Yächtley Crëw are a seven-piece SoCal band who burst onto the club scene in 2017, selling -out countless local venues before starting a nationwide Yacht Rock craze and being noticed by the legendary Jimmy Buffett, who signed them to his own Mailboat label prior to their deal with Earache/Universal Records. The nautical-suited and captain’s-hat-clad Yachtley Crew (also known as “The Titans of Soft Rock”), include drummer Rob Jones (Sailor Hawkins), bassist Chaz Ruiz (Baba Buoy), guitarist Thomas Gardner Jr. (Tommy Buoy), backing vocalist Curt Clendenin (Stoney Shores), saxophone/flutist Paul Pate (Pauly Shores), keyboardist Matt Grossman (Matthew McDonald) and NEW lead vocalist Ian Ward (Captain Ian). Ward joins the group with an impressive and wide-ranging resume that spans theatre, television and international performance. He has appeared on Broadway and starred in productions including Rock Of Ages, RENT, American Idiot, Footloose,and the iconic Jesus Christ Superstar at The Hollywood Bowl alongside Cynthia Erivo and Adam Lambert. Ward is bringing lead man vocals and commanding stage presence to stages around the world. He is also a Golden Ticket Winner and contestant on American Idol, and has collaborated and performed with Sir Tim Rice, Idina Menzel, Pat Benatar, and Cyndi Lauper. For the uninitiated, Yacht Rock encapsulates the revival of soft rock and Top 40 hits from the late ’70s to the early ‘80s — and it has become an undisputed nationwide phenomenon, inspiring fans to dress the part and sing along. The band’s first EP Seas The Day was released in 2023 and featured fan favorites such as Boz Scaggs’ “Lido Shuffle,” Ace’s “How Long,” Robbie Dupree’s “Steal Away,” the Bee Gees’ “How Deep Is Your Love,” Christopher Cross’ “Ride Like the Wind” and the band’s first original song “Sex On The Beach.”
