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Yacht Rock Radio Presents

Christopher cross, thursday, june 27, 2024 at the robins theatre in warren, oh.

Thursday, July 18, 2024 at The Robins Theatre in Warren, OH

Yacht Rock Radio is available for your terrestrial radio station. This 2 hour weekly show is perfect for Classic Hits, Light Rock, Soft Rock, Oldies, and Variety radio. Contact Yacht Rock Radio program director Captain Adam at [email protected] for more details.

Welcome to Yacht Rock Radio

Climb aboard with your Captain’s Hat and Cold Beverage and get ready to cruise thru the cool sounds of the late 70’s and early 80’s that will make you yearn for that Southern California sound that made the marina rock.

Our Captain

Yacht Rock Radio is captained by Adam Ritz. Adam is a 25 year veteran of radio and tv, and a 40 year fan of what we know now as Yacht Rock! The first song he ever played on Yacht Rock Radio was Baker Street by Gerry Rafferty. These songs, “take me back to a nostalgia that makes me smile remembering the easy life from 1976 to 1983.’ Adam also hosts The Adam Ritz Show, a nationally syndicated Public Affairs radio show, with recent episodes at The Adam Ritz Show .

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First Listen: SiriusXM’s Yacht Soul

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Each year SiriusXM’s Yacht Rock Radio reignites some ongoing, mostly playful skirmishes among radio people and music fans. Is “Yacht Rock” what the term’s creators define it as — ’70s/early-’80s soft rock with some element of R&B/jazz/disco fusion? Is it what SXM plays — a wider version of soft pop from the late ’70s/early ’80s? Why are we canonizing this music from pop music’s doldrums in the first place?

But if you’re eager to play along with that discussion, SXM has just launched Yacht Soul, as a pop-up format currently appearing on SiriusXM’s channel 105 through July 8, after which time it will remain available on the SXM app. The channel is hosted by George Benson, whose reminiscences about songs and artists are interspersed several times an hour.

The new channel is a reminder of R&B’s place at the center of yacht rock. However much weight you want to put on them at a fraught time for pop music, I’d rather hear Benson’s “Give Me the Night” or “Turn Your Love Around” than a lot of other hits from the same period. In turn, Benson, Quincy Jones, Al Jarreau, and George Duke & Stanley Clarke were chief among the artists who were able to cross over during the worst moments of the “disco backlash” that kept other great things happening in R&B away from pop radio in 1980-82.

Like SXM’s Yacht Rock Radio, Yacht Soul is a broad mix of mellow R&B from the same era. The hook promos include some things that seem defining (Dennis Edwards’ “Don’t Look Any Further,” Bobby Caldwell’s “What You Won’t Do for Love,” Chaka Khan’s “Through the Fire”) and others that feel less likely (Evelyn King’s “Love Come Down,” Diana Ross’ “Love Hangover,” Natalie Cole’s “Sophisticated Lady”). Chances are you just disagreed with at least one of my characterizations. Such is the discussion.

Here’s Yacht Soul at 9:30 a.m. on July 3:

• Fourplay, “101 Eastbound” — early ’90s instrumental that seems like more of a fit for Smooth Jazz
• Brothers Johnson, “Strawberry Letter 23”
• Quincy Jones f/Patti Austin, “Something Special”  
• Kool & the Gang, “Too Hot” — preceded by a vignette of George Benson talking about witnessing the band’s ascent
• Brenda Russell, “New York Bars” — her hits (“So Good So Right” and “Piano in the Dark”) were nearly a decade apart, in 1979 and 1988; this is from a 1983 album
• Bill Withers, “Lovely Day”
• Patti Labelle, “New Attitude”
• Manhattans, “Shining Star”
• Average White Band, “School Boy Crush”
• L.T.D., “Love Ballad” — Benson talks about hearing the original for the first time: “One of the best songs I ever heard.” Later, he would have a 1979 hit with his own uptempo version
• Atlanta Rhythm Section, “So Into You” — It did crack the R&B chart (No. 93) in 1977. Not the hit single, but what sounded like a longer album version
• William DeVaughn, “Be Thankful for What You Got” — 1974 hit that seems prescient in this context
• Bee Gees, “How Deep Is Your Love”
• Lionel Richie, “All Night Long (All Night)”
• El DeBarge, “Someone”
• George Benson, “This Masquerade” — Benson talks about not knowing the Leon Russell original, or Russell, when the song was brought to him, and his initial reluctance to cover it, or include a vocal on the Breezin’ album

