Kendall Yeaton
Beautifully Simple
Homepage: http://www.myspace.com/kyeaton
Feature By: Michael Norton
“If you start writing a song, you should never walk away from it.”
What struck me first about Kendall Yeaton is his modesty – talking with
the 19 year old Columbus native wouldn’t lead you to believe that you
were having a conversation with a locally popular and experienced
musician.
First impressions notwithstanding, Kendall has been
performing since the age of 14, travelling with various bands around
Indiana and developing has own unique sound. Kendall’s songs are
authentic and heartfelt, having an everyday feel with just a touch of
rural familiarity. Growing up in Ogilville, says Yeaton, helped him
develop an ability to “write about things that people come into contact
with in everyday life.” Indeed, his everyman songwriting perspective
seems to hold faint echoes of fellow Hoosier John Mellencamp despite
definite stylistic differences. Yeaton also cites another local band,
Seymour product The Elms, as a musical inspiration.
Kendall’s
first CD, “Beautifully Simple” (released in 2008), is an exploration of
life, love, and belief. My own favorite track was the autobiographical
“Indiana Dream”, in which Kendall talks about his own experiences
travelling and playing across Indiana. The CD is a solid outing for an
independent artist, but to really appreciate Kendall’s music, I highly
recommend that you catch one of his concerts – His passionate vocals
have a youthful, distinctly wistful quality that convey well his
stories. His performance and unassuming stage presence remind me of
James Taylor.
Among Columbus’ rich crop of emerging artists, Kendall
Yeaton is one to keep watching and listening to; who knows where his
music will take him?