Yacht Rock San Diego

Yachty by Nature is coming to Yacht Rock San Diego like they’ve never been rocked.  February 10, Southern California’s #1 smooth soft rock band comes to Pala Casino and Resort in San Diego County.  All your 70’s and 80’s guilty pleasure jams will come alive again.   This talented band of sailors takes you on the pleasure cruise of your life!  Fresh off a busy 2022, the band played 65 shows from Sea to shining Sea.  In fact, Yachty by Nature booked Pala for the first time back in April of 2020.  Unfortunately, the show was postponed due to Covid 19.  Don’t miss the boat.   In fact, make sure to get your tickets and room reservations immediately!  Pala is a huge venue.  Put on your captain’s hat and Ride Like the Wind to this next level concert.

Yacht Rock Tribute

2023 marks the 7th year of our existence.  Happy Birthday to your captains and keep the fire burnin’!  Highlights from 2022 keep shining bright.  We always wonder what venue sparks your hottest memories of us getting Yachty.  In our Instagram post the other day, a few venues popped.  Of course, Sea Legs grabbed the top spot for number of mentions.  Honorable mentions in the hearts of our fans were:  Vegas, Arizona, Paso Robles, Biergarten HB, Rancho Santa Margarita, and Catalina Island.  Of course, that time we played in my backyard at the Hacienda received a few standout exclamations.  Last year was the year we came out of Covid 19 and it was so refreshing to get back in the limelight again and our crowds never disappointed.  Thanks for the support!

As always, we’re trying new things and adding new songs and venues.  Keep that support alive and know that we truly LIVE the yacht rock life whether it’s San Diego, Los Angeles, Paso Robles, San Francisco, Arizona and beyond.  This year, the band journeys to the Bay Area, Idaho, and more Florida.  When it comes to Yacht Rock Cover Bands, this band certainly knows how to entertain.  In fact, the big mentions of Yachty by Nature keep adding up!

Soft rock

In our 7 year history of being the #1 soft rock band in Southern California, the ride has been fun!  Our fans really made us stand out early and often.  Pioneering the genre as the first yacht rock band in Orange County, we quickly played on the East Coast and things were happening out there.  In no time flat, OC Weekly rated us the best cover band in 2019.  In addition, the band found itself on the popular Rich Eisen sports show.  Then came a feature on KTLA morning news with Sam Rubin, Henry DiCarlo, Chris Schauble, with Megan Henderson.  Yachty by Nature even opened for Snoopadelic at Nood Beach on the Sea Legs property in Huntington Beach.  Our crew of smooth sailors received acknowledgement and kudos by JD Ryznar and Hollywood Steve Huey who were the originators of the term, “yacht rock”.

Sometimes When We Touch

Despite the magnitude of all these achievements, we recently hit serious pay dirt for the genre that we passionately emulate and tribute.  Ultimately, the new soft rock documentary that catalogues the rise, fall, and resurgence of 70’s and 80’s smooth music recently came out.  Interestingly, we make the opening preview and third part of Sometimes When We Touch which is available streaming on Paramount Plus.

We hope you have a moment to check out this in-depth look at soft rock/yacht rock.  Early on, Captain Carl rocks the yacht in a clip from the Rich Eisen Show.  Later, Scotty McYachty croons the anthemic chorus of Toto’s Africa.  During which, Carl moonwalks across the stage at Sea Legs’ Anti-NYE party.  Although the features were short, we were the first Yacht Rock Band to be shown in each segment.  Moreover, our fans were thrilled to see us included on such a popular and deep dive of our genre.  The band jumped for joy at such a glorious prospect.  We’ve done a remarkable thing here folks!

Yacht Rock Band San Diego

San Diego is one of those places where the band plays a lot of private shows.  Yachty by Nature looks forward to playing a lot more public shows for our fans out there in 2023.  Pala Casino and Resort will be a huge step in that direction.  We look forward to seeing you out there for a huge concert.  Don’t miss the boat on this one.  In fact, keep up with us on social media, here on the mailing list and the Bandsintown App.  In fact, do yourself a favor and Subscribe to our YouTube.  Additionally, the Linktree site has all of our links across the board!  Go ahead and subscribe there too 🙂

Cheers,

Your Captain

Best Yacht Rock Songs

Everybody has a favorite when it comes to best yacht rock songs!  Or, do they?  First, you gotta KNOW what tunes from the mid 70’s to mid 80’s make the cut as SMOOTH.  Then, you’ll have to struggle through the decision on which song truly floats your boat.  This bevy of lushly produced, jazzy, R&B jams by the best session musicians of the decade make it a brutal choice.  In fact, selecting your fave guilty pleasure from a genre ubiquitously represented on TV, film, commercials, and now yacht rock radio can be downright splitting hairs.  Lastly, there have been a million articles written on the topic, but rarely do you hear from one of the top cover bands in America.  Let’s dive in.