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Hey Sean, Checking out Yacht Soul a bit. A little surprised to hear some cover versions (Everbody Plays The Fool – Aaron Neville and I Never Can Say Goodbye – Issac Hayes), but they are smooth and the channel is inyeresting and easy to listen to. JH

Caught Yacht Rock Radio for the first time, today. Channel 311, had to go looking. In 45 minutes’ time, listening….never heard a single female singer.

I like the mix mainly because it stretches about 25 years, more than double the approximate 10 years of traditional yacht rock. My only complaint so far is “Caravan of Love” being listed as by the Isley Bros.

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Sean Ross is a radio business researcher, programming consultant, conference speaker, and a veteran of radio trade journalism at Billboard, Radio & Records, M Street Journal, and others. For more than a decade, his weekly writings have been collected in the Ross On Radio newsletter; subscribe for free here. https://tinyurl.com/mhcnx4u

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Cast Away Your Worries with Smooth-Sailing Yacht Rock

Drop your anchor and relax with our yacht rock channels and shows.

It’s yacht rock season all year long at SiriusXM as we bring you your favorite smooth-sailing hits from the 1970s and ’80s. With channels like Yacht Rock Radio, Yacht Rock Deep Cuts, and Yacht Soul, plus exclusive shows like “Club Yacht Rock,” you’ll be instantly transported to turquoise seas and cool breezes.

Yacht Rock Channels on SiriusXM

Yacht rock radio.

Yacht Rock Radio has docked at satellite channel 17 for the 2024 summer season, playing artists like Michael McDonald, Christopher Cross, Steely Dan, and other titans of the genre. Plus, catch the brand-new weekly mix show “Club Yacht Rock.” It’s the kind of rock that doesn’t rock the boat!

Club Yacht Rock: Weekly Broadcast Schedule

An app-exclusive channel, Yacht Soul features nonstop soulful and funky (but still so, so smooth) R&B and soul from the late ’70s and early ’80s from artists like George Benson, Earth Wind & Fire, Lionel Richie, Bobby Caldwell, Quincy Jones, Kool & the Gang, Al Jarreau, and more.

Yacht Rock Deep Cuts

For the biggest yacht rock fans around, stream the Yacht Rock Deep Cuts channel — available exclusively on the SiriusXM app — for lesser-known (but still delightfully smooth) yacht rock songs.

What is yacht rock?

Yacht rock is more than just a musical style; it represents an era of laid-back sophistication and an easy-going lifestyle. While we may not all have a yacht, with yacht rock, we can still experience the vibes.

A genre of music that emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s, yacht rock is characterized by its smooth melodies and polished production popular among yacht-owning individuals during this era. The music often features lush arrangements and a clean, polished sound that is easy on the ears, with catchy lyrics and harmonious vocals. The overall feel is relaxed and laid-back, suitable for leisurely activities — like sailing on a yacht.

Yacht rock often incorporates elements of jazz and R&B. Saxophone solos and Fender Rhodes electric piano are common. The lyrics in yacht rock songs often explore themes of romance, introspection, and escapism. The tone is generally positive and reflective, matching the easy-going nature of the music.

Some of the most iconic yacht rock artists include Steely Dan, Toto, Michael McDonald (both solo and with The Doobie Brothers), Christopher Cross, Kenny Loggins, and Hall & Oates.

