Benoît David
Encyclopedia
Benoît David is a Canadian
singer who is the lead vocalist of the English progressive rock
band Yes
and Canadian band Mystery
. He was selected by Yes in 2008 to stand in for long-time vocalist Jon Anderson
, who left the band due to ill health. Prior to joining Yes, David was also the lead vocalist of a Yes tribute band called Close to the Edge.
, Chris Squire
and Alan White
of Yes for a tour later that year. David came to the attention of Squire through YouTube
videos of his work with Close to the Edge. David stood in for Jon Anderson
, who was unable to tour because of ill health following acute respiratory failure earlier in the year. The tour was cut short when Squire became ill and David returned to work with Mystery and Close to the Edge.
David has since remained with Yes, the band touring in 2009/10. In October 2009, it was announced that David had formally joined Yes. Early in 2011, the band finished their next album, titled Fly From Here
, with David on lead vocals.
David continued for a time as a member of Close to the Edge after joining Yes, but the band went into hiatus after live dates in 2009 given David's commitments to Yes. David and guitarist Phil Charmettant have since left Close to the Edge and new replacements have been brought in.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
singer who is the lead vocalist of the English progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
and Canadian band Mystery
Mystery (band)
Mystery are a Canadian Progressive Rock band formed in 1986 by guitarist/keyboard player Michel St-Pere. Originally the band had no stable lineup, but in 1990 a lineup formed featuring Pere on guitars, along with Raymond Savoie on vocals, Stephane Perreault on drums, and Benoit Dupuis on Keyboards...
. He was selected by Yes in 2008 to stand in for long-time vocalist Jon Anderson
Jon Anderson
Jon Anderson is an English singer-songwriter and musician best known as the former lead vocalist in the progressive rock band Yes...
, who left the band due to ill health. Prior to joining Yes, David was also the lead vocalist of a Yes tribute band called Close to the Edge.
Yes
In 2008, David was announced as the lead singer of a line-up headed by Steve HoweSteve Howe (guitarist)
Stephen James "Steve" Howe is an English guitarist, known for his work with the progressive rock group Yes...
, Chris Squire
Chris Squire
Christopher Russell Edward "Chris" Squire , is an English musician, known as the bass guitarist and backing vocalist for the progressive rock group Yes. He is the only member of the group to appear on every album.-Before Yes:...
and Alan White
Alan White (Yes drummer)
Alan White is an English rock drummer known for his work with the progressive rock band Yes. White was also a member of the Plastic Ono Band, playing live in 1969 at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival, which was recorded and released three months later as Live Peace in Toronto 1969...
of Yes for a tour later that year. David came to the attention of Squire through YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
videos of his work with Close to the Edge. David stood in for Jon Anderson
Jon Anderson
Jon Anderson is an English singer-songwriter and musician best known as the former lead vocalist in the progressive rock band Yes...
, who was unable to tour because of ill health following acute respiratory failure earlier in the year. The tour was cut short when Squire became ill and David returned to work with Mystery and Close to the Edge.
David has since remained with Yes, the band touring in 2009/10. In October 2009, it was announced that David had formally joined Yes. Early in 2011, the band finished their next album, titled Fly From Here
Fly from Here
-Reaction from Anderson:In an interview with Rolling Stone, Anderson stated that on hearing the single "We Can Fly" he felt it sounded "a bit dated" and that Horn's production "wasn't as good as I expected"...
, with David on lead vocals.
David continued for a time as a member of Close to the Edge after joining Yes, but the band went into hiatus after live dates in 2009 given David's commitments to Yes. David and guitarist Phil Charmettant have since left Close to the Edge and new replacements have been brought in.
Mystery
David has been the lead singer of Mystery, a band led by Michel St-Père, since 1999. He appears on 2007's Beneath the Veil of Winter's Face and 2010's One Among the Living. While the former was entirely written by St-Père, the latter features David's first songwriting efforts as he co-wrote lyrics for two pieces with St-Père (music by St-Père).Mystery
- Beneath the Veil of Winter's Face, Unicorn Records, 2007
- One Among the Living, Unicorn Records, 2010