RED BETTY

In the closing years of the 1990s Yahz assembled Red Betty in New York. As the band’s principal songwriter Yahz supplies lead vocals, while guitarist Chris Swope occasionally adds his own songwriting. The lineup is completed by drummer Mat DeVeau and bassist Nicholas D’Amato. After an early roster change the four musicians, each drawn from distinct locales and musical histories, settled into their roles. DeVeau was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and has performed across numerous styles. D’Amato likewise brings experience in swing, country, and jazz. Swope, a Kansas City, MO, native, previously played with several groups throughout the American Midwest. Before the present configuration stabilized, the Yahz-led Red Betty issued the ten-track pop/rock album Sister Rubber Limbs in 1998. John Ashton, guitarist of the Psychedelic Furs, contributed guitar and handled production; the sessions also featured drummer Chad LaRue, bassist WhyNot Jansveld, and guitarist Michael DiLalla. With that debut in hand the band began appearing at New York City clubs including the Mercury Lounge, Brownies, and CBGB. Further exposure arrived when www.MP3.com chose the group for its Retail Music Program, placing a Red Betty single in stores across the United States. In 2000, with its revised membership, the band released the five-track album Swim.