Jerry Yester
Encyclopedia
Jerry Yester is an American
folk rock
musician
, record producer
, and arranger
.
Growing up in Burbank
, California
, Yester formed a duo with brother Jim Yester, the Yester Brothers, and starting playing folk
clubs in Los Angeles in 1960. While Jim was in the army, Jerry joined first The New Christy Minstrels, and then, in 1963, the Modern Folk Quartet
. The MFQ issued two folk-pop albums in the next two years, and Yester also branched out into other recordings, playing piano on the Lovin' Spoonful
's "Do You Believe in Magic?" in 1965.
The MFQ split up in 1966, and Yester began work as a solo artist and as a producer, with his wife Judy Henske
, his brother Jim's band the Association
, the Turtles
, and Tim Buckley
, for whom he produced Goodbye and Hello
and Happy Sad
. The following year he joined the Lovin’ Spoonful, replacing Zal Yanovsky
, for whom he also later worked as producer, but soon afterwards the Spoonful split up for some years. In 1969, Henske, Yester and Yanovsky put together the cult album Farewell Aldebaran
, on which Yester played nearly a dozen different instruments. The following year Yester and Henske formed a new band, Rosebud
, but the band dissolved in 1971, the couple then divorced.
Yester continued to work as a producer and arranger on albums by Pat Boone
, Aztec Two Step, and Tom Waits
, and in the 1970s also performed with the Association and the re-formed Modern Folk Quartet. In the mid 1980s he moved to Hawaii and formed a dance band. In 1991 both Yester brothers joined a re-formed version of the Lovin’ Spoonful, with whom Yester continues to tour. He now resides in the area of Harrison, Arkansas
, still playing as a solo artist at local areas of the town including Uncommon Grounds.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, and arranger
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
.
Growing up in Burbank
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Yester formed a duo with brother Jim Yester, the Yester Brothers, and starting playing folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
clubs in Los Angeles in 1960. While Jim was in the army, Jerry joined first The New Christy Minstrels, and then, in 1963, the Modern Folk Quartet
Modern Folk Quartet
The Modern Folk Quartet recorded two albums of folk revival music in the early 1960s, with an emphasis on group harmonies, and have subsequently re-formed more than once and made further recordings....
. The MFQ issued two folk-pop albums in the next two years, and Yester also branched out into other recordings, playing piano on the Lovin' Spoonful
The Lovin' Spoonful
The Lovin' Spoonful is an American pop rock band of the 1960s, named to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. When asked about his band, leader John Sebastian said it sounded like a combination of "Mississippi John Hurt and Chuck Berry," prompting his friend, Fritz Richmond, to suggest the name...
's "Do You Believe in Magic?" in 1965.
The MFQ split up in 1966, and Yester began work as a solo artist and as a producer, with his wife Judy Henske
Judy Henske
Judy Henske is an American singer and songwriter, once known as "the Queen of the Beatniks".-Life and recording career:...
, his brother Jim's band the Association
The Association
The Association is a pop music band from California in the folk rock or soft rock genre. During the 1960s, they had numerous hits at or near the top of the Billboard charts and were the lead-off band at 1967's Monterey Pop Festival...
, the Turtles
The Turtles
The Turtles are an American rock group led by vocalists Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman. The band became notable for several Top 40 hits beginning with its cover version of Bob Dylan's "It Ain't Me Babe" in 1965...
, and Tim Buckley
Tim Buckley
Timothy Charles Buckley III was an American vocalist, and musician. His music and style changed considerably through the years; his first album was mostly folk oriented, but over time his music incorporated jazz, psychedelia, funk, soul, avant-garde and an evolving "voice as instrument," sound...
, for whom he produced Goodbye and Hello
Goodbye and Hello
Goodbye and Hello is the second album by Tim Buckley, released in 1967. It was recorded in Los Angeles, California in June 1967.The album was later re-released on January 22, 2001 in a compilation with debut album Tim Buckley by WEA/Elektra....
and Happy Sad
Happy Sad
Happy Sad is the third album by singer-songwriter Tim Buckley, released in 1969. It was recorded at Elektra Sound Recorders in Los Angeles, California. It marked the beginning of Buckley's experimental period, as it incorporated elements of jazz that he had never used before. Many of the songs...
. The following year he joined the Lovin’ Spoonful, replacing Zal Yanovsky
Zal Yanovsky
Zalman "Zal" Yanovsky was a Canadian rock musician. Born in Toronto, he was the son of political cartoonist Avrom Yanovsky. He played lead guitar and sang for the Lovin' Spoonful, a rock band which he founded with John Sebastian in 1964...
, for whom he also later worked as producer, but soon afterwards the Spoonful split up for some years. In 1969, Henske, Yester and Yanovsky put together the cult album Farewell Aldebaran
Farewell Aldebaran
Farewell Aldebaran by Judy Henske and Jerry Yester is an album issued in 1969 on Frank Zappa's innovative Straight record label. It contains a wild mixture of styles, as though recorded by ten different bands, all featuring Henske's almost gothic lyrics and remarkable vocal range, which might lead...
, on which Yester played nearly a dozen different instruments. The following year Yester and Henske formed a new band, Rosebud
Rosebud (band)
Rosebud was the name of an American popular music group which released a single, eponymous album in 1971.Its members were Judy Henske, Jerry Yester, Craig Doerge, John Seiter, and David Vaught. The album was a follow-up to the Henske-Yester collaboration, Farewell Aldebaran...
, but the band dissolved in 1971, the couple then divorced.
Yester continued to work as a producer and arranger on albums by Pat Boone
Pat Boone
Charles Eugene "Pat" Boone is an American singer, actor and writer who has been a successful pop singer in the United States during the 1950s and early 1960s. He covered black artists' songs and sold more copies than his black counterparts...
, Aztec Two Step, and Tom Waits
Tom Waits
Thomas Alan "Tom" Waits is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."...
, and in the 1970s also performed with the Association and the re-formed Modern Folk Quartet. In the mid 1980s he moved to Hawaii and formed a dance band. In 1991 both Yester brothers joined a re-formed version of the Lovin’ Spoonful, with whom Yester continues to tour. He now resides in the area of Harrison, Arkansas
Harrison, Arkansas
Harrison is a city in Boone County, Arkansas, United States. It is the county seat. According to 2007 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city was 13,108. Boone County was organized in 1869, during reconstruction after the civil war. Harrison was platted and made the county seat. It is...
, still playing as a solo artist at local areas of the town including Uncommon Grounds.