brad yoder - ProfilesArchive

About Me

Brad Yoder believes musical success should be measured in more than just the obvious ways. Being voted "Best Acoustic/Solo Artist" by readers in four of the past five Pittsburgh City Paper polls (2003, 2004, 2006 & 2007) is great, as are unexpected nominations for "Best Musical Performance" (2004) and "Best Small Venue Performer" (2003) by the readers of Campus Activity Magazine. However, playing Poughkeepsie, New York and having a college freshman from Los Angeles request songs she's only heard via internet downloads is actually cooler. It's exciting to have songs featured on CBS's show "NUMB3RS", NPR's "Car Talk", and in the Pittsburgh History Museum's 9/11 exhibit; more tangible, though, is various original art on Brad's walls created by supporters and inspired by specific songs, and four "gig guest books" full of appreciative comments from over six years of live shows. Logging around 150 performances each year, in venues ranging from colleges, clubs, and cafes to church basements and the zoo, Brad has earned the title of "ruling the Pittsburgh coffeehouse scene" (Pittsburgh Magazine.) As a solo performer, Brad has showcased at Toronto's North by Northeast Music Conference, performed at the Pittsburgh Folk, and Philadelphia Fringe Festivals, and opened for artists such as the Cowboy Junkies, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Todd Snider, the Nields, Ellis Paul, & Tegan & Sara, plus played the 2nd stage for David Gray, Peter Paul & Mary, and Steve Earle/Jackson Browne. What matters more, however, is having a fan base that ranges in age from 3 to almost 80, sings along with unrecorded songs at live shows, and generally seems to show up when they're most needed. Brad's total CD sales are now over 5,000, and he's eager to add to that total with sales of his new record, "Someday or Never," released in November 2006.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 11/15/2004
Band Website: bradyoder.com
Band Members: brad yoder (voice, guitar), Jason Rafalak (upright/fretless bass); sometimes: Corey Congilio (el. guitar), Randall Venturini (el. bass), any of a number of very nice drummers...

Influences: John Prine, Bruce Cockburn, the Replacements, REM, early U2, Joni Mitchell, Victoria Williams, Ani, Django Haskins, Elliott Smith, Nenah Cherry, Mark Eitzel, Dylan...
Sounds Like: Bruce Cockburn, Paul Westerberg, Barenaked Ladies, Freedy Johnston, Michael Stipe, Elliott Smith, Josh Joplin...
Record Label: RÃªverie Records
Type of Label: None

My Blog

new song lyric:

On my usual one song/month clip, this is October, and here's song 10 for 2007:1. something good could come your way,(but) would you miss it in the middle of your day?*1something free, you didn't pay f...
Posted by brad yoder on Sun, 14 Oct 2007 10:53:00 PST

too sad for words (but we write them anyway...)

Last Thursday (5/17), my friend Lee Eshleman took his own life.Lee was a beautiful human being, incredibly gifted (in visual arts, drama and writing), stunningly hilarious, and someone who never...
Posted by brad yoder on Thu, 24 May 2007 06:00:00 PST

1st new song of '07:

So, I've been in a bit of a slump on the new song front. I typically finish something new about once a month, but like last year, I wrote nothing new in January of aught-seven. Now it's Fe...
Posted by brad yoder on Tue, 20 Feb 2007 11:00:00 PST

brand new yoder CD, amigos y amigas!!...

okay, somewhat miraculously, my new CD is finally done, and it both:--sounds pretty darn great... and --looks so cool, that a couple people have bought it just because of the packaging. (...
Posted by brad yoder on Sun, 19 Nov 2006 09:47:00 PST

"Great Ghoul nails!"

me at coffeeshop: "I'm here to drop off a t-shirt--the owner bought one the last time i played here, but he needs a bigger size."barista-guy: "hey, great ghoul-nails, dude!"me: "oh, ...
Posted by brad yoder on Thu, 02 Nov 2006 09:44:00 PST

New Song lyric:

So, I drove 2.5 hours to Canton, OH last night, mostly to play for Samantha, Katie, 2 friends of Samantha's who stayed for set #1, and the nice barristas behind the counter. Big thanks to Sam an...
Posted by brad yoder on Mon, 02 Oct 2006 09:00:00 PST

Excellent Trouble

So, I got a friend request from a nice person in IL. I'm not sure if she knows my music from somewhere, or just found it on MySpace. (UPDATE: she was a camper in 1997, while I was a ...
Posted by brad yoder on Sat, 03 Jun 2006 12:13:00 PST

"local band"--new song lyric

hi...I just finished a new song, which I'm liking a lot. Here's the lyric:1. oh, the local band, they had a special sound,they used to pick me up when I was feeling down,now it makes me sad, I'll neve...
Posted by brad yoder on Thu, 06 Apr 2006 06:51:00 PST

the record is all mixed!..

Monday a week ago, I was in North Carolina, working w/ Mitch Easter (REM, Squirrel Nut Zippers, etc.), and I finally got a mix of "Immortal" that I'm happy with (thanks, Mitch!) It's t...
Posted by brad yoder on Sat, 01 Apr 2006 07:01:00 PST

song on TV tonight?? (got cable?)

hey--supposedly, my song "1 hit wonder" will be used in tonight's (Mon., March 27th, 9pm) episode of "Beautiful People," a show on the ABC Family Channel (what the heck is that?)I don't have cable, so...
Posted by brad yoder on Mon, 27 Mar 2006 12:05:00 PST