The Spectrum

Issue date: 4/28/05 Section: Arts & Entertainment

Media Credit: Contributed Photo Yandell, left, and Waite make up the duo known as Sweet Bird. Yandell graduated from SHU in 1991.

It's always comforting to know that graduates of your university have encountered a certain degree of success. Christine Yandell, a 1991 SHU graduate, is one such person.

Yandell is the member of a duo called Sweet Bird. Along with her partner, Steve Waite, the duo combines folk, pop, rock, and country to create a unique sound and a soothing mood.

The two co-founded the group in 2001 and is signed under the independent record label, Broad Band records. Yandell and Waite released their first album Free Spirit Reflection in 2003 and will release their second in mid-May called Soul Fire.

Yandell was born in Bridgeport and raised in Fairfield. She graduated from Sacred Heart University in 1991 with a Bachelors degree in graphic design. She now owns her own company called Turtle Dove design where she works as a visual designer.

Yandell's voice has been described as "sweet and pure as honey" and Soul Fire has a soothing but upbeat tempo. Combined with Waite's guitar accompaniment, the two work extremely well together. Hopefully, Yandell's voice will become even more identifiable in the future.

With the release of their second album, Sweet Bird should become more well-known and recognizable. The album will feature nine original tunes plus two cover songs.

With any luck, Yandell's success will inspire other Sacred Heart students to reach for their goals and achieve as much as possible.

Soul Fire will be available for purchase on www.cdbaby.com. To learn more about Sweet Bird, concert appearances, and their music log onto

www.broadbandrecords.com.

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