Also, here’s our last blog post if you’d like to peruse 🙂

What a Fool Believes

If you pay attention to the Yachtski Scale, there’s only ONE perfect score for best yacht rock songs.  That song is What a Fool Believes by the Doobie Brothers and scores a perfect 100.  Factually, JD Ryznar and his fellow pioneer en-smooth-iasts CREATED this genre.  They wrote the YouTube parody of the musical genre back in 2006 that launched the entire movement.

Subsequently, they assert that the personnel, the style, the writing, the lyrics, the instrumentation itself, and the famous Doobie Bounce of What a Fool presents the ideal materialization of SMOOTH.  Indeed, this tune begins with that bouncy, syncopated e-piano that the creators of Yacht Rock love.  Importantly, the buttery smooth Michael McDonald vocal, the jazzier chords, lush harmonies, and simple lyric of romantic regret registers as the north star that our yacht rock compass points to.  When in doubt, pull up anchor, batten down the hatches and sail in that direction.

Can you Sail to it?

Now that we have a baseline for the best yacht rock songs, let’s set sail!  Ahoy.  In order to steady our course, watch out for the obvious bogies, buoys, icebergs, and misgivings.  Not all of our favorite 70’s and 80’s songs are verified yacht, so let’s be aware of what the purists of Yacht Rock say.  First, they say the song Brandy is too early to be considered.  It only registers a 36.83 on the scale (under 50 points is labeled Nyacht Rock).  Feel free to read about why one of the world’s favorite captain songs is not technically on the boat.  They’ve written a healthy article on the subject!  In fact, Hall and Oates only made the cut with a couple tunes like Kiss on my List.  Even Little River Band, Ambrosia and others barely make the cut.

Of course, if we go by the rules, all songs by the Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, and Jimmy Buffett are completely out.  Ultimately, now we can focus on the pillars of that Yachty sound.  Toto and all their personnel, Michael McDonald, Christopher Cross, Kenny Loggins, Boz Scaggs, Steely Dan, Pablo Cruise, and George Benson are among the undeniable superstars of smooth.

Deeper Cuts

Apart from these Yacht Stars, let’s take a look at the bigger picture of bands.  Deeper artists like Ned Doheny, Bill LaBounty, Pages, Airplay, Marc Jordan, Robbie Dupree, Player, Ace, and the Sanford Townsend Band throw down a yachty groove as well.  Lastly, don’t forget the All Star personnel of Jay Graydon, David Foster, Jeff Porcaro, David Paich, and Bill Champlin that really keep us afloat.  In fact, there’s even newer groups that make the grade as contenders for the best yacht rock songs.  Artists like State Cows, Norwegian Fords, Thundercat, and Daft Punk have given us a healthy boost of modern Yachtiness.  Importantly, John Mayer’s new album Sob Rock testifies to the power of vintage style smooth soft rock.

Yacht Rock playlist time

Okay, time to choose.  Do the main heavy hitters make your list?  Africa, Rosanna, Ride Like the Wind, This is It and Lowdown are always crowd favorites.  But is your fave a deep cut like Who’ll Be the Fool Tonight by Larsen/Feiten Band?  Or do you go against all the Facebook group posts chiming in about how they hate the Piña Colada song?  Or Georgy Porgy… or the dreaded Answering Machine Song by Rupert Holmes?  If you’re like me, I go headfirst into those songs and appreciate the pure joy of Escape, which is a notoriously Nyacht song.  This begs the question, do I have to stay to the strict list of the purists who made the Yachtski Scale?  Or can I venture into the songs that just float my boat and keep me sailing.  Ultimately, it’s your choice.

While the Yacht Rock guys have rated some 400 songs, there’s plenty out there.  So feel free to improvise your top ten list of tunes that support your dancin’ on a yacht, sippin’ boat drinks and swaying to the palm trees good times.  Whether you’re a purist or freelancer out for the feelgood vintage party, there’s something in there for everyone!

Best Yacht Rock Songs 2.0

Ultimately, we hope this resource helps you find a way to your yacht.  Sailing, grooving, and overall jamming to the smooth sounds of the 70’s and 80’s doesn’t have to be one speed. Actually, there’s a lot of help in your quest.  You can listen to yacht rock radio.  Or, read articles like Captain Carl and his Top 8 best yacht rock songs and more. And even check out an amazing look at the comedy and meaning of the smooth top 100.  Of course, there’s Spotify, Sirius/XM, and YouTube galore.

