Pete Yorn
Peter Joseph Yorn (born July 27, 1974) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He first gained international recognition after his debut record, Musicforthemorningafter, was released to critical and commercial acclaim in 2001. He is known for playing the bulk of the instruments on his records. Spin magazine, in a career retrospective article dated March 26, 2021, recognized Yorn as one of his generation's best songwriters.[1] Yorn’s 10th full length album, Hawaii, was released on June 17, 2022. His latest single, “Someday, Someday”, was released on January 12, 2024.
Pete Yorn
Peter Joseph Yorn
July 27, 1974
Pompton Plains, New Jersey, U.S.
Singer, songwriter, musician
1990–present
Early life[edit]
Yorn was born in Pompton Plains, New Jersey,[2] and raised Jewish[3] in Montville, New Jersey, the son of Joan, a former school teacher and real estate agent, and Lawrence K. Yorn, a retired dentist and former Captain in the United States Army.[4] Yorn attended Montville Township High School.[5][6] Yorn graduated from Syracuse University in 1996.[7] His brother Rick is a major talent manager in Hollywood and was responsible for teaching nine-year-old Pete to play the drums.[8] His eldest brother Kevin Yorn is an entertainment lawyer.
Yorn mentions the Nova Scotia-based band Sloan as one with great influence on him, even admitting after seeing them live in 1999, he was so blown away by their talent that he wondered whether it would be worth continuing to even pursue his debut album. Sloan would later tour with Yorn in the US in 2002.[9]
Yorn composed the score for Me, Myself & Irene in 2000.[10] His songs "Strange Condition" and "Just Another" appeared in the film.[10]
Breakthrough[edit]
musicforthemorningafter[edit]
Yorn released his debut LP, entitled musicforthemorningafter, on March 27, 2001.[11] It went gold on the strength of the album's lead single, "Life on a Chain." Rolling Stone Magazine named Yorn one of "Ten Bands to Watch in 2001"[12] and gave the album a favorable four-star rating. Yorn and his band Dirty Bird toured for 18 months straight in support of his debut record.
Yorn went on to release the 2003 album Day I Forgot which had sold over 275,000 copies in the United States as of 2005 [13] and scored a third radio hit with the song "Come Back Home." Q Magazine, in its 4 star review, described the record as simply "wonderful". The record also featured "Crystal Village", and "Turn of The Century". The latter was featured in the 2004 film The Girl Next Door. On the heels of the extensive 'Day I Forgot' tour, Yorn released a double live album, "LIVE From New Jersey", which was recorded at the Community Theater in Morristown, New Jersey.
In 2006, Yorn released his third album, Nightcrawler and toured extensively in support of it. He preceded every show with an instore acoustic appearance at an indie record shop in the town he was passing through. All of these instore performances were recorded, thus creating an extensive series of Live EP's. (complete list of instore EP's below). Nightcrawler was named one of the top 20 records of 2006 by Paste magazine.
The Trilogy[edit]
Pete Yorn's third studio release, Nightcrawler, completes a conceptual trilogy of sorts,[14] which spans his first three albums (EPs not included); beginning in the morning with the musicforthemorningafter LP, continuing through the day with the Day I Forgot LP, and arriving at nightfall with the Nightcrawler LP.
In September 2006, in an interview with silentuproar.com, Yorn elaborated on his true intentions behind the trilogy, remarking that it was at least partially a conscious trilogy but wasn't meant to be taken too seriously: "I didn't mean like a Star Wars trilogy where it's one story at all." Yorn expressed that the "trilogy" was more of a diary of sorts; a person gaining new life experiences and simply commenting on them in linear order. "So it's a sort of continuing analysis of those topics, and the Nightcrawler LP would represent a later phase," Yorn said.[14]
Collaborations[edit]
Guitarist Peter Buck of the band R.E.M. has made appearances on several Pete Yorn recordings, including instrumentation on the single version of "Strange Condition" and a number of songs from the Day I Forgot LP. Yorn has worked with producers R. Walt Vincent, Brad Wood, and Ken Andrews of Failure and Year of the Rabbit, in addition to several other producers including Scott Litt, Butch Walker and Sonic Youth producer Don Fleming.
Yorn has shared bills with the Dave Matthews Band, R.E.M., Crowded House, Foo Fighters, Weezer, Coldplay, The Dixie Chicks, Semisonic, and Sunny Day Real Estate, among others.
Yorn has played at Carnegie Hall on two occasions as part of tributes to Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen. Yorn gave the 2011 commencement address to the Visual and Performing Arts class at his alma mater, Syracuse University.
Yorn can be heard on Guided by Voices' 2007 Live From Austin Texas album, singing back up and sporadic leads on "Cut Out Witch." Robert Pollard says after the song that he hopes it "doesn't ruin [Yorn's] career."
Yorn's song, "Lose You" can be heard just before the ending credits of the episode "Simple Explanation" during Kutner's funeral on the Fox show House.
Yorn has collaborated twice with actress/singer Scarlett Johansson: first in 2009's Break Up and again with 2018's Apart.[24] The pair have suggested a third album can be expected after another 10 years.
Yorn's most recent touring band was composed of members of the indie dream-pop band Day Wave. *Jackson Phillips (synth and guitar) & Henry Moser (bass) + previous bandmates, Joe Kennedy (guitar and keyboards) and Malcolm Cross (drums)
Previous bands have included…
Yorn's Back & Fourth touring band was:
Pete Yorn's Nightcrawler era touring band was Minibar, hailing from Britain and including the following members:
Pete Yorn's former backing band went by the name Dirty Bird and includes the following members:
Pete Yorn's "eternal bandmates":
Acting[edit]
Yorn appeared in a supporting role as “Acie Kirby” in Killers of the Flower Moon in 2023.
