Sibling duos have been a staple throughout folk, country, and pop history, but there haven't been many identical twin acts. That's where Evan and Jaron Lowenstein, two Atlanta-based brothers with a knack for melodic pop songs, struck gold at the turn of the 21st century. Performing under the name Evan & Jaron, they scored a hit in 2000 with "Crazy for This Girl" and followed its success with several lesser singles. Although they eventually dropped the band in order to focus on fatherhood, Jaron Lowenstein returned to music in 2009 as a country singer.
Born and raised in Georgia, Evan & Jaron were both given Discmans for their bar mitzvah. Shortly afterward, the boys became immersed in music, particularly melodic folk-pop in the vein of Simon & Garfunkel. During their college years, they began performing in local clubs and earned a devoted local fan base through their regular performances at KaLo's Coffee House. Their independent 1995 album, Live at KaLo's Coffee House, became a regional hit and helped build a buzz around the group. In 1997, they signed with Island Records.
The boys' major-label debut, We've Never Heard of You Either, was released to little fanfare in the spring of 1998, but it was their self-titled sophomore album -- which also marked their first release for Columbia -- that officially opened the floodgates in 2000. For a brief time, Evan & Jaron enjoyed heavy airplay as "Crazy for This Girl" became a Top 20 hit, although the brothers' strict adherence to the Orthodox Jewish faith prevented them from playing shows on the weekends. Touring ceased altogether when Evan announced his decision to raise a family, and the group released an EP in 2004 before throwing in the towel. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine & Andrew Leahey, Rovi
