Brook Yoder, a singer, guitar player and native to the Northern Virginia area, got his start playing music in the late 1970s alongside some high school friends.
Taking inspiration from artists such as Merle Haggard and Gordon Lightfoot, Yoder started a career as a musician touring up and down the east coast.
For over 20 years, performing live has been how Yoder makes his living.
With a variety of songs and genres in his repertoire, those who attend his shows can expect to hear music by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, James Taylor and more.
Additionally, Yoder performs a variety of Irish songs when playing at pubs such as Ireland’s Four Provinces here in Falls Church.
As a performer, the Covid pandemic had a huge effect on Yoder’s life. With restaurants, bars and other music venues closing up, he was unable to perform, which was his main way of making a living.
Yoder began doing live performances on Facebook as a way to keep himself in practice and provide a show for those stuck at home but it did not bring him any income.
After months at home, he and his fans are happy to be back out in the world once again.
“The pandemic had me sitting at home doing Facebook concerts for nothing,” he said. “Like everybody else, I was just doing nothing. And now I’m back out there a couple days a week playing. It’s been wonderful.”
As venues have begun to reopen, Yoder has been back out performing all around the Northern Virginia area.
He performs regularly around Falls Church with his regular setlist of songs at Clare and Don’s Beach Shack and with Irish songs Ireland’s Four Provinces.
While skilled in covering a wide range of songs and artists, Yoder said his favorite song to perform is “If You Could Read My Mind” by Gordon Lightfoot.
Yoder will be performing at Clare and Don’s on Thursday, September 30 and at Ireland’s Four Provinces on Sunday, October 3.
