Yacht Rock II: The Yacht Strikes Back!
All Aboard!
It’s time to take another musical voyage back to the ‘70s and ‘80s.
On Friday (6/26), one of my favorite local cover bands, The Yachties, returned to play at our city’s Rock The Ridge America 250 festival. Me and several hundred of my neighbors enjoyed an evening of smooth Yacht Rock favorites and Disco classics.
Photo Credit: Anthony Woodard
Courtesy of Anthony Woodard
The Yachties trace back to Kansas City’s and Springfield's thriving live music scenes and are anchored by founding members of The M80s and Innuendo.
The M80s are a great band! They frequently perform at one of our band’s favorite haunts, Barley’s Kitchen + Tap.
“Originally known as Yachtly Groove, the band soon evolved into The Yachties, reflecting a bigger vision: a crew dedicated to smooth yacht rock grooves, glittering disco rhythms, and unforgettable live performances.” - The Yachties
Photo Credit: Anthony Woodard
Just admit it… these are great songs. Whether we call them Soft Rock, Adult Contemporary, or Yacht Rock, like fine wines, these songs get even better with age. Yacht Rock continues to grow in popularity; a mixture of discovery and re-discovery.
Photo Credit: Anthony Woodard
Courtesy of Anthony Woodard
Yacht Rock staples like Hall and Oates’ “Rich Girl,” Robbie Dupree’s “Steal Away,” and the most excellent, "What a Fool Believes" by The Doobie Brothers, still take me to a good place and bring back memories of my childhood. Arguably, only music has this ability to defy the restraints of space and time. All aboard!
I’m your captain…
Photo of me at the helm of “The Orange Crush” circa 1977.
Courtesy of Anthony Woodard