Keith Yates

Keith Yates has  been playing and singing most of his life. In the 1960's he played at a lot of folk and coffee bars in and around Atlanta area. He played at most of the clubs in the "Old Underground Atlanta"  then went on and played as a solo artist or with a band.

In 1969 he hooked up with a group called Sunshine Trolley that did a 20th Fox Movie theme for Capital Records. Keith later toured up and down the east coast and joined a southern rock & roll band called The Peachtree Band that put out a record called "Stuck in New Orleans" . They toured off and on for a few years.

Later settling down in the North East Georgia Mountains he started jamming in a local club on "Open Mic Night"  and that is how The Smith Crumley Band got its start.

Ben Fried

Ben Fried has been playing Bass since he was 14 years old and is considered one of the best in the area. He has preformed on albums produced by National Lampoon.

Lyle Lammers

Lyle has been playing guitar for more years than he can even remember, still using the same 1958 Gibson ES-175D that his dad bought him when he was a kid. He took lessons from the time he was eight till he turned twelve and admits that he was the worst of students. Now, besides playing in the SCB and with various other ensembles, he has over thirty students of his own,all of them gearing up to spread R&R, Country, Bluegrass,Jazz, and even Classical music through the world.

Matt Lammers

Matt has been playing percussion for some 40 years (took a hiatus during high school). Also an avid drum collector, he owns many varied types: tri-tone bongos, congas, bata, quica, talking drum, timbales, etc. Sometimes he even gets in Tim's space! He lives in Atlanta (Dunwoody) and is presently fortunate enough to be playing not only with SCB, but also a group of jazz wannabes, two church groups, a folksy-rock trio, and whoever else will have him! He seems to think that the more he plays the more he'll learn - perhaps it's finally paying off, as he seems to sometimes be aware that less CAN be more. He thanks his wife, daughters, and high school students (science) for their enthusiastic support.

 

Tim Ragland

Tim Ragland, drummer for Smith Crumley is a life long resident of the North Georgia Mountains. His family goes back seven generations to the late 1700’s. Tim is a graduate of North Georgia College with a B. S. in Psychology. He worked as a cognitive therapist and has worked as a drug and alcohol therapist as well. Tim currently runs his own business, Gold City Gun & Cartridge Company LLC located in Dahlonega, Georgia. Tim’s interest in drumming goes back to early childhood when his older brother was a drummer with a Country & Western Band. At around ten he began fooling around with drums but, was a trumpet player in his High School Band until his graduation in 1976. Shortly after Tim began playing drums in a Southern Rock & Roll Band and in 1978 began playing with Smith Crumley. Tim has studied percussion and drumming for almost 40 years and says there is still more to learn.