Jim Yester

James Yester (born November 24, 1939) is an American musician. He is a member of the sunshine pop group the Association, who had numerous hits on the Billboard charts during the 1960s, including "Windy", "Cherish", "Never My Love" and "Along Comes Mary", among many others.

Yester was a core member of the Modern Folk Quartet when they reformed in the 1980s. He is the older brother of former Lovin' Spoonful member Jerry Yester, and he played briefly with that band in the 1990s. Since 2007, Yester has remained a member of the Association, co-leading alongside original member Jules Alexander and Del Ramos (brother of late Association member Larry Ramos).

Jim Yester was born in Birmingham, Alabama to Lawrence and Martha Yester. Yester's family moved to Burbank, California when he was three because his father wanted to get involved in the film industry. His father was a local Birmingham radio broadcaster, who played the part of a band member in the 1948 film Fort Apache, and was also a freelance piano player and author of numerous books based around the accordion. The first concert Jim attended was a Fats Domino concert at the Olive Recreation Center.

Growing up, Yester attended Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California and was a member of the Falconry club there. He first learned how to play the harmonica while walking to and from elementary school. Then, later on, Yester learned how to play the piano at the home of a fellow Falconry club member who had a piano in the garage where their meetings would take place; Yester would watch him play the instrument, and then play it himself after his friend finished.

He started playing the piano in clubs when he was 13. He attended Los Angeles Valley College studying accounting.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.