# List of the Yardbirds members

The Yardbirds are an English blues rock band from London. Formed in May 1963, the group originally included lead vocalist Keith Relf, lead guitarist Anthony "Top" Topham, rhythm guitarist Chris Dreja, bassist Paul Samwell-Smith, and drummer Jim McCarty. In October, Topham was replaced by Eric Clapton. He remained until 13 March 1965, when he left due to creative disagreements. Clapton recommended Jimmy Page to replace him, but he declined and Jeff Beck took over. Page later joined on bass the following June, after Samwell-Smith abruptly quit; Dreja later took over the role, allowing Page to join Beck on guitar. This lineup was short-lived, however, as Beck left in November 1966. The group continued as a four-piece until July 1968, when Relf and McCarty left due to creative differences, primarily with Page. Dreja initially remained, but by August, Page formed a new group with vocalist Robert Plant, bassist John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham, who later renamed themselves Led Zeppelin.
McCarty and Dreja reformed the Yardbirds in 1992, adding new members "Detroit" John Idan (lead vocals, lead guitar) and Rod Demick (bass, harmonica, backing vocals) from the drummer's eponymous band. Months later Demick left the band, Ray Majors joined on lead guitar, and Idan moved to bass, Laurie Garman also joined on harmonica. A recording of the Jim McCarty Band featuring Demick and Idan was released under the Yardbirds name as Reunion Jam. In 1996, Majors was replaced by Gypie Mayo, and later Garman was replaced by Alan Glen. This lineup remained stable for seven years, releasing the band's first new studio album since 1967, Birdland, in 2003. Shortly after the album's touring cycle, Glen left the Yardbirds and was replaced by Billy Boy Miskimmin. Mayo also left the band at the end of 2004, with Jerry Donahue taking his place. Donahue remained for a year, before he was replaced by Ben King.
In 2008, Glen returned to replace Miskimmin, although only remained for a year before leaving again. Also in 2009, Idan left the Yardbirds after 14 years as the band's frontman. To replace Glen and Idan, the group added Andy Mitchell on lead vocals, acoustic guitar and harmonica, with David Smale joining on bass. The band's lineup remained stable until early 2012, when Dreja was forced to stop performing after suffering two strokes. The following July, it was announced that Dreja would be leaving the band, with original member Top Topham taking his place. On 30 January 2015, this lineup played its final show at the 100 Club in London. A few days later, it was announced that McCarty and Topham would return with former lead singer and guitarist Idan, bassist Kenny Aaronson and Myke Scavone on harmonica and percussion.
Within a month of announcing a new lineup in February 2015, the Yardbirds postponed all tour dates due to "health concerns and extenuating circumstances". In May, guitarist Earl Slick was added to the band's lineup in place of Topham, and the shows were rescheduled for later in the year. However, due to "scheduling conflicts" Slick was unable to tour with the group, and on 12 August 2015 Johnny A. was announced as the band's new lead guitarist. Johnny A. remained until July 2018, when he was replaced by Godfrey Townsend.
On 10 January 2023 former lead guitarist Jeff Beck died at age 78, followed by original lead guitarist Top Topham on 23 January at age 75.

## Members
### Current members

| Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
| Jim McCarty | 1963–19681992–present | drumspercussionbacking and occasional lead vocals | all Yardbirds releases |
| John Idan | 1992–20092015–present | lead vocalsrhythm guitar (2015–present)bass (1995–2009)lead guitar (1992–1995) | Reunion Jam (1999)Birdland (2003)Reunion Jam Vol. II (2006)Live at B.B. King Blues Club |
| Kenny Aaronson | 2015–present | bass | none to date |
| Myke Scavone | 2015–present | harmonicapercussionbacking vocals | none to date |
| Godfrey Townsend | 2018–present | lead guitarbacking vocals | none to date |

### Former members

| Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
| Chris Dreja | 1963–19681992–2013 | rhythm guitar (1963–1966, 1992–2013)bass (1966–1968)backing vocalsoccasional piano and lead guitar | all Yardbirds releases |
| Keith Relf | 1963–1968 (died 1976) | lead vocalsharmonicarhythm guitar (1965–1968) | all Yardbirds releases from Five Live Yardbirds (1964) to London 1963: The First Recordings! (1981)BBC Sessions (1997)Live! Blueswailing July '64 (2003)Yardbirds '68 (2017) |
| Paul Samwell-Smith | 1963–1966 | bassbacking and occasional lead vocals | all Yardbirds releases from Five Live Yardbirds (1964) to Roger the Engineer (1966)London 1963: The First Recordings! (1981)BBC Sessions (1997)Live! Blueswailing July '64 (2003) |
| Anthony "Top" Topham | 19632013–2015 (died 2023) | lead guitarrhythm guitar and backing vocals (2013–2015) | none |
| Eric Clapton | 1963–1965 | lead guitaroccasional lead vocals | Five Live Yardbirds (1964)For Your Love (1965)Having a Rave Up (1965)Sonny Boy Williamson and the Yardbirds (1966)London 1963: The First Recordings! (1981)Live! Blueswailing July '64 (2003) |
| Jeff Beck | 1965–1966 (died 2023) | lead guitaroccasional lead vocals | For Your Love (1965)Having a Rave Up (1965)Roger the Engineer (1966)BBC Sessions (1997)Birdland (2003) – guest appearance on one track only |
| Jimmy Page | 1966–1968 | lead guitarrhythm guitar (1966)bass (1966) | Little Games (1967)Live Yardbirds: Featuring Jimmy Page (1971)BBC Sessions (1997)Yardbirds '68 (2017) |
| Rod Demick | 1992–1995 | bassharmonicabacking vocals | none |
| Laurie Garman | 1995–1996 | harmonica | none |
| Ray Majors | 1995–1996 (died 2022) | lead guitarbacking vocals | none |
| Gypie Mayo (John Cawthra) | 1996–2004 (died 2013) | lead guitarbacking vocals | Birdland (2003) |
| Alan Glen | 1996–20032008–2009 | harmonicapercussion | Birdland (2003) |
| Billy Boy Miskimmin | 2003–2008 | harmonicapercussion | Live at B.B. King Blues Club (2007) |
| Jerry Donahue | 2004–2005 | lead guitar | none |
| Ben King | 2005–2015 | lead guitar | Live at B.B. King Blues Club (2007)Making Tracks (2012) |
| Andy Mitchell | 2009–2015 | lead vocalsacoustic guitarharmonicapercussion | Making Tracks (2012) |
| David Smale | 2009–2015 | bassbacking vocals | Making Tracks (2012) |
| Earl Slick (Frank Madeloni) | 2015 | lead guitar | none |
| Johnny A. (John Antonopoulos) | 2015–2018 | lead guitar | none |

