Rachael Yamagata

Infobox musical artist
Name = Rachael Yamagata

---

Img_capt =
Img_size = 175px
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name =
Alias =
Born = Birth date and age|1977|9|23|mf=y
Died =
Origin =
Instrument = Piano
Guitar
Vocals
Genre = Adult alternative
Blues rock
Vocal_Type =
Occupation = Singer-songwriter
Years_active =
Label = RCA Victor (2003-2007); Warner Bros. Records (2008-)
Associated_acts = Bumpus, Chantal Kreviazuk
URL = [http://www.rachaelyamagata.com rachaelyamagata.com]
Current_members =
Past_members =

Rachael Yamagata (born September 23, 1977 in Arlington, Virginia) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. She is a Yonsei or fourth-generation Japanese American on her father's side and of Italian and German ancestry on her mother's side.

Early life

A child of divorced parents, Yamagata divided her time growing up between her Sansei Japanese American father, a Washington, D.C.-based attorney and Harvard graduate; and her Italian-German mother, an artist/painter in New York City. Yamagata graduated from the Holton-Arms School for Girls in Bethesda, Maryland, and attended Northwestern and Vassar.

Music career

Bumpus

Yamagata became the vocalist for the Chicago funk-fusion band Bumpus, spending six years writing and recording three albums with the band and touring the country. In 2001, after having written a number of songs that didn't fit with the funk style of the band, Yamagata decided to take the songs and launch a solo career. In September 2002, she landed a two-record deal with Arista's Private Music and her self-titled EP produced by Malcolm Burn, "Rachael Yamagata Ep" was released in October.

olo career

Her first full-length album, "Happenstance", followed in June 2004. It was produced by John Alagia (Dave Matthews, John Mayer, Ben Folds Five). "I Want You" features several members of prominent American Klezmer group The Klezmatics. Videos were made for the first and second singles "Worn Me Down" and "1963".

Her songs have featured on several TV shows, including "How I Met Your Mother", "ER ", "Nip/Tuck", "Men in Trees", "Alias", "One Tree Hill", "Brothers & Sisters" and "The O.C.," to which she made a guest performance in season 2. Yamagata also contributed a song to Mandy Moore's 2007 album, "Wild Hope". [ [http://www.keyt.com/entertainment/5692661.html Mandy Moore's 'Wild Hope' Set for May Release | Santa Barbara's News, Weather, and Sports | Entertainment ] ] She also toured with Moore, opening many of her shows around the country.

Yamagata's second studio album is called "Elephants... Teeth Sinking Into Heart".cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003831577|title=Billboard.com|accessdate=2008-07-24] It was originally slated for release in the late-summer of 2007. [cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003548849|title=billboard.com|accessdate=2008-07-24] [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zLQaomZGts&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ethereasonwhy%2Eorg%2Fmainpageupdates%2Ehtm YouTube - Rachael Yamagata - New Album Teaser ] ] In early 2008, her site featured a "teaser video" for the new album. The album has a release date of October 7, 2008.

On May 22, 2008, a new banner was added to her site indicating the digital release of a new EP, "Loose Ends", with three new songs, serving as a preview for the now delayed release of her second full-length album.

Yamagata's songs have appeared in a number of films and television shows. These include:

She also made an appearance in Jason Mraz's second album, singing a song with him called "Did You Get My Message?". She also sings on "Fireflies" and "The Believer" on Rhett Miller's solo CD, "Barfly" on Ray Lamontagne's "Till the Sun Turns Black" and "Let it Ride", "Cold Roses", and "Friends", on Ryan Adams' "Cold Roses". She sings backup on six tracks on the Bright Eyes' album "Cassadaga". She co-wrote "Kaleidoscope" with Jill Cunniff, formerly of Luscious Jackson, for Cunniff's solo album "City Beach" and also plays keyboards and second vocals.

Discography

tudio albums

*"Happenstance" (2004)
*"Elephants... Teeth Sinking Into Heart" (2008)

EPs

*"EP" (2003)
*"Live at the Loft & More" (2005)
*"Loose Ends" (2008)

ingles

*"Worn Me Down"
*"Letter Read"
*"1963"
*"River"

Live/Compilations

*"Live at the Bonnaroo Music Festival" (2004), released exclusively on Bonnaroo
*"Sony Connect Sets" (2005), released exclusively on Sony Connect
*"" (2005), released exclusively on iTunes
*"" (2005), released exclusively on Napster

Bumpus

*"Bumpus" (1999)
*"Steroscope" (2001)

Other contributions

*Ryan Adams - "Cold Roses" (2005)
*Jason Mraz - "Did You Get My Message?" (2005)
*Chris Holmes - "Blister of the Spotlight" (2006)
*Rhett Miller - "The Believer" (2006)
*Ray LaMontagne - "Till the Sun Turns Black" (2006)
*Bright Eyes - "Four Winds" (2007)
*Bright Eyes - "Cassadaga" (2007)
*Mandy Moore - "Wild Hope" (2007)
*Jill Cunniff - "City Beach" (2007)

References

External links

* [http://www.rachaelyamagata.com Official website]
*MySpace-music|rachaelyamagata|Rachael Yamagata
*imdb name | id=1763235 | name=Rachael Yamagata
*tvtome person|id=358088|name=Rachael Yamagata
* [http://www.theurbanwire.com/stories/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=1178 Rachael Yamagata: Confessions on "Happenstance"]