An dynamic musician and artist, Yvonne Doll acquired her love for music and painting as a child growing up on Cincinnati’s west side. From a young age, Yvonne was inspiredby her mother’s artistic nature, vocal abilities as a music instructor, and drive to provide a life filled with art for their family. Years later, she adheres to the same ideals.
Yvonne performed solo for approximately six years before her first album, “Bliss,” was released. Some local musicians filled in for the album’s recording. Hearing her songs with a backing band for the first time was transformational. Thus, she founded “The Locals” with her ex-wife, the original bass player. ‘The Locals’ have seven albums and are about to release a “Best of” collection, encompassing their last 25 years of making music. They’ll follow that with a brand new album later this year..
Music is in Yvonne’s bones, and she has always been dedicated to her band. The Locals recently marked their 25th anniversary, having made significant progress in the indie rock genre. The group has also been successfully performing in the US and the UK for the past two decades. Due to her exceptional skills, Yvonne was also selected as one of Guitar Player magazine’s “Top 10 Female Guitarists You Should Know.”
The band has played at major events at Chicago’s flagship venues and festivals, including The Metro, Lincoln Hall, Schubas, Taste of Chicago, and Halsted Market Days, Summerfest and more. They’ve also performed at music festivals across the country, including SXSW, Midpoint Music Fest, Summerfest, Dewey Beach PopFest, Hard Rock Cafe (Vegas), Chicago Pride Fest, and Milwaukee Pride YouBloom (Los Angeles, CA). Another milestone is that they served as Joan Jett & Berlin’s opening act at Summerfest. They’ve also shared the stage with significant artists such as Pat DiNizio (the smithereens), White Mystery, Hunter Valentine, and Girl in a Coma.
‘Minutes, Seconds, Degrees,’ Yvonne Doll’s latest album, is a trifecta of painful experiences in her life. Being told she had Meniere’s disease (an incurable inner ear disorder) was terrifying for Yvonne, especially as a musician, but she refused to let it limit her. However, she ended up facing the loss of her best friend soon after, followed by a broken marriage; her heart was shattered due to the loss of two important people in her life. Her strength comes from all three of these events, and the pain of her past has only made her stronger and more resilient.
The well-known musician speaks of how she is still fighting back from the excruciating events she experienced. She describes the journey of her resilience: “I think we’re a lot like those weeds that grow between cracks in the sidewalk; we seek the sun and grow despite the odds.”
Sky’s the limit for this determined musician. Yvonne Doll shares her ambition for her band to grow in popularity and perform on international platforms. Her band, ‘The Locals’, is all set to release a collection of the best of its songs as an album this year, which is hard to miss. Visit her website to bless your eyes and ears with her creative art and unique brand of 90’s inspired alt rock. music
