Appearing on my new record are Pete Droge, Elaine Summers, Rob Brill, Dave Hull, Grant Tye, Ben Smith, Andy Stoller, Cathy Richardson and Art Hoyle.
Past partners and guests have included Jay O'Rourke, John Siegle, Ed Breckenfeld, Jim DeMonte, John Rice, Fran Kondorf, Melissa Ziemer, Anne Harris, Pat Brennan, Buddha Slim, Nick Tremulis, Nicky Hopkins and Bobby Keys.
Influences
I like a lot of artists and tend to gravitate to the singer/songwriter types. Dylan, Petty, the Beatles and Stones of course. Lucinda Williams, Little Feat, Joan Osborne, Steve Earle, Nick Lowe, Johnny Cash, George Jones and Tammy Wynette, Los Lobos, Paul Westerburg, Aimee Mann, Al Green, Buddy and Julie Miller, Cracker, Miles Davis, John Fogerty, Curtis Mayfield, Mark Knoppfler, Loudon Wainright III, Elliot Smith, Emmylou Harris, Faces, Garbage, Gram Parsons, Howling Wolf, Muddy Waters, Marvin Gaye, John Lennon, John Prine, Otis Rush, Joni Mitchell, Ray Davies, Midnight Oil, Neil Young, Urge Overkill and Nash Kato solo, Fiona Apple, All that Stax and Atlantic Soul...Otis Redding et al, Patty Smith, Robbie Fulks, Pete Droge, P.J. Harvey, Chrissy Hynde, Randy Newman, Ry Cooder, Staple Singers (Mavis!), Sonny Landreth, Stevie Wonder, Taj Mahal, Motown, Vaghan Brothers, Warren Zevon...
Sounds Like
Well I suppose you have to sound like somebody whether your try to or not. Left to others, I've been told I sound like Tom Petty, Jackson Browne, John Hyatt, Steve Earle, Elvis Costello, Graham Parker and a few others. This is good, since I like all these artists. At least I don't sound like... well let's not get into that.
My new record sounds very different from my former band work. I find myself following a more intimate path with these songs and performances. Looking for power and intensity without a lot of banging and a bunch of notes. Heat without the flash would be a good description.
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If you like what you hear (or just plain like me) go get Compass at: CDBaby http://cdbaby.com/cd/garyyerkins (download or CD) Also available at the iTunes Music Store.http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=279068275
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For the GY uninitiated, I've played in a couple of Chicago based bands over the last 20 or so years. The Insiders did the major label cha cha (Epic) and continued to be proudly productive long after we went indy.
After that shut down, I formed a loosely Country/Roots band with a couple other Insiders and a few friends and collaborators from other Chicago bands. Dubbed the Juleps by our pal Nash Kato and although a temporary side project, the band made 2 CDs and a fair amount of good quality but still unreleased demo sessions. Lots of fun.
Recently I've finally settled into working on what turned out to be a long-procrastinated solo project. I've always meant to do a straight-up singer/songwriter thing and it's been great to finally get around to it. After writing some promising initial stuff, I decided I wanted to work with a producer who could meet three basic criteria: Great, new to me and... out of town.
I contacted Pete Droge, whose writing and production I liked a lot and matched the direction I was hearing, and the rest has all pretty much fallen into place.
Pete is a formidable artist; great producer/engineer, singer, guitar player, atmosphere assembler and all around good egg. It's been a great collaboration and I'm really glad to have it done and out there. So buy one and tell a friend... then we'll make more.
Great music! Thanks for your friendship, and welcome aboard the Redline ship. Looking forward to sharing the journey ahead with you. Take Care, and thanks again. Peace,
Ahhh...good to be back in Chicago. Some bad boogie at O'hare. Penguin stuck in the propeller. It was an old plane. It won't be an old penguin. As Tom Watson once said at the British Open, "I can't believe people live in this shit!" I
Thanks for the add, Gary! Met you another lifetime ago in a long forgotten watering hole here in Chicago. You gave me sage advice, sir! Last week I met Jay O'Rourke at Park West and seeds were planted...!
