The Salamanca High School yearbook from 1931 states: "His original themes and brilliant oral talks are the despair of his classmates.

[10][11][12][13] "Buttons and Bows" (1947) was their next multi-million seller, written for the movie The Paleface, with four artists reaching the top ten in 1948.

It was a chart hit for seven popular and two country artists in 1950, sold a million for Nat King Cole, and won the pair another Best Song Oscar.

Evans also collaborated separately with Michael Feinstein, Henry Mancini, Max Steiner, and Victor Young.

The song "Dear Heart" from the 1964 film of the same name was written by Livingston and Evans with Henry Mancini; it was nominated for an Oscar and for the Song of the Year Grammy Award, and was recorded multiple times, charting for Andy Williams, Jack Jones, and Henry Mancini.

He died at age 92 in Los Angeles, California, on the 42nd anniversary of the death of Nat King Cole, who had made "Mona Lisa" so famous.

[21] His legacy is maintained and developed by the Ray and Wyn Ritchie Evans Foundation in Culver City, California.