Tom Yates (guitar, bass,etc.) was born in Houston, Texas and now makes his home in Stow, MA. After briefly studying guitar and piano for about two weeks at the Berklee College of Music he dropped out to play top 40 music and make the big bucks.He played on numerous Boston-area recording sessions, including projects with Ric Ocasek, Ben Orr and Greg Hawkes (THE CARS), Warren Leslie, Sam Houston Andrews (Big Brother And The Holding Company), and many others. After touring with the ESTES BOYS in the '70's, Tom played with FAIR, YATES AND BETSCHART, a trio performing an eclectic mix of pop, folk and art rock music to standing-room only crowds.
He hosts a blues jam at the Acton Jazz Café on the first Thursday night each month. He is also the lead guitarist with BJ Magoon's band Drivin' Sideways.
Recently he has been performing with saxophonist Charles Neville of the legendary Neville Brothers Band and New Orleans vocalist Henri Smith in a great New Orleans flavored funk group.
Tom was the lead guitarist and vocalist with the Paisley Project, a 60's & 70's pop, psychedelic rock, and Motown band. In his collection of over 25 vintage and custom guitars Tom selects a '63 Strat and a '68 Les PaulCustom as his favorites. Tom gets inspiration from the work of Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, Danny Gatton, Lenny Breau, Johnny Winter, Buckethead, Eric Clapton, David Lyndley, Les Paul, Peter Green, and Chet Atkins.
Over the years Tom has been privileged to perform and/or record with many fine musicians including Ray Davies, Ronnie Earl, David Maxwell, Dick Curless, Tina Welch, Allen Estes, Greg Hawkes, Ric Otcasek, Elliot Easton, Ben Orr, Jerry Jeff Walker, Bruce Marshall, Shelley Laine, Bruce Katz, BJ Magoon, Mike Avery, Charles Neville, Linda Chase, David Lavalley,Tim Leavitt, The Paisley Project, Johanathan Edwards, Martin Mull,Nola Rose and The Thorns, Tennie Komar, John Lincoln Wright, Inky Fair, Doug Betschart, Leo Egan, and Angela West.
He is currently playing with the Cliff Henricksen Band- check it out.
The video above is of Tom's winning performance at The Northeast King of the Blues competition at the Guitar Center In Natick MA.embed allowScriptAccess="never" src="http://lads.myspace.com/slides/slideshow_random.swf?u=1
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