About Chris Yates
Christopher Ashley Yates was born on July 22, 1986 to his loving and supporting parents Sam and Tracie Yates. Even though growing up in the small rural town of Newburgh Indiana, southern roots and a country living lifestyle was all Chris was about. His father was the morning disc jockey on the local country radio stations for most of Chris's young life. And with his mother's side of the family coming from a strong southern upbringing, it's not a surprise the country music is close to his heart. Chris first found a passion for music when he played the trumpet in his 6th grade school band. But by the beginnings of Jr. High, the trumpet playing seemed to fade away. Around the age of 13, Chris traded his trumpet at a local music store for a Fender Acoustic Guitar. Having never played a guitar before, he wasn't sure if this was a good desision or not. But nevertheless, he made plans to receive lessons from friends once a week before school. Chris eventually got the hang of it and fell in love with playing the guitar. Throughout his teenage years, he regularly played in his local church youth band. He enjoyed playing so much that he and his two closest high school friends formed a small band that performed on Sunday nights and even out of town at a popular local youth summer camp. They even wrote a couple original Christian Rock songs together.
After High School, Chris decided to join the military. He enlisted in the United States Navy on October 31, 2005. His navel career landed him a duty station at NS Mayport in Jacksonville Florida. Living in a big city like Jacksonville was quite a "culture shock" for Chris at first, but as he got used to his big city life he was introduced to a vast new music scene life as well. Though his job kept him very busy most of the time, he would still find a way to keep learning and playing music of all kinds and genres. While on work out of town in Virginia Beach Virginia, he met a local country artists by the name of Sarah Gayle Taylor. Chris was so baffled and amassed to meet a local musician like Taylor, he would attend her local shows regularly and grew very interested in how the music life worked out for her. After returning to Jacksonville, Chris even attempted to write country music lyrics for Taylor. What started out as something to do for fun or to pass the time, would turn into a fire burning passion for Chris.
In 2008, Chris met a friend in the Navy named Michael Lynch. Lynch was from Sweeny Texas and also loved writing, singing and playing country music. He and Chris immediately became good friends. They became so close that they decided to play music together. Weather is was an open mic night at a local bar or playing for thousands of fellow troops while overseas, Yates and Lynch found an immediate bond. They even started to write country music together. They would spend hours with guitars and notebook paper in hand jotting down lyrics and fitting them with chords. Eventually in late 2009, it was time for the two country boys to part ways. They decided to each his own with the work they had done, and hopefully these songs will not go unheard.
While Chris was in the military in Jacksonville, his parents decided to moved down from Indiana to Brunswick Georgia to be closer to family. Naturally, when Chris left Flordia, he came to Georgia as well. With a new found dream in his back pocket, he began to regularly play at open mic nights at bars and cafes in the area. In the local night life scene, he met a club DJ named Jason Holmes. Jason had grown up in south Georgia all his life and had many years of gig playing under his belt. The two became very good friends and began the talk of starting a country band that played Chris's original music. By this time, Chris was 25 years old and had already written dozens of country music lyrics. They sat down and figured out which ones would be the best for them. Which ones sounded new and fun for people to listen to. Before they knew it, in the spring of 2012 they had a four piece band and were getting regular bookings at local bars. It didn't take long for the Chris Yates name to get a following. Only six months into the gigging lifestyle, the were packing out bars and venues all over south Georgia. Since then, Chris has made numerous local radio appearances and has played many charities, private parties, festivals and nationally known venues as well landing a local business sponsor. With their career on a high note, Chris Yates and his band will hopefully be on the rise as one of country music's hot new artists of 2013.
More info on Chris Yates can be found on his website www.reverbnation.com/chrisyatescountry
After High School, Chris decided to join the military. He enlisted in the United States Navy on October 31, 2005. His navel career landed him a duty station at NS Mayport in Jacksonville Florida. Living in a big city like Jacksonville was quite a "culture shock" for Chris at first, but as he got used to his big city life he was introduced to a vast new music scene life as well. Though his job kept him very busy most of the time, he would still find a way to keep learning and playing music of all kinds and genres. While on work out of town in Virginia Beach Virginia, he met a local country artists by the name of Sarah Gayle Taylor. Chris was so baffled and amassed to meet a local musician like Taylor, he would attend her local shows regularly and grew very interested in how the music life worked out for her. After returning to Jacksonville, Chris even attempted to write country music lyrics for Taylor. What started out as something to do for fun or to pass the time, would turn into a fire burning passion for Chris.
In 2008, Chris met a friend in the Navy named Michael Lynch. Lynch was from Sweeny Texas and also loved writing, singing and playing country music. He and Chris immediately became good friends. They became so close that they decided to play music together. Weather is was an open mic night at a local bar or playing for thousands of fellow troops while overseas, Yates and Lynch found an immediate bond. They even started to write country music together. They would spend hours with guitars and notebook paper in hand jotting down lyrics and fitting them with chords. Eventually in late 2009, it was time for the two country boys to part ways. They decided to each his own with the work they had done, and hopefully these songs will not go unheard.
While Chris was in the military in Jacksonville, his parents decided to moved down from Indiana to Brunswick Georgia to be closer to family. Naturally, when Chris left Flordia, he came to Georgia as well. With a new found dream in his back pocket, he began to regularly play at open mic nights at bars and cafes in the area. In the local night life scene, he met a club DJ named Jason Holmes. Jason had grown up in south Georgia all his life and had many years of gig playing under his belt. The two became very good friends and began the talk of starting a country band that played Chris's original music. By this time, Chris was 25 years old and had already written dozens of country music lyrics. They sat down and figured out which ones would be the best for them. Which ones sounded new and fun for people to listen to. Before they knew it, in the spring of 2012 they had a four piece band and were getting regular bookings at local bars. It didn't take long for the Chris Yates name to get a following. Only six months into the gigging lifestyle, the were packing out bars and venues all over south Georgia. Since then, Chris has made numerous local radio appearances and has played many charities, private parties, festivals and nationally known venues as well landing a local business sponsor. With their career on a high note, Chris Yates and his band will hopefully be on the rise as one of country music's hot new artists of 2013.
More info on Chris Yates can be found on his website www.reverbnation.com/chrisyatescountry