me When You’re Sober,” based on Lee’s breakup with former boyfriend Shaun Morgan of the band Seether, reached number ten on the Billboard Hot 100. However, the album failed to achieve the popularity of Fallen, selling only six million copies worldwide.

The following year, drummer Will Hunt and rhythm guitarist Troy McLawhorn joined Evanescence for live performances promoting The Open Door; they replaced Gray and LeCompt, who had departed from the band that spring. Both Hunt and McLawhorn are also members of Dark New Day and have performed with a number of other bands, including Methods of Mayhem (Hunt) and Seether (McLawhorn). Hunt played with Evanescence briefly in 2009 and then rejoined the band in early 2010 as a full-time member, and McLawhorn returned after leaving Seether in March of 2011. By October of 2011, with the release of the self-titled album Evanescence, Lee was the only remaining original band member of Evanescence. The album hit number one on the Billboard 200. Lee later announced that the band would take a hiatus at the end of 2012, for an indeterminate amount of time.

Evanescence returned from hiatus to tour in 2015. At that time, it was announced that Balsamo had left the band and was replaced by guitarist Jen Majura, making Lee the only remaining original member of the band. Two years later, the band released the compilation album Lost Whispers (2017), which contained the rerecorded song "Even in Death" from Origin, several B-side and deluxe edition bonus tracks, and the new song "Lost Whispers." They also released the new album Synthesis in 2017. An orchestral album, Synthesis includes several previously released songs stripped of rock guitars and drums, as well as the singles "Imperfection" and "Hi-Lo;" the latter song features violinist and singer Lindsey Sterling.

The band toured in 2019 and also recorded a cover of "The Chain", originally by Fleetwood Mac, that was used in a video game and became a number one song on Billboard. Then, in early 2021, they released another album, The Bitter Truth.Evanescence planned to tour Europe in 2020 with the band Within Temptation, but were shut down by the COVID-19 pandemic. The tour was postponed several times before finally starting near the end of 2022. Evanescence did tour in the United States during 2021, though some dates were postponed and rescheduled because of the pandemic.

In 2022, guitarist Jen Majura left the group and bassist Tim McCord took over Majura's role. Sick Puppies bassist Emma Anzai became Evanescence's new bassist. The band toured a great deal during 2022 and 2023, performing in cities across North and South America. They finished 2023 by accepting the annual Hall of Fame Award from Rock Sound magazine.

In 2024, the band continued touring, including a co-headlined tour with Halestorm, with dates in Canada and South America. Meanwhile, Lee denied rumors that she was being tapped as the new lead singer of the band Linkin Park.

Impact

Evanescence is said to be similar to alternative rock bands such as Nine Inch Nails and Metallica. The band’s sound has been described as hard rock and goth metal, and songs typically feature Lee’s soaring vocals over heavy instrumentals. Evanescence’s songs are often deeply personal, with several based on real-life breakups and trauma and one, “Snow White Queen” (The Open Door), based on Lee’s experiences with a stalker.

Personal Life

Lee dated fellow Evanescence founder Moody for a few years; their romantic relationship ended before Moody left the band. In 2007, she married therapist Josh Hartzler.

In November of 2005, Balsamo suffered from a stroke triggered by a blood clot in his neck, which may have formed as a result of headbanging. Balsamo has undergone intensive physical therapy to recover from his stroke.

McLawhorn is married and has one son.

Bibliography

"Evanescence and Halestorm Co-Headline Tour." Loudwire, April 2024, loudwire.com/evanescence-halestorm-2024-canada-co-headline-tour/. Accessed 17 Sept. 2024.

Lee, Amy. “A Night Out with: Amy Lee; The Goth Candidate.” Interview by Julia Chaplin. New York Times 8 Feb. 2004: ST4. Print.

Lee, Amy. “Q&A: Amy Lee of Evanescence.” Interview by Jenny Eliscu. Rolling Stone 1 Apr. 2004: 36. Print.

Mayfield, Geoff. “Evanescence Yields Chart’s 700th No. 1 Album.” Billboard 20 Oct. 2006: 93. Print.

Nuss, Allaire. "How Evanescence's Amy Lee reclaimed that infamous 'Bring Me to Life' rap: 'I'm taking it'." Entertainment Weekly, 17 Nov. 2023, ew.com/how-evanescence-amy-lee-reclaimed-bring-me-to-life-rap-fallen-anniversary-reissue-8402040. Accessed 17 Sept. 2024.

Pareles, Jon. “In Every Note, the Pangs of the Heart.” Rev. of Evanescence, by Evanescence. New York Times 3 Nov. 2011: C1. Print.

Reesman, Bryan. "Evanescence's Amy Lee Talks Musical Evolution, Growing Up & Life Under Quarantine." Grammy Awards, 28 May 2020, www.grammy.com/news/evanescences-amy-lee-talks-musical-evolution-growing-life-under-quarantine. Accessed 17 Sept. 2024.

Serpick, Evan. “Evanescence Hit Number One.” Rolling Stone 2 Nov. 2006: 16. Print.

Truitt, Brian. “‘Heavier’ Evanescence Goes with an Instrumental Shift.” USA Today 19 Oct. 2011: 03D. Print.

Willman, Chris. “Southern Discomfort.” Entertainment Weekly 18 Apr. 2003: 38–41. Print.

Wilson-Taylor, James. "Evanescence, Hall Of Fame | Rock Sound Awards 2023." Rock Sound, rocksound.tv/news/evanescence-hall-of-fame-rock-sound-awards-2023. Accessed 17 Sept. 2024.