Erik Yates

Erik spent his Bay Area youth trying nearly every instrument and style he came across. Piano lessons, saxophone quartets, garage bands and folk songs had all weaseled their way into his life by the time he hit high school. College in Portland, OR, where he studied music and writing, brought new musical horizons, new conspirators (including classmate Nat Keefe) and a new project, Hot Buttered Rum, which would soon take over his life.

After enough time in the non-profit and teaching worlds to know that playing music was the world’s only sensible job, Erik hit the road with HBR to change the world “one bar at a time.” The group has become a platform for all his various trades, musical and otherwise. It pushes his banjo and guitar picking and his songwriting, which he now combines with his knack for wind instruments (flute and saxophones) to give HBR its unique musical palate. Erik has appeared with songwriters Peter Rowan, Tim and Nikki Bluhm, and banjoist Bill Evans (also his teacher). When not on the road with HBR, Erik can be found playing around Colorado and touring in support of his first solo album, Give it Time, out this year on Floating Records.