Latest Posts
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...
Flashback to Detroit’s Thanksgiving Parade
With Thanksgiving around the corner, I wanted to take a look back at some of the music I’ve written for Detroit’s Thanksgiving Parade. I’m thankful to have worked with amazing artists such as Lisa Fischer, Maurissa Rose, Cassaundra Fitch, Thornetta Davis, Bobby Alcott, and so many more. I also...
Honoring Our Veterans: A Special Tribute and New Song
On this and every Veterans Day, we pause to honor the dedication and sacrifice of all who have served our country. As a tribute, we would like to share an original song titled “Ring Around The Moon,” written by Dan Yessian and David Barrett. We thank every veteran for their dedicated service....
A Strange Kind Of Beauty | Over 60k streams
We’re so flattered by the overwhelming response to “A Strange Kind Of Beauty”…now with over 60k streams on Facebook! Check out some other great music featuring Kenny Watson here! Don’t forget to like and share “A Strange Kind Of Beauty” on your favorite social platform!Don’t forget to check out...
Keep On Keepin’ On, My Friend
In my 50+ years of working in the music business, I’ve had lots of ups and downs…but if there’s anything I can impart upon anyone facing adversity, it would be this: You have to persevere and find a way. Failure is never the end of the world, and if I had a nickel for every time things went awry...
Your Generosity Built a Studio And Confidence For Kids in Armenia
Last May, I organized a live event as a fundraiser for the Children Of Armenia Fund. It featured live music by decorated singers Kenny Watson, Nancy Ingles, and Justin Noroyan, as well as a special performance of “The Faith,” the third movement from An Armenian Trilogy with Associate Concertmaster...
Watch Our New Original Music Video
Last Friday we finally premiered the music video for “A Strange Kind Of Beauty”, a new original song written by Dan Yessian and David Barrett. The song is paired with a mesmerizing video that features cutting edge AI-assisted animation alongside Kenny Watson’s brilliant live performance. Featuring...
Who Is She? | A Strange Kind Of Beauty
"A Strange Kind Of Beauty”…coming next week... New original music from Kenny Watson, Dan Yessian, and David Barrett.Video directed by Ohad Wilner, visuals by Veo3 AI.Don’t forget to check out our playlist of original music exclusively on Disco.ac!We look forward to sharing updates with you in the...