Today, yacht rock continues to be celebrated for its timeless appeal. Its smooth sounds continue to evoke a sense of nostalgia and relaxation, making it a beloved genre for many music enthusiasts.

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Yacht Rock Radio Ch. 17 rock

Yacht Rock Radio celebrates the smooth-sailing soft rock from the late '70s and early '80s. You'll hear artists like Michael McDonald, Christopher Cross, Steely Dan and other titans of smooth music. It's the kind of rock that doesn't rock the boat!

• Michael Martin Murphey  

• Steely Dan  

Answering Machine

• Rupert Holmes  

• Paul Davis  

I Believe In Love

• Kenny Loggins  

You Belong To Me

• Doobie Brothers  

Whatcha Gonna Do

• Pablo Cruise  

Cool Change

• Little River Band  

I'm Not In Love

Ride Like The Wind

• Christopher Cross  

Let Your Love Flow

• Bellamy Brothers  

Sister Golden Hair

• Nicolette Larson  

Smooth Operator

• Andrew Gold  

Still The One

It Never Rains In Southern California

• Albert Hammond  

• Daryl Hall  
• John Oates  

This Time I'm In It For Love

Kiss You All Over

Laughter In The Rain

• NEIL SEDAKA  

You Are The Woman

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Cruise thru the cool sounds of the 70’s and 80’s that will make you rock your boat. You’ll hear artists like Michael McDonald, Christopher Cross, Hall & Oates, Bee Gees, Air Supply, 10cc, ABBA, the Carpenters, Barry Manilow and much, much more.

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Welcome Yacht Rock Radio USA – 60s, 70s, 80s Smooth Sailing Rock….

Yacht Rock Radio’s – All Year Summer Long Beach Party! You’ll hear artists like Michael McDonald, Christopher Cross, Hall & Oates and other greats of smooth rock music. It’s the kind of rock that doesn’t rock the boat! So sit back in your lounge chair and soak it up!

Riding the wave all year long in your lounge chair, Yacht Rock, Soft Rock, Easy Listening Smooth Rock Music…

“So much better Sirius XM’s shallower playlist’s and using to many DJ’s and shows! What more could you ask for?! Just play me the music! Thank you Yacht Rock Radio! – Alexandra.”

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'Man, they came to party': Yachtley Crew sails back to Indian Ranch with more yacht rock

When Yachtley Crew came to Indian Ranch by the shores of Indian Lake in Webster last summer, it was evidently a very popular voyage through the smooth waters of a yacht rock tribute show.

"We love Indian Ranch. Man, they came to party. They were amazing," recalled Phillip Daniel, also known as Yachtley Crew's Philly Ocean and lead vocalist, about how the the show went and the reaction of the audience.

Yachtley Crew will be setting sail again for an appearance at Indian Ranch on July 25. "If it's anything like last year, we're stoked," Daniel said.

'Sailing ... takes me away ....'

The seven-member band, which dresses in nautical suits with captain's hats and wears aviator sunglasses, is currently on its "Full Steam Ahead" nationwide tour, the biggest tour since it was founded in Los Angeles in 2017. Upcoming dates also include South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset on July 26, Providence Performing Arts Center in Providence on July 27, and the Cape Cod Melody Tent in Hyannis on July 28.

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The band is riding the yacht rock wave since a 2005 video series launched the term in 2005 in an affectionate send up of artists such as Christopher Cross and Hall and Oates. Cross, who was at Indian Ranch July 7 with Justin Hayward of Moody Blues fame, had a big hit in 1979 with the soft rock song " Sailing " which is about getting away from everything on a sail boat and so helped form the archetype of Yacht Rock.

Yachtley Crew also call themselves "The Titans of Soft Rock."

Asked for a definition of yacht rock, Daniel said "it's one of those elusive things ... I think the most easy way to define it is the iconic soft rock hits from the late 70s and early 80s music." Except that, instead of soft rock, "yacht rock just sounds kind of more fun."

