Yata is a singer, guitarist and prolific songwriter from the Midwest; a performance and recording artist of folk music who incorporates the influences of jazz, rockabilly, gospel, country, blues and ballads into his songs. Yata was a member of the Minneapolis based band, "Artesian Dreams," which received the Minnesota Music Award for Best Folk Band in 1980. They were also nominated in the jazz category. He moved to rural Wisconsin in 1981. While employed as a social worker, married and raising a