| Yer Bird Records | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2004 |
| Founder | Morgan King |
| Genre | Alternative country, folk |
| Country of origin | Canada |
| Location | Calgary, Alberta |
| Official Website | www.yerbird.com |
Yer Bird Records is a Calgary, Alberta (formerly Charlottesville, Virginia) based independent record label founded by Morgan King in 2004. After the release of an album by English songwriter Daniel Smith (not of the Danielson Family) did not come to fruition, King partnered with photographer Benjamin Gallman. Yer Bird Records moved from Charlottesville to Philadelphia, PA and has now settled in Calgary, Alberta, Canada starting early 2010. New label owners are Sandy & Judy Smith of which Sandy also operates the music blog Slowcoustic.
Yer Bird's first released record was Sounds Like Fall's The Wolf is at the Door, which was released on July 7, 2005. Sounds Like Fall is the performing name of Iowan singer-songwriter Joe Young who had extensively toured the Midwest with Alternative country band Moonshine Radio. The album was distributed through Miles of Music and Carrot Top Records's CTD in the United States, and through Smart Choice in the United Kingdom.
The following year the label released North Dakotan songwriter Nic Garcia's third full-length album, The Desperate Ones, in January 2006. Prior to releasing on Yer Bird, Garcia had both self-released (The Blue Howl of 4 a.m. (2003), Sheep & Wolf (2004)) and worked with notable Midwest labels Supermedic Records (5 Songs (2002)) and Abandoned Scout Camp (Great Distance, (2003)).
To help promote an expansion of the website Yer Bird hosted a free digital download of Sounds Like Fall's Early Recordings which was a collection of home recordings prior to the sessions for The Wolf is at the Door. In July 2006, Philadelphia songwriter Hezekiah Jones' (Raphael Cutrufello of StillWillis) first album, Hezekiah Jones Says You're A-Ok, was released.
Released in 2007 was a compilation album entitled Folk Music for the End of the World which features tracks by notable songwriters Matthew Ryan, J. Tillman (of Fleet Foxes) and Hayden as well as other songwriters and with a cover painted by Kathleen Lolley (My Morning Jacket's Z). Following that release, in April, Yer Bird released J. Tillman's fourth full length album entitled Cancer and Delirium. The end of 2007 saw the first EP release, Hezekiah Jones' Come to Our Pool Party. Texan songwriter Blackbird Harmony released his second album, Hardwood Exits, in 2008 featuring harmony and duet vocals by Bosque Brown. In October that same year, Yer Bird released The Gunshy's new albums which included the new EP I Gave Too Much Time to the Wine as well as all of his previous EP releases. In 2009 the third release from the label from staple Hezekiah Jones Bread of Teeth alongside a limited CDR pressing of newcomer Luke Elliot entitled In Our Embrace.
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On September 8, 2008, Yer Bird launched The Aviary, a subscription-based digital offshoot of the label which provides subscribers with access to some albums by artists Yer Bird has released on CD, in addition to live recordings, demos, and full album releases by previously unaffiliated artists.
Unfortunately due to the label changing ownership and web hosting, the platform to support the Aviary project was temporarily closed on March 6, 2010. The Aviary will possibly be re-instated in the future pending resources of the label.