Yachtley Crew's first recording release "Seas the Day" (2023) includes its renditions of songs that have become regarded as yacht rock classics such as Boz Scaggs’ “Lido Shuffle,” Ace’s “How Long,” Robbie Dupree’s “Steal Away,” the Bee Gees’ “How Deep Is Your Love” and Christopher Cross’ “Ride Like the Wind.” Other songs in the band’s set include Toto’s “Africa,” Looking Glass’ “Brandy” and Rupert Holmes’ “ Escape (The Piña Colada Song).”  

Indeed, "The Piña Colada song, that is a great yacht rock core song, like 'Ride Like the Wind,'" Daniel said.

Audiences often dress up for the shows in yacht-themed attire and love to sing-along. Other yacht rock tribute and fun party bands include Yacht Rock Revue who will be performing at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield on Aug. 4.

'It has to be smooth'

Elsewhere, there has been some rather pedantic debate in some quarters about what makes true yacht rock, with terms appearing such as "nyacht" rock. An article in Mental Floss magazine helps keep things straightforward by saying " But above all else, the sound has to be  smooth . "

Daniel's vocals are certainly smooth, and the depth of sound that Yachtley Crew brings to its music is enhanced by having a sax player.

Daniel has memories of listening to the soft music of the late 70s/early 80s era while riding around with his father in a car and singing along to the radio. Later, he was in several original bands in Los Angeles. Besides Daniel (Philly Ocean) Yachtley Crew is made up of drummer Rob Jones (Sailor Hawkins), bassist Chaz Ruiz (Baba Buoy), guitarist Thomas Gardner Jr. (Tommy Buoy), backing vocalist Curt Clendenin (Stoney Shores), saxophone/flutist Paul Pate (Pauly Shores) and keyboardist Matt Grossman (Matthew McDonald).  

"Each of us had careers with bands," Daniel said. The crew started to be assembled by Jones and Ruiz who are long-time friends and were listening to yacht rock music and felt they could do something with it. They put out a Craigslist ad and found guitarist Gardner. Daniel is friends with Gardner and also came aboard.

"Everything came together really organically," Daniel said.

'I think we have something here'

The idea of uniforms for the band came early. "Just the idea of yacht rock is such fun," Daniel said. But the group spent several months rehearsing to get the music down right. "We wanted to embody what people remember about these songs."

When the curtain was pulled on their first gigs Daniel recalls the shock on the faces of the audiences when they saw a band in nautical uniform. However, "They got it within two or three songs. They were screaming and dancing ... (I thought) Man, I think we have something here."

Yachtley Crew was soon selling out local venues and were noticed by the late legendary Jimmy Buffett who signed them to his own Mailboat Records label. The group have appeared on SiriusXM’s Yacht Rock Radio “Yacht Rock 311” show as the first ever Yacht Rock band to perform live at the station.

Just as the band was about to get ready for its first nationwide tour in 2020, the pandemic struck. "We had a ton of shows booked," Daniel said. Yachtley Crew made music videos, put on live-streamed concerts and played at some drive-in concerts that were organized in the Los Angeles area. "People seemed to really respond.'

As the lockdown eased, "I think there was so much pent up demand for live music it really helped us. We got all the gigs back and places we'd never played before were selling out," Daniel said.

'Something original'

The "Seas the Day" recording also has Yachtley Crew's first original song, "Sex on the Beach," ostensibly about the drink that bears the name.

"We wanted to put something original out there," Daniel said. The challenge for the band was to come up with a song that sounds like it could have been written in the late '70s/early '80s soft rock era. "We wanted to capture the same vibe," he said. The video for "Sex on the Beach" has a guest appearance by the Access Hollywood & iHeart host Mario Lopez.  

The song and video includes a list of names of drinks, a couple falling in love, and "innuendo," Daniel said. All the members of Yachtley Crew contributed to the song. Once they had the concept, "we had the song written in 30 minutes. Everyone brings something unique to it." Fans have started requesting the song at shows.

