Two Poor Boys

Joe Evans and Arthur McClain, aka the Two Poor Boys, hailed from eastern Tennessee, a region of the state that, unlike Memphis and the surrounding area, is geographically and culturally part of Appalachia. What is debatable is the racial identity of Evans and McClain. Although some writers are convinced that they were black, others feel just as strongly about them being white. The fact that the Two Poor Boys could convincingly play blues, ballads, and hillbilly material as well as being proficient on several instruments does not make such a determination any easier.