Taters don't grow overnight. Neither those that grow in the ground, nor those that make up a band.

Richmond's Taters are Craig Evans and Brad Tucker. You can catch them tomorrow night at Poe's Pub and Saturday night at Ashland Coffee & Tea. The duo will be augmented by the considerable chops of pedal steel guitarist Diana Carr and drummer Greg Yates. A bevy of original tunes will mix with some well-chosen covers. As for the sound, close your eyes and you'll hear shades of Roy Orbison in Evans' vocals.

Musically, sometimes the band recalls Buck Owens and the Buckaroos, and sometimes there are hints of The Beatles.

"We're a fun band to be in and listen to," Evans said Monday from his home in Richmond, "People who see us for the first time often tell us that we're the most fun they've had seeing music live in years."

No other band in Richmond sounds like the Taters. Some ears hear country when they hear the band. Others hear rock, 1960's pop and alternative.

"We call it roots-pop. We're not alt-country and we're not alt-rock. We pull from Hank Williams and Marty Robbins and The Beatles and The Everly Brothers and Nick Lowe. Brad says "We're actually closer to alt-Disney."

Translated: The Taters are a fun band. Political statements do not arise in its music, and it is not out to change the world.

"Fans can bring their kids to see us," Evans said. "They can bring grandma. We pull from a lot of different influences, but we're not retro and we're not a covers band."

Instead, the Taters tattoo elements of its style on songs made famous by greats such as Orbison. Astute ears will hear shades of the shaded Orbison when the Taters sing "In Dreams," but there's always a twist.

"If we do a cover song," Evans said, "we give 'em a tater shape".

© Tom Netherland, Richmond Times-Dispatch

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