Yachtley Crew has "two albums in the works" and two more original songs "in the mix." With that, "The core will always be the iconic songs," Daniel said.

The band has been venturing out across the seven seas with appearances abroad, including the United Kingdom.

"Total world domination," Daniel joked when asked about his ultimate goal for Yachtley Crew. Or at least, "To play for a stadium full of people," he said.

"We want to play the music for as many people as we can all over the world. When people come to our shows they're creating memories they will have for the rest of their lives. That's what it's about."

Yachtley Crew — Full Steam Ahead tour

When: 7 p.m. July 25 (doors 5:30 p.m.)

Where: Indian Ranch, 200 Gore Road, Webster

How much: $25 to $35. Indianranch.com

StarTribune

Festival, ahoy a dozen things to know about st. paul's minnesota yacht club.

It's the biggest music festival launched in the Twin Cities in 12 years. It's expecting more than 30,000 musicheads per day. And it's being produced by the same company that puts on Lollapalooza and the Austin City Limits fests.

There's a lot to learn about the Minnesota Yacht Club — especially for deprived Twin Cities music lovers who haven't been to a big, nationally promoted festival like this since Live Nation's ill-fated River's Edge Music Festival on the same site in 2012.

With its inaugural voyage scheduled Friday and Saturday at Harriet Island Regional Park in St. Paul, the river-themed event features a Gen-X-nostalgic all-rock lineup led by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Alanis Morissette, Gwen Stefani, Black Crowes, the Offspring, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, the Hold Steady and a dozen more acts. New Orleans' soul-funk troupe Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue are the only non-rock act on the bill, and they actually rock harder than most of them.

Here are some pointers, talking points and pointed opinions going into this weekend's mega-bash.

1. Saturday's single-day tickets are sold out. Even though they just played in town last year , the Chili Peppers' day as headliners quickly proved more popular than Morissette's. However, two-day general admission festival passes (now $255) and one-day Friday tickets ($135) were still available at press time via minnesotayachtclubfestival.com .

2. No, it's not a "yacht rock" festival. There actually has been a lot of confusion about this. The event's name is simply a fun spin on its riverside location and the relative irony of someone having a yacht in Minnesota. It has nothing to do with the genre of music associated with breezy and cheesy '70s-'80s hitmakers like Toto, Seals & Crofts and Christopher Cross. How fun would it have been to see one of those acts sandwiched between the Hold Steady and Offspring, though?

3. Boats actually are part of the experience. "Riverboat VIP" ticket holders ($825) can lounge in air-conditioning on the Jonathan Padelford and even take a 60-minute cruise on the paddleboat during the fest. Why anyone would want to go to a music fest to set sail for South St. Paul, we're not sure, but it's a unique idea for a festival.

4. The company behind it is in the festival business. C3 got its start with the hugely successful Austin City Limits Music Festival in the early 2000s before turning Lollapalooza into a one-weekend Chicago event. Live Nation bought a 51% stake in the company in 2014 but mostly leaves C3 to do its own thing when it comes to festivals. Other fests in its portfolio include Boston Calling, Atlanta's Shaky Knees and New York's Governors Ball — all steeped in unique branding and preparations for each city.

"We've been talking to the city well over a year now and working with them on the logistical plans," C3 promoter Tim Sweetwood said of MYC.

5. There will be only two stages (and no overlapping performances). While many festivals require fans to make tough decisions and Iditarod-like treks between competing stages — OK, maybe that's being a little dramatic — the setup at MYC in its first year features just two stages with alternating music that never runs concurrently. Dubbed the Skipper Stage and Crow's Nest Stage, they are only about a quarter-mile apart, too.

