Brad Yoder believes musical success should be measured in more than just the obvious ways. Being voted "Best Acoustic/Solo Artist" by readers in four Pittsburgh City Paper polls (2003, 2004, 2006 & 2007) is great, as are unexpected nominations for "Best Musical Performance" (2004) and "Best Small Venue Performer" (2003) by the readers of Campus Activity Magazine. However, playing Poughkeepsie, New York and having a college freshman from Los Angeles request songs she's only heard via internet downloads is actually cooler. It's exciting to have songs featured on CBS's show "NUMB3RS," NPR's "Car Talk," and in the Pittsburgh History Museum's 9/11 exhibit; more tangible, though, is various original art on Brad's walls created by supporters and inspired by specific songs, and four "gig guest books" full of appreciative comments from over eight years of live shows.
Logging around 150 performances each year, in venues ranging from colleges, clubs, and cafes to church basements and the zoo, Brad has earned the title of "ruling the Pittsburgh coffeehouse scene" (Pittsburgh Magazine.) As a solo performer, Brad has showcased at Toronto's North by Northeast Music Conference, performed at the Pittsburgh Folk and Philadelphia Fringe Festivals, and opened for artists such as the Cowboy Junkies, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Todd Snider, the Nields, Ellis Paul, & Tegan & Sara, plus played the 2nd stage for David Gray, Peter Paul & Mary, and Steve Earle/Jackson Browne. What matters more, however, is having a fan base that ranges in age from 3 to almost 80, sings along with unrecorded songs at live shows, and generally seems to show up when they're most needed.
Brad's total CD sales are now over 7,000 and he continues to add to that total with sales of his latest record, "Excellent Trouble," released in 2010.
