Dean Birkheimer of GO Venue Magazine says it all.
"Getting someone to successfully set the tone for a Brian Setzer show is no easy task, but Yates McKendree, along with his father, Grammy™ award winner Kevin McKendree on keys and Griffin Photoglo, son of Jim Photoglo of the 80s soft rock hit “Fool In Love with You”, on percussion did it with confidence and amazing musicianship.
If Setzer's style is Rockabilly, then McKendree is Bluesabilly. Yates definitely knows his way around the fretboard. Although only in his 20s, he has an old soul understanding of the blues and music in general. He is a multi-instrumentalist and a unique vocalist, and is as comfortable behind the scenes as he is behind the microphone, evident by his Grammy™ Award for his role as an engineer and a musician on Delbert McClinton’s “Tall Dark & Handsome.”
His authentic demeanor grew as he worked his way through his set, and the more he played, the more the crowd became captivated. It was obvious they did not expect this level of talent as an opener. When the set was over, the crowd responded with great admiration and awe. Yates McKendrees first LP, named after the street he grew up on, “Buchanan Lane”, was released in October 2022 to rave reviews and adoration. There are mass amounts of anticipation out there as Yates is currently working on his 2nd album." PHOTOS BY Dean Birkheimer
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