Biography

Born in Nashville and raised in a recording studio, multi-instrumentalist Yates McKendree grew up hearing and playing with many great musicians. Self taught from the age 3, music came to him naturally. Although just 21 years old, his experience as a professional musician goes back 10+ years. That early experience includes playing regularly in some of Nashville’s most notable venues (The Bluebird Cafe, The Ryman Auditorium, 3rd & Lindsley). It also includes North American and European tours and multiple appearances on national television (Imus In The Morning, CBS Mornings). During Yates’s high school years, he played on and engineered many recording projects; most notably for Delbert McClinton and John Hiatt, who told Rolling Stone Magazine, “Yates was our secret ingredient.” In January 2020, Yates earned a Grammy™ Award for his role as an engineer and a musician on Delbert McClinton’s “Tall Dark & Handsome.” Now the award winning McKendree is embarking on his solo career with an album dedicated to the music he loves the most, straight-up Traditional Blues. His debut LP “Buchanan Lane” on the Qualified Records label releases October 28, 2022. The album features both classic tunes and 4 original compositions Yates has co-written with stellar songwriter and multi-Grammy winner Gary Nicholson. Produced with his father, Kevin McKendree, “Buchanan Lane” highlights Yates’ skills, remarkable style and taste as a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist with an emphasis on guitar.