Moshe Yess

Moshe Yess
Birth name	Morris Arthur Yess[1]
Born	1945
Died	January 8, 2011
Genres	Country, Contemporary Jewish
Occupations	Composer, singer-songwriter
Labels	CBS Records International
Associated acts	Megama

Moshe Aaron (Morris Arthur) Yess (1945–January 8, 2011) was an Orthodox Jewish musician, composer and entertainer from Montreal, Canada.^[2] A member of the Chabad community in Montreal, Yess was a regular performer at Chabad House events and shows, together with general music festivals and the annual A Time for Music concert.

Musical career

In the 1960s, Yess shared stages with David Crosby, Jefferson Airplane, and The Association. As a solo performer he played in Las Vegas, Reno, and other hot spots. In 1978 he moved from Hollywood, California to Jerusalem, Israel, where he enrolled in D'var Yerushalayim Yeshiva. There he met Rabbi Shalom Levine, who became his mentor in Halacha and his musical partner in Megama. They spoke about harnessing American-style music to communicate the beauty and values of Judaism. Thus was Megama (Hebrew for "direction") born.^[3]

One of Yess's biggest hit songs was "My Zaidy," in which the speaker remembers his grandfather, who was his last link to Judaism. "My Zaidy" -- "zaidy" is the Yiddish word for grandpa -- touched several generations of American and Canadian Jews. Other hits by Megama included "Ain't Gonna Work on Saturday" and "Not Ashamed," and one of their successful children's shows was called "Judeo Rodeo."

Yess collaborated with Abie Rotenberg to produce the children's audio series called The Marvelous Midos Machine composed of three volumes, with all-original material.

In the 1990s, Yess started a rock band called Burnt Offering with the blessing of The Lubavitcher Rebbe. The band's mission was to spread the message to the world to engage in acts of goodness and kindness.

Yess retired from music in his later years when his health began to decline.^[4]

Moshe Yess died of cancer on January 8, 2011, in Cottonwood, Arizona. He was 65 years old.^[5]

Discography

• The Marvelous Middos Machine: Volumes 1-3

• Journeys: Volumes 1-3

• Silly Tales of Chelm and other Stories

• Stories My Zaide Told Me 1-3

• The Amazing Torah Bike 1-3

• Rock for the Redemption

• Resurrection (single)

• Shabbos on My Mind

• Art Imitates Life

• Pintele Yid

• Megama Plus

• Roburg^[6]

Many more albums which were signed under CBS Israel were lost when CBS Israel went out of business. 

References

1. ^ "Copyright registration PAu000147616 / 1979-08-29". http://www.faqs.org/copyright/ramblin-round-w-woody-guthrie-woodrow-wilson-guthrie-m/. Retrieved 19 January 2011. 
2. ^ [ Moshe Yess Obm http://www.collive.com/show_news.rtx?id=12518&alias=musician-moshe-yess-65-obm
3. ^ [jewishjukebox http://www.jewishjukebox.com/products/chassidic_music/896.asp]
4. ^ Rabbi Moshe Yess OBM
5. ^ Moshe Yess, Noted Composer and Singer Passes Away
6. ^ [Moshe Yess on Mostly Music http://www.mostlymusic.com/mostly-music/artists/view/artist/932/]

Persondata
Name	Yess, Moshe
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1945
Place of birth
Date of death	January 8, 2011
Place of death