Biography

Jerry T Yates is the "2008 Roots Music Association Gospel Artist of the Year Award" winner! He received the award at a ceremony held in the Embassy Suites Hotel, November 15th 2008, in San Marcos, Texas.
Jerry is from the little, Blue Ridge Mountain community, in Ashe County called "Fleetwood", in the extreme northwestern corner of North Carolina. Fleetwood is just 15 minutes from Deep Gap, the home of the living, guitar picking legend, Doc Watson. Jerry is also a cousin of NBC celebrity, Willard Scott, who after attending a service where Jerry performed, said, "Jerry's musical talents make me proud to be able to call him my cousin. Any Church or other organization would be well served by his musical abilities."
Jerry's family moved to Fairburn, Georgia, in 1961, when his father took a job with the U.S. Post Office, as a mail carrier, and set up and established the very first, City of Fairburn mail route.
Throughout Jerry's high school years, he formed several rock 'n' roll bands, always bearing his Elvis and Johnny Cash influences, and later adding a Creedence Clearwater Revival mixture to his music.
After high school graduation, Jerry entered the field of Radio Broadcasting, where he worked as a DJ, News Director, Music Director, and General Manager. He continued his playing and singing, along a circuit of honky tonks, beer joints, and anywhere else he could get booked. He even became an Elvis impersonator, which made him extremly popular in some Southeastern areas, which started a Jerry Yates Fan Club, complete with "I'm a Jerry Yates Fan Club Member" bumper stickers..however, things were about to drastically change.
Early in 1975, after the miraculous healing of four nodules on his Larynx, Jerry surrendered his life and his music to Jesus Christ! In 1978, Jerry answered God's call to enter the ministry, and he formed a Christian band, called Chosen Vessels. Years later, he formed a Christian, Southern Rock/Rockabilly band, called Rock Solid Revival. Five years after that, Rev. Yates yielded to a divine prompting to leave the band, so that he could travel more extensively as a "Gospel Troubadour". Thus began a new chapter in Jerry's life as a solo, singer/songwriter/acoustic guitarist of a different type and style of Christian, or Gospel music, which includes Rockabilly and Country Blues.
Jerry T Yates has since shared the "Good News" of Jesus Christ through his music, at Churches and other venues, both Christian and secular, as far north as The Tabernacle of Meeting, in Liberty, Indiana and the Illinois Pavillion, in Chicago, Illinois, as far west as, San Marcos and Paris, Texas, and most states in between. He has also been featured in articles and interviews, inside various nationally known magazines, and has made several TV appearances, on various television broadcasts in Georgia, including two times, with an open invitation to return, at WATC TV57, in Atlanta, Georgia.
Rev. Yates has been recognized for his efforts by receiving the "2008 Roots Music Association Gospel Artist of the Year Award", in November, 2008, and years earlier, Jerry received the 1994 International Country Gospel Music Association's, award for "New Male Vocalist of the Year" from Georgia. Many of Jerry's original songs have reached various Country Gospel, and Christian Country radio charts, in such publications as The U.S. Gospel News,Country Gospel Music Guild's Circuit Rider online magazine, Hope Street's Gospel Connection, Power Source, and The Roots Music Report.
One of Jerry's Songs, "There's Peace From the Lord", which he wrote and recorded in his home studio, was released to radio, in January of 2007. He teamed up with Rhonnie Scheuerman, who with her husband Bob, owns and operates RhonBob Promotions, for his radio promotions. "There's Peace From the Lord" debuted at #14 on the Roots Music Association's, Roots Music Report chart, and it remained on the charts for 60 weeks, never dropping out of the top 30. It was #1 for two consecutive months, on the Roots Radio Airplay chart in Georgia.
In February 2008, Rev. Jerry T Yates signed with Tate Music Group (TMG), an independent, Christian record label operating out of Mustang, Oklahoma, and his first CD, under their label called, "The Point of No Return" was released December 15th, 2009. Two songs from the CD have made good showings on the charts, with hopefully, more to come.
Jerry and his wife Karen, live in Newnan, Georgia, and may be contacted at jkyates@bellsouth.net or (770) 252-9176, for bookings, or just to say, "Hello."

Here are comments from some, who are familiar with Jerry and Jerry T Yates Ministries:

I have a friend, Rev. Jerry T Yates, that is truly a God-send to uplift the sad, and bring joy to the broken hearted!
His ministry is so neat, so refreshing, and most of all, original! His voice is powerful when he speaks, though he is very humble in his demeanor! He is an excellent singer, songwriter, and musician. He has many ways to reach the lost and dying in his incredible ministry!
I have served in ministry for more than twenty-seven years, as a pastor, music minister, and youth pastor! I have been ministering God's word with "The Good News Trio" for over ten years! I said that to say this: through these years of traveling up and down the roads all over the Southeast, I have not met anyone quite like my dear brother, Jerry T Yates!
Your church or organization should invite this wonderful man of God into a service or program, and just sit back and watch God use him to reveal Jesus in a way you have not seen before!
I really believe in this man's ministry!"

Max R. New
501 Greenville St.
LaGrange, GA., 30241
Ph # 706-882-6938
marcelenenew@charter.net
goodnewstrio@hotmail.com
www.goodnewstrio.com

"Brother Jerry is an authentic Christian, and his voice and performing presence reflect this. While a pastor, I used Jerry to minister through concert, to our people several times, and I was never disappointed. His Christian testimony is real, and the sincerity shines through in his music.
I always appreciated how easy it was to work with Jerry; how committed he was to working with the local church. We never quarreled about money, length of the service, when he would sing, or any of the other wrangles and tangles. I believe this stems from Jerry's deep commitment to Christ and His Church.
It is my pleasure to commend Brother Jerry T Yates to minister through music, to your church or organization."

Dr. Oscar T. Cope
Associational Missionary
Western Baptist Association

"Jerry T Yates is a songwriter; a Christian with a vision to share the Gospel with the world, through word and song. A rich baritone voice that portrays a style of his own.
I highly recommend Jerry T Yates for Church or concert performances. You can't go wrong with Jerry T Yates, and you will love his music!"

Gene Higgins, President
Christian Country Music Association

Contact Jerry T Yates at: Radio Promotions for Jerry T Yates:
(770) 252-9176 and/or RhonBob Promotions
jkyates@bellsouth.net www.rhonbob.com