What’s better than being a co-star on a hit TV series? Being a singer in a rock and roll band. At least it is for Tina Yothers, who played Jennifer Keaton on the 1980's sitcom, Family Ties. The grown-up siren has attained her life-long dream as the front woman in Jaded, a SoCal seven-piece that formed in 1994, with Yothers, mastermind bro Corey and guitarist Michael Anderson at its creative core. With a staunch fan base accrued over six years of tireless performances, Jaded has made their long-awaited Harvest Product /Afterdark Entertainment indie label debut with Confessions.
Produced by Cory Yothers, who fills out the band’s big sound with keyboards, scratching, electronic loops and a variety of other instruments, Jaded’s funky, rhythm-rich style is positive, passionate and mainstream enough to offer a special listening experience to everyone. In addition to the Yothers and Anderson, Jaded features the groove-heavy beatmeisters Brett Arcement (drums) and Francis DeCosmo (bass), as well as their not-so-secret weapon Fike (trumpet).
"With my career cross-over, people are expecting to hear some angst, anger or shock value," Yothers notes, "but our sound is very mainstream and very non-threatening. It’s full of melody and nice music. It’s not following the trends that are being set at this moment. Totally sticking to what makes us feel good is our own trend."
That’s where Jaded’s unique creativity comes in. Their songwriting is a natural, unforced and spontaneous process, with Tina Yothers writing the lyrics and Cory Yothers and Michael Anderson building a melodic foundation of funk, R&B and edgy guitars. Keyboards and trumpet (an instrument Tina Yothers loves) contribute flourishes that put the irresistibility factor over the top. Yothers, who has always been tight with her bro, credits her his musical genius for Jaded’s inimitable sound. The result is a collection of songs that stick to your soul.
"I pride myself on the fact that Confessions is from my heart and this is what I’ve always wanted to do" says the sultry-voiced Tina Yothers. "The biggest lesson I’ve learned in life with the help of friends and family is to not give up and to follow my dream."
She’s not only tracked that dream, but has captured it, too. As for making the transition from acting to music, Yothers philosophically states, "It has its definite plusses and minuses. Maybe if I wasn’t the girl from Family Ties and didn’t have this baggage," she laughs, "we may have been picked up a couple years ago by a major label. We may have been too risky for them to get involved with. It’s not a surprise that we had to release Confessions ourselves with Harvest Product and Ground Level Distribution."
To the victors go the spoils, and so it is with Jaded, who had nothing to lose but their dream, had they played it safe.
"There’s a ground level (no pun intended) sense to the whole project. Working from the streets is a huge opportunity to reach the world. It doesn’t take $10 million to promote a record," Yothers logically points out. "We’re in a great position; it’s all us right now and we’re completely stoked."
Yothers is fully aware of the extra high expectations that Jaded’s potential audience has because of her background, but she also has a clear perspective on the situation. "I know some people think, ‘You’re an actress. You grew up on TV. Why should I believe you’re a singer? Where’d you find the time to learn that?" she laughs. "You can look at any interview I’ve ever done, even when I was nine or 10, and music has always been a part of those conversations. My main goal in life has always been to be a singer in a band."
All it takes is to hear Confessions or see Jaded perform to be convinced that Yothers is the real deal, conveying feelings that listeners recognize and relate to as their own.
Hear some more songs on their website. Send them an email and let them know that there are some real fans out there.
