Latest Posts
How ‘An Armenian Trilogy’ Came to Be
In 2014 I sat down at my piano and started writing the beginnings of what would become “An Armenian Trilogy”. The centennial of the Armenian Genocide was approaching fast and I was inspired by Father Garabed Kochakian’s vision of a musical commemoration as a tribute. 2015 marked the premiere of...
Watercolor Dreams Premieres Today
Sometimes good things take a while to be ready…like a delicious gumbo, or a blooming flower. Our new song “Watercolor Dreams” certainly took a long time to prepare…but I would say that the wait has been well worth it. Kenny Watson shines in this latest video, with additional vocals by Nancy Ingles...
New Music Alert – “Watercolor Dreams”
Coming next week on Youtube…make sure you’re subscribed! A new original music video featuring the talented Kenny Watson, titled “Watercolor Dreams”. Lyrics by David Barrett Music by Dan Yessian Production by Ohad Wilner Please subscribe to Dan Yessian Creative for earliest access to all the latest...
Armenian Name Game
What’s in a name? I’ve been asked why Armenian surnames all seem to end in “-ian” or “-yan”...Did you know that is actually a suffix, meaning “of”? It can mean “son of”, “descendant of”, or it could indicate a geographic origin, and it could even be a an occupation. A few years ago we put together...
Who doesn’t love a Boreg and some Basterma?
For me, nothing brings comfort like the food from my homeland of Armenia. Sure, hot dogs and hamburgers are fine from time to time. But who doesn’t love a Boreg and some Basterma? Watch “My Favorite Foods” Here!We look forward to sharing updates with you in the near future. As always for the...
Aram Khachaturian’s famous “Sabre Dance”
Here’s a look back at our re-arrangement of Aram Khachaturian’s famous “Sabre Dance”. It might be a little unorthodox to those familiar with the piece, but something tells me you’ve heard this melody before! In the spirit of fun and with reverence for the Classical Armenian composer…we present...
Why We Still Hum the Dittrich Furs Jingle 40 Years Later
About a year ago I got in touch with singer Larry Santos, and we caught up on a Zoom call. Larry and I had first met on a show titled “Hot Fudge” where we both wrote music for kids. The show aired in over 76 cities across the country. Larry’s voice was quite popular back then as he’d sung on so...
Dittrich Furs Jingle – A Strange Twist of Fate
The last few weeks have been a whirlwind for me. With the announced closing of Dittrich Furs, there’s been a lot of attention given to the jingle that I penned. I never dreamt that something I did 40 years ago would bounce back at me…but, here I am. My producer Ohad and I sat down to chat about...
Follow Dan Yessian In The Media
Detroit knows the late Ernie Harwell as the voice of the Tigers for the duration of 42 seasons. I’d been a friend of the late Harwell’s for many years. Not just good friends but also cowriters of music. At some point Harwell approached me to write a theme song for the Detroit Tigers and it found...
From Jingles to Stanley Cups: The Story of “Red Wings, My Red Wings”
In the early 90s I was sought out to write a sports song for the Detroit Red Wings. After writing the melody and lyrics I needed to find a lead singer for the project. Having previously worked with Larry Santos - who sang the Dittrich Furs jingle along with host of other jingles - we found a...
A Message of Hope: “Keep On Keepin’ On”
2026 is here and we’re putting our best foot forward with new original music! I’ve been lucky to collaborate with many artists and songwriters over the years. This song — titled “Keep On Keepin’ On” — was co-written by myself and singer/songwriter Cassaundra Fitch. I brought in vocalist Kenny...
Dittrich Furs Closes After 132 Years — But the Jingle Lives Forever
It’s the end of an era, but music and culture lives forever. Detroit’s iconic Dittrich Furs has announced their closing, marking the end of a 132 year family run business. In the early 1980s I got a call from Hal Dittrich and I was asked to write a jingle for his business. It was to be catchy,...
Bless This Christmas | a Beautiful Collaboration
With Christmas right around the corner, we look back at a song I wrote some 20 years ago, titled "Bless This Christmas". I co-wrote it with Danny Beckerman, an Australian composer who resided at Yessian Music for a couple of years. Our vocalist, "D Train" Williams flew in from New York City to...
What’s your favorite Christmas story?
In 2020 my producer and I put together this comedy sketch titled “A Christmas Peril.” We parodied the classic Charles Dickens story as I took on the Ebenezer Scrooge character and gave it a “Youtube Influencer” slant. An apparition appears to me at night and excoriates me for indulging in social...
A Timeless Wish for the Holidays
As the holiday season begins, we send our warmest wishes to you and yours. This time of year is perfect for taking a moment to reflect on the past and look ahead with hope to new beginnings. Here’s a look back at a our rendition of the timeless classic, "When You Wish Upon a Star," with singer...
Honoring the Life of Simon Javizian
I’m very saddened to report that my good friend Simon Javizian has recently passed. Simon was a corner stone of the Armenian community. Not only was he a funeral director for many years but he was also a great musician. When Simon decided to retire from the band he once led I was called upon by...