An evening of satirical shenaniganery featuring a bevy of badass Colorado women musicians performing original snarked-up versions of your favorite Dylan songs to benefit breast cancer patients and their families.
A holiday centered on love can be laborious to get through when your heart is broken or hurting, so here’s some real-talk to balance out the romance:
I wrote “Happy Ever After” as a reminder that life is full of surprises, and that people are complex, ever-changing creatures – sometimes the ones we think we know best reveal themselves to be strangers when we least expect it. Because life is also steeped in irony, a few weeks after recording this song, I realized I had written myself less of a gentle reminder and more of an agonizing told-you-so. I’m releasing it into the world on Valentine’s Day because for the first time in a decade, this day is a painful one for me, and in my experience there are few better ways to feel pain than through sharing the art that grows from it.
Many thanks to producers Dango Rose and Evan Reeves for inviting me into the Elephant Collective, to musicians Darren Garvey (percussion, guitar) and MeKenzie Solidago (cello, vocals) for lending their talents to the track, to Dan Rodriguez for the lines that helped me tie the room together, and to all of you for your consistent support of my music and heart. Community is everything in this crazy world, and I’m endlessly grateful for you.
Credits:
Words/Music/Video by Emily Yates
Produced by Dango Rose and Evan Reeves (Rose-Reeves Productions) in association with Elephant Collective
Engineered by Evan Reeves
Mixed by Patrick Tracy
Additional mixing by Max Nordby
Recorded at Elephant Collective Studios, Boulder, CO
Musicians:
Emily Yates – Vocals, Ukulele
Darren Garvey – Percussion, Guitar
Mekenzie Solidago – Cello, Vocals
Erik Yates – Flute
October 4 at the Mercury Cafe, what a night to remember – we raised funds for our friend with a night of Bob Dylan parodies and boobs flying everywhere!
This show spent four years in the dreaming phase and several months in the planning/doing phase and I still can’t believe it actually happened. My heart is full of love and gratitude for all these wonderful women performers and everyone who filled the seats to make this night so beautiful and unforgettable – to include the wonderful Amanda Mauree who took these gorgeous photos.
Thank you thank you thank you all. I already can’t wait till the next time!
Embed for Youíre the Enemy
A few months ago I wrote and recorded “You’re The Enemy,” a song about Military Sexual Trauma (MST), for the non-profit Warrior Songs‘ new compilation album Women At War. The album will be released in a couple months but in light of current events, we have decided to pre-release my song digitally now. You can stream it above and/or download with a pay-what-you-want option:
This song is dedicated to all survivors of MST, especially those whose attackers have not had consequences.
Produced by Enion Pelta-Tiller & Emily Yates
Engineered by Andrew Gragg Lunsford at Mountain Star Studios – Black Hawk, CO on 04/19/2018
Baritone Ukulele & Lead Vocals : Emily Yates
Violin & Backing Vocals: Enion Pelta-Tiller
Upright Bass & Backing Vocals: Julie Gussaroff
Drums: Michelle Pietrafitta
Backing Vocals: Jenny Boykin Roe
I didn’t report being sexually assaulted in the military because I knew the investigation, if one even happened, would be even more demoralizing than being assaulted by people I knew.
I believe Dr. Christine Blasey Ford because there is no way in hell you can convince me a person would subject themselves to death threats AND the demeaning process of being questioned about past trauma by ridiculously-powerful frat boys unless they were either telling the truth or on a masochistic search for truly cruel and unusual punishment.
I believe survivors. I want justice for survivors. I am a survivor.
Announcing … an evening of satirical shenaniganery, featuring a bevy of badass Colorado women musicians performing naughty, snarked-up versions of your favorite Dylan songs!
I haven’t been playing a ton of shows recently while I’ve been working on writing a book, but Jamie DeWolf gave me a microphone at Tourettes Without Regrets in Oakland last month and today I discovered there’s video evidence! Here’s my little lighthearted, dark-humored ukulele tune, “Don’t Know Much About Star Wars” that both is and is not about Star Wars, including a new verse I wrote for the occasion. (Thanks to Kenny Hoff for the vid!)