6. Gwen Stefani's appearance is the rarest among the top names. Last seen in town making a surprise appearance with husband Blake Shelton at the TC Summer Jam in 2022 , the former No Doubt singer and ex-coach on NBC's "The Voice" has not been performing a lot of late; just a handful of fly-in gigs this summer.

In the solo gigs she has done in 2024, Stefani has been revisiting many songs from No Doubt (with whom she reunited at Coachella fest in April ), including "Don't Speak," "Just a Girl" and "Hella Good."

7. The lineup isn't entirely a nostalgia trip. All these aforementioned acts make it look exclusively like a '90s and early '00s throwback fest, but there are actually modern stars and buzzmakers on the lineup.

Texas slinger Gary Clark Jr. has been the most thrilling blues-rock guitarist on tour over the past decade . Harmonious Seattle rockers the Head and the Heart have racked up a swath of radio hits and TV/film placement with songs like "Lost in My Mind." Twangy singer Morgan Wade has made a couple of well-reviewed records with Jason Isbell's guitarist Sadler Vaden as her producer. Indie-rocker Michigander is a critical favorite.

The Twin Cities' own pop-rock darlings Hippo Campus have become a big draw , too, recently playing New York's Governors Ball festival and selling out the Armory in Minneapolis.

8. There's good local representation. In addition to Hippo Campus, we'll see hard-charging local faves Gully Boys help kick off the fest Friday ahead of viral sensations Durry . On Saturday, fuzz-rocky kids Bugsy play before a fun afternoon twofer with Soul Asylum and the semi-local Hold Steady. As rock-only lineups go — musical diversity is not Yacht Club's strong suit — these are some of the state's most relevant acts present or past playing live in 2024.

9. The list of items you're allowed to bring in is short. Leave the chairs, coolers and umbrellas at home. Only small fanny packs, clutch purses, emptied hydration packs or small clear bags are allowed in. Other permissible items include: phones, baby strollers, blankets/towels, binoculars, reusable water bottles, non-aerosol sunscreen (3.4 ounce max) and Frisbees. For our sake, though, please don't bring any Frisbees.

10. There's a longer list of alternative transportation options. Coming from Austin, Texas, a city with notorious traffic problems, C3 makes a point of encouraging biking, ride-sharing and public transit options at all its festivals.

There's a designated rideshare dropoff site (Uber, Lyft, taxi) near the Wabasha Street entrance at 49 E. Fillmore Av. Bike lots are located at both that entrance and the second set of gates along W. Water Street (bring your own lock). For light rail, the Green Line's Central Station is a half-mile walk away. Ample public bus route stops also can be mapped out via metrotransit.org .

11. Harriet Island isn't really an island, and it isn't all that hard to get to. You wouldn't know it from the maps on the festival's website — or if you're one of those uppity Minneapolitans who never visit the other Twin City — but you can approach the park from the southwest side of the river as well as the downtown side. There are assorted parking options over there, too.

12. This is just a start. "It's sort of a slow burn to start," C3′s Sweetwood said, promising expansion in the years to come. "We'll try to give it a little more color and better branding, the kind of things we have a good feel for at C3, being primarily a festival producer."

Minnesota Yacht Club

Friday lineup (in order, 12:45-10:30 p.m.): Harbor and Home, Gully Boys, Michigander, Morgan Wade, Durry, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, the Head and the Heart, Gwen Stefani, Black Crowes, Alanis Morissette.

Saturday (1-10:30 p.m.): Nico Vega, Bugsy, Wilderado, Soul Asylum, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Hippo Campus, the Hold Steady, the Offspring, Gary Clark Jr., Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Tickets: $135-$925 Fri. only, $255-$1,395 two-day.

Website: minnesotayachtclubfestival.com .

Chris Riemenschneider has been covering the Twin Cities music scene since 2001, long enough for Prince to shout him out during "Play That Funky Music (White Boy)." The St. Paul native authored the book "First Avenue: Minnesota's Mainroom" and previously worked as a music critic at the Austin American-Statesman in Texas.

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