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.
Create your own visitor map!
If you like what you hear (or just plain like me) go get Compass at: http://cdbaby.com/cd/garyyerkins (download or CD) Also available at the iTunes Music Store. Search Yerkins... It'll be a personal first!
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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.
Hey Gary, hope all is well. Hope I didn't miss the chance to see a show of yours. Compass is still on heavy rotation at my place. It's an album that I never grow tired of, I keep discovering something new. And that's rare!
Great to run into you yesterday! Check out our latest in-house recording, "Crazy Chicago Nights", and some of our posted youtube live clips from the Double Door Dirtroom.
Really diggin' 'Compass'. 'Autumn Bay' is still my favorite song as yet, but I'm sure that'll change the more I play the cd. Nice job bro and well worth the wait.
Thanks for the comments! Things are definitely moving in the right direction for me!
Nice job on Compass! Especially liked, "You Got the Drop" and "Dog Island Skies". Reminded me of Petty and Lynne from the Full Moon Fever days, but you definitely made it all your own.
Also, could not help but like "Roulette", proving once again the power of GB. Loved the harmonies sung by the choir of Yerkins during the refrain!
So this will sound strange but I did the math...there was actually a 3-year stretch in the early 90's when I was at more Insiders shows than you. I think Johnny came in third.
I have one big hole in the stomach of my head that feels utterly FED every time I play this music. One gourmet morsel in every little note. Good lord that's chewy tasty satisfying music. Halleluia.
Listened to your disc today, without interruption. Wonderful. Strange at first to hear you singing over new changes and grooves, but I grew into it quick. You continue to rock like no other.
Thanks for the add. You probably don't remember me, but I'm a friend of Veronica D's from the Huey's days in the early 80's. Her and John were together at that time. Good to see you're still out there making the world a better place via the music! Blessings to you and yours, Jo
