Combine the pathos of Johnny Cash and the grit of Joan Jett, a dash of Lucille Ball, and you'll understand the spirit that embodies Lori Yates's music.

She is a legacy artist who has spent her life performing and writing alternative country music. She is considered a "pioneer of the genre" since bursting onto the scene in the late 80s on Queen St. West, Toronto, with her band Rang Tango. 

Lori has released five independent CDs since recording for Sony Music Nashville and Virgin Music Canada. She has been awarded/nominated for Juno Award, Canadian Country Music Award, Polaris Prize (longer list), and two Lifetime Achievement Awards.

She has sung with Rick Danko, Jim Cuddy, and Greg Allman, written with Guy Clark & Colin Linden, met Johnny Cash and June Carter, jammed with Jerry Jeff Walker, was mentored by Tammy Wynette, and ate jelly beans with Roy Acuff.  

Lori started her successful songwriting workshop "Creative Genius Songwriting" in 2013 to share her love of songwriting and fulfill a community need.

Her passion for the written word was ignited in Mr. McLeod Grade 6 class, where she wrote a poem a day for the entire school year. And her desire for singing & performing started when she saw The Supremes sing "Stop in the Name of Love" on the Ed Sullivan show and heard Merry Clayton's scorching vocal solo on the Rolling Stones song "Gimme Shelter."

Her lyrics "Concrete rises hits you like a kiss" from her Angels With Bloody Knees song is immortalized in Hamilton's Gore Park.

She is finishing her latest recording, tentatively named "Beans on Toast," at Blue Rodeo's Woodshed Studio and slowly writing her memoir, "Sunday Drunks; A Life Well Wasted in Music. She recently moved back to Toronto and is happily gigging like a manic, including a monthly residency at the Cameron House with powerhouse band Hey Stella.