Lastly, we hope you’ll come check a Yachty by Nature show and get to experience the thrill of LIVE yacht rock and the party of it all.  The band will surely play a bunch of your favorites and hit some deep cuts as well.  With Captain Carl at the helm, it’s always a great time.  Add the cruise director, Courtney Cruise and Scotty McYachty’s golden vocals and it’s ON!

Speaking of which, here’s the top 10 picks from Yachty by Nature for your listening pleasure.

1. Africa by Toto
2. I Keep Forgettin’ by Michael McDonald
3. What a Fool Believes by the Doobie Brothers
4. All Night Long by Lionel Richie
5. Lowdown by Boz Scaggs
6. Rich Girl by Hall and Oates
7. Rosanna by Toto
8. Peg by Steely Dan
9. Ride Like the Wind by Christopher Cross
10. This is It by Kenny Loggins

Yachty Playlist

So, what’s your jam?  Surely, you have plenty of food for thought and a first class approach and background to choosing that tune that raises your sail.  Let’s salute those about to dock and get listening, participating and overall celebrating the smooth music that puts a smile on our face.  Cheers to your best yacht rock songs and feel free to send us an email, post here, or connect on social media to let us know what you’re listening to.  As always, check the blog for ongoing yachtiness!  And check out our song list for all the smooth tunes we play 🙂

Ahoy!  Captain Carl #yachtrock #yachtybynature

Yacht Rock music ’22

Ahoy, yacht rock music lovers!  Yachty by Nature just celebrated it’s 6th birthday in June and this summer has been one for the record books.  In fact, we’ve had some pretty huge summers.  However, Summer of ’22 proved to be a hot one so far.  With two years of limping thru the pandemic, this season of smooth showed that everybody was truly ready to get out to experience the fun live concerts we’ve been missing since Covid 19 shut so many shows down.  Ultimately, the band has been having fun on the road, but we also returned to the fun park shows and the busy schedule that keeps that boat afloat.

Hollywood Bowl

First of all, THANK YOU so much for voting each day to help us win a spot as Opening Band at the Hollywood Bowl.  We are currently in the top 10 in our group.  Make sure to vote today for DOUBLE credit!  In fact, you can vote once per day and help us win $10,000 as well.  Please vote for us and scroll down to where it says VERIFY ON FACEBOOK and you’ll be able to vote for us!  Wouldn’t that be the ultimate bringing Yacht Rock Music and your captains of smooth 70’s and 80’s soft rock to one of the most historic stages in the world.  Moreover, keep up the great work.

As always, you’ll never hear exactly the same smooth setlist with Yachty by Nature!  We constantly love keeping the set fresh and mixing new and old songs into our concerts.  Importantly, at OC Park’s summer show, we opened with Takin’ it to the Streets by the Doobie Brothers.  It was a joy to watch our seasoned super fans shocked that we didn’t open with Ride Like Wind.  That Christopher Cross gem has long been a staple intro for us.  In fact, drop us a line, a text, a DM to let us know which song you’d like us to begin with.

Yacht Rock tunes

Speaking of which, our OC Parks show at Mason Park got us off to a smooth and yachty start to July!  What a cool venue, great crowd and a blast to see everyone get up and boogie to Kenny Loggins’ Footloose.  We were able to keep the easy listening early set with masterpieces like Baker Street and Don’t Go Breakin’ my heart.  Additionally, the band caught fire ramping up the close of the set with Africa, Regulate, and Ain’t Nobody.  Does Courtney Cruise bring it on Chaka Khan or what???  Anyways, that was a glorious July 7 and we were coming off a beautiful 4th of July at our buddy, Mark Sanchez’s house and July 3 at the Beach Club in Pacific Palisades.

Next up, Yachty was seen in Corona del Mar at 5 Crowns for a yacht rock wedding.  Natasha and David’s wedding was a blast and the food was off the hook.  What an honor to celebrate them in style.  The next week saw Garden Grove cutting a rug on the lawn at Eastgate Park and Rancho Santa Margarita packing their park with about 3,500 hardcore soft rock fans!  Oh what a Night!  Once again, the band launched into Come Sail Away as an encore.  Ultimately, the crowd began waving their phones’ flashlights in the air making for a highlight of the summer.  What a feeling out there and we always appreciate the big love in RSM.