## Line-ups

| Period | Members | Releases |
| May–October 1963 | Keith Relf – lead vocals, harmonica Top Topham – lead guitar Chris Dreja – rhythm guitar Paul Samwell-Smith – bass, backing vocals Jim McCarty – drums, percussion, backing vocals | none |
| October 1963 – March 1965 | Keith Relf – lead vocals, harmonica Chris Dreja – rhythm guitar Paul Samwell-Smith – bass, backing vocals Jim McCarty – drums, percussion, backing vocals Eric Clapton – lead guitar, occasional lead vocals | Five Live Yardbirds (1964) For Your Love (1965) Having a Rave Up (1965) Sonny Boy Williamson and the Yardbirds (1966) London 1963: The First Recordings (1981) Live! Blueswailing July '64 (2003) Glimpses 1963–1968 (2011) |
| March 1965 – June 1966 | Keith Relf – lead vocals, harmonica Chris Dreja – rhythm guitar, piano Paul Samwell-Smith – bass, backing vocals Jim McCarty – drums, percussion, backing vocals Jeff Beck – lead guitar, occasional lead vocals | For Your Love (1965) Having a Rave Up (1965) Roger the Engineer (1966) Glimpses 1963–1968 (2011) |
| June–August 1966 | Keith Relf – lead vocals, harmonica Chris Dreja – rhythm guitar Jim McCarty – drums, percussion, backing vocals Jeff Beck – lead guitar Jimmy Page – bass | "Psycho Daisies" (1966) (Beck, Page, & McCarty only) Glimpses 1963–1968 (2011) (3 live tracks from 27/6/1966) |
| August–November 1966 | Keith Relf – lead vocals, harmonica Chris Dreja – bass, backing vocals Jim McCarty – drums, percussion, backing vocals Jeff Beck – lead and rhythm guitars Jimmy Page – lead and rhythm guitars | "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" (1966) (with John Paul Jones on bass) "Stroll On" (1967) |
| November 1966 – July 1968 | Keith Relf – lead vocals, harmonica, rhythm guitar Chris Dreja – bass, backing vocals Jim McCarty – drums, percussion, backing vocals Jimmy Page – lead guitar | Little Games (1967) Live Yardbirds: Featuring Jimmy Page (1971) Glimpses 1963–1968 (2011) Yardbirds '68 (2017) |
| Band inactive 1969–1992 |||
| 1984 – 1986 (Partial comeback as Box of Frogs) | Chris Dreja – rhythm guitar, percussion, backing vocals Jim McCarty – drums, backing vocals, percussion, keyboards Paul Samwell-Smith – bass, backing vocals percussion, synthesizer John Fiddler – lead vocals, guitars, percussion, synthesizers Notable session contributors Jimmy Page – lead guitar Jeff Beck – lead guitar Ray Majors – lead guitar, backing vocals, percussion Rory Gallagher – lead and slide guitar, electric sitar Mark Feltham – harmonica Steve Hackett – lead guitar Graham Gouldman – rhythm guitar, backing vocals | Box of Frogs (1984) Interchords (1984) Strange Land (1986) |
| 1992–1995 | Chris Dreja – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Jim McCarty – drums, percussion, backing vocals Rod Demick – bass, harmonica, backing vocals John Idan – lead vocals, lead guitar | none |
| 1995–1996 | Chris Dreja – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Jim McCarty – drums, percussion, backing vocals John Idan – lead vocals, bass Ray Majors – lead guitar, backing vocals Laurie Garman – harmonica | none |
| 1996 | Chris Dreja – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Jim McCarty – drums, percussion, backing vocals John Idan – lead vocals, bass Laurie Garman – harmonica Gypie Mayo – lead guitar, backing vocals | none |
| 1996–2003 | Chris Dreja – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Jim McCarty – drums, backing vocals John Idan – lead vocals, bass Gypie Mayo – lead guitar, backing vocals Alan Glen – harmonica, percussion | Birdland (2003) |
| 2003 – November 2004 | Chris Dreja – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Jim McCarty – drums, backing vocals John Idan – lead vocals, bass Gypie Mayo – lead guitar, backing vocals Billy Boy Miskimmin – harmonica, percussion, backing vocals | none |
| November 2004 – October 2005 | Chris Dreja – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Jim McCarty – drums, backing vocals John Idan – lead vocals, bass Billy Boy Miskimmin – harmonica, percussion, backