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I began my journey into music at birth! Born into a family with roots in Virginia and Kentucky the love of music was instilled from the beginning. My instrument is and has always been the violin/fiddle. I have also performed with the mandolin and guitar. My career started with my Uncles' group, Kiester Duty and The Wonderland Grass(playing fiddle/mandolin) until I left a year later to work with the Flatts(fiddle)-cousins of Lester- for two years. I worked with the Stroh Brewery Sponsonered Roy McGinnis and The Sunnysiders for three years(fiddle/mandolin). It was during this time-shortly after High School-I had the pleasure and the honor to perform at such venues as Carnegie Hall and The Lincoln Center in New York City. I also had the great pleasure to perform at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C.. In 1987 I went to work for Wendy Smith and Blue Velvet(fiddle). It was then we played on the World Famous Grand Ole Opry at Bill Monroes' Early Bird show in October in 1987. Wendy being known for many great Bluegrass songs such as Underground River and Caroline The Teenage Queen. I had the opportunity to travel the country with some of the best musicians of the time: Brad Campbell-worked with Doyle Lawson, and Joe Clark-working with Honi Deaton and the Dream and has worked with Larry Sparks, Melvin Goins, Fisher and Company, etc. In 2002 I became the fiddle player of Morning Harvest. The group consisted of three of the best Bluegrass Musicians to ever come out of the State of Michigan. Mike Adams on Mandoiln and Vocals, John Coffey on Guitar and Vocals and "Mr. Velvet Throat" Steve Daniels on Banjo and Vocals. That same year Morning Harvest parted ways, I went to work with Mike Adams as a mandolinist, in the Mike Adams Band. I had the honor of recording with the fiddle and mandolin on Mike's self titled CD Project...Mike Adams, which was released in 2004 on Sound Ridge Recordings. I have had the fortune of having several songs I have written recorded by Petticoat Junction, Blue Velvet, Morning Harvest and Mike Adams. I continue to write and work in the studio and on the road-in the air- with many of the local talents in the Detroit area and around the country,performing around the globe. I am also a proud member of BMI and ASCAP and appreciate all that they do for songwriters and musicians world wide. Some of you may know me from the Charlotte and Milan Bluegrass Festivals here in Michigan. My uncle, Jerry Yates, used to be partners in the festival until 2004. I was in charge of handling whatever problem may araise in the campground area and most of the time tried my best to answer your questions. This year, Jerry is the new promoter of the Leslie Bluegrass Festival in Leslie,MI. If you have no plans for next August and are interested in attending a great festival, come and see us! You can learn more at www.jerryyatesbluegrass.com I enjoy teaching fiddle and the history of Bluegrass/Americana/Folk arts in schools and giving back to the Troy (MI) School District which gave me the tools and direction to reach the point where I am today. Learning to read music and understand it's fundimental techniques are-of course-a must for any musician. I try to instill music does not always come from the notes that are layed out in front of them , but from the heart. I also teach privately and still take students in the my area. If the Lord willin' and the creek don't rise...I'll see you all down the road sometime.

Those who put forth the effert to continually create and make the music grow. No matter if it's traditional or progressive.

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Books,racing,fishing and writing.