Coast to Coast

Yacht Rock Music has seen a meteoric rise across the country lately.  However, it’s not just California that’s getting Yachty.  In fact, Yachty by Nature has been the most sought after Yacht Rock act in the nation, second to only Yacht Rock Revue!  Moreover, we found ourselves on a plane again to Jacksonville this time for a concert in Amelia Island, Florida.  What a glorious place for smooth music to fill the air.  The powdery white sands on the beach and the resort feel out there was a nice counter to the oppressive heat and humidity inland.  Apart from the travel difficulties that Rim and Scotty experienced and narrowly missing the show, our weekend in Florida was grand!  Thank you to the Georgia Dental Association for all the fun, good vibes, and southern hospitality.  The boat bar in the middle of the party especially said, “I’m on a boat”.

If dropping anchor in Florida wasn’t enough, we had to get right back to California for another corporate party at the Waldorf in Dana Point.  The MBA had a beautiful spread on the grand lawn and what a beautiful night at this 5 star jewel of a resort.  We loved meeting people from all over the United States and new and old fans of yacht rock music!  Specifically, we found a crew from Atlanta who were already sailing far and wide.

San Francisco

We had the rest of the week to rally and prepare for a Friday Night with Levi’s and the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park before the MLB baseball game!  Wow.  The band setup right on the San Francisco Bay and the Giants/Cubs game attendees cruised through the yacht rock party just outside the park.  What a thrill and we even danced with their mascot, Lou Seal.  To celebrate the sponsorship from Levi’s, the band was decked out in denim.  The jean jackets were on fire with our brand of SMOOTH.  Giants and Levi’s even gave us Captain’s Hats with the San Francisco Giants color and logo.  Too fun.

Sea Legs Cancellation

Sadly, we returned from the Bay Area with a sick Scotty McYachty and we had to do a very rare thing.  We were forced to cancel the Sea Legs show on July 30.  This would have been the crowning glory of a wonderful Summer of 2022.  This venue is right on the sand and such a fun spot that we probably had well beyond our typical 1,000 people preparing to attend.  Thanks for everyone’s patience and a heartfelt sorry to those people who showed up and didn’t get the word of the canceled show.

It was agonizing for everybody and we thank the JettHeadz for putting on a great show as our opener.  In addition, we were lucky enough to get the 90’s RockShow and Offsprung to play in our absence and hold the crowd that came out to support us!  Cheers!  Importantly, Yachty by Nature will return to SeaLegs on October 8.  Moreover, mark that calendar.

Paso Robles

We are scheduled for the City of Corona concert in the park on August 4 and then a huge show in Paso Robles on August 6!  In fact, we are super pumped to return to wine country on the Central Coast for a return show at Cal Coast Beer in Paso.  Last year’s show there was a blast and we really love this town.  Yacht Rock music goes over huge there and we loved that crowd and venue.  Get your tickets and plan to be with us, even if you are in San Luis Obispo or surrounding cities.  Additionally, come up for a killer weekend!

Yacht Rock Music LA & more!

Let’s see where the band will drop anchor next.  In fact, we return for some Los Angeles dates.  Check the links and see which cool venue that you’ll get Yachty with us at:

August 10, private Corporate Party in San Diego

Thursday, August 11, La Santa in Santa Ana – hip, cool, funky venue right downtown

8.13, Santa Clarita Concert in the Park

August 19, Canyon Club Agoura Hills

August 27, Lake Forest Concert in the Park

September 4, Delta Coves in Bethel Island, CA

In closing, we’d like to thank you for all the love and support.  Moreover, let us return to lots of exciting shows and venues.  Importantly, the band is on fire and playing on the next level.  Keep the fire! In fact, Stay Yachty with us and we look forward to seeing you soon!  Overall, check out our LINKTREE site.  Ultimately, you will find even easier ways to connect with the band.  As a result, check the calendar and stay informed for great yachty happenings.

Yacht Rock Music next

Lastly, we do have some honorable mention events coming up.  In fact, we head up to the Bay Area again for that show in Bethel Island again.  In addition, the following weekend features YachtRocktober Fest with the Biergarten at Old World Huntington Beach.  Then, the Original Lobster fest is happening and we are on the bill for Sunday, September 11.  Importantly, we return once again to the friendly shores of Disco Bay on October 1.  Yes, Discovery Bay is getting Yachty and our concert will be at Campos Family Winery.  As stated earlier, we’ll be at SeaLegs in Huntington Beach on October 8.  Lastly, the band returns to Palm Springs to headline the Circa Caliente event on October 15.  In particular, make sure you get your tickets for Circa as soon as possible as it will sell out fast!

Of course, we will post reminders.  However, add to your list the fact that we will be back to Campus Jax on October 28 and then Daily’s in Rancho Santa Margarita on November 19.  That’s a lot of great yacht rock music for your listening and grooving pleasure.  Cheers and Ahoy!

Throwback to opening for Snoop here!

#yachtrockband #yachtybynature