Jerry Yester
b. Joshua Tree, California, USA. A producer, songwriter and performer, Yester first gained attention as a member of the Easy Riders. From there he joined a folk ensemble, the Inn Group, which was absorbed, wholly, into the original New Christy Minstrels. Objecting to their commercial approach, the singer left the group to found the Modern Folk Quartet. Initially a traditional act, the MFQ later embraced electricity to become a fully-fledged folk-rock attraction. Yester also produced material for the Association, a harmony group which featured his brother, Jim. Yester played guitar on Bob Lind's international hit, Elusive Butterfly (1966). The artist then began a solo career with two imaginative singles, before joining the Lovin' Spoonful in 1967, in place of guitarist Zalman Yanovsky. Paradoxically, the two musicians remained close friends and together produced Tim Buckley's HAPPY SAD and Yanovsky's ALIVE AND WELL IN ARGENTINA. Yester then formed a duo with his wife, Judy Henske, the result of which was the atmospheric collection, FAREWELL ALDERBARAN. This in turn inspired their short-lived rock group, Rosebud, since when Yester has preferred production work, most notably with Tom Waits. However this talented individual has more recently resumed performing with a reformed MFQ.