Musicians have always found inspiration in the natural beauty of their surrounds, which in this area centers around our rivers. Steven Yata has done just that with his two newest releases, Imagination Nation and Nature Girl.

It’s no small feat making a long career out of music. Yet Steven Yata (who writes music as simply Yata) has done just that, working as a musician, songwriter and educator for 40 years. Yata’s previous band Artesian Dreams were a well-accoladed folk group in the early 1980s. Since then, the Arkansaw, Wis. resident has put out 10 CDs and worked with countless musicians, playing shows everywhere from the Heyde Center in Chippewa Falls to the Walker Art Center.

Yata’s music comes out of folk but is genre-bending, incorporating jazz, rockabilly, gospel, Americana and blues into his smooth, tranquil songs. He also takes great inspiration from writeen word, admiring beat-era poets primarily.

Both of Yata’s new records are heavily inspired by by the natural world (in fact, the Chippewa and Red Cedar Rivers actually get a writing credit on Imagination Nation.).

Yata’s CDs are available at The Local Store, 205 N. Dewey St., or on his website, yatayata.com, which also has more information and upcoming shows.