Guest Room Sessions: Shelly Waters, ‘Evangeline’
October's Guest Room Sessions begin with Louisiana-born singer-songwriter Shelly Waters performing her song “Evangeline," in a South Carolina park. Readers can press play above to watch the acoustic al fresco performance.
According to Waters, the inspiration for “Evangeline” runs deep -- all the way back to her home state.
“There's a majestic oak in Evangeline Oak Park in my home state of Louisiana that was named for the heroine in the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem "Evangeline, A Tale of Acadie,"” she tells The Boot. “The poem tells the story of a young couple, Evangeline and Gabriel, who were separated during the exile of my Acadian ancestors from Nova Scotia.”
To film her Guest Room Sessions clip, Waters chose another park: White Point Gardens in Charleston, S.C. She stopped to film while en route to her new home of Portland, Maine, and is joined by renowned Lowcountry musicians Wes Powers on cajon and guitarist Dale Baker.
"I chose this location for this performance not only because it reminds me of that park in Louisiana but also because the timing was amidst my move," Waters notes. "The video will be a perfect souvenir from the historical city."
“Evangeline” appears on Shelly Waters’ latest self-titled album, released in July.
More From TheBoot
![18 Years Ago: Jo Dee Messina Runs the Boston Marathon](http://townsquare.media/site/623/files/2015/04/jo-dee-messina-boston-marathon.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![14 Years Ago: Alan Jackson Receives Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame](http://townsquare.media/site/623/files/2015/04/alan-jackson-hollywood-walk-of-fame-star.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![35 Years Ago: Dolly Parton Serves as Host and Musical Guest on ‘SNL’](http://townsquare.media/site/623/files/2015/04/dolly-parton-saturday-night-live.png?w=980&q=75)
![53 Years Ago: John Denver’s ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’ Is Released](http://townsquare.media/site/623/files/2015/11/john-denver-birthday1.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![35 Years Ago: Garth Brooks Releases His Debut Album](http://townsquare.media/site/623/files/2017/04/garth-brooks-debut-album.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![32 Years Ago: Wynonna Judd Hits No. 1 With Debut Solo Single](http://townsquare.media/site/623/files/2017/04/wynonna-judd-she-is-his-only-need-no-1.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![29 Years Ago: George Strait Records ‘Check Yes or No’ and ‘I Know She Still Loves Me’](http://townsquare.media/site/623/files/2017/04/George-Strait.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![33 Years Ago: Patty Loveless Earns First Gold Album With ‘Honky Tonk Angel’](http://townsquare.media/site/623/files/2015/04/patty-loveless-honky-tonk-angel.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![55 Years Ago: Bob Dylan Releases ‘Nashville Skyline’](http://townsquare.media/site/623/files/2019/04/dylan-nashvill.jpg?w=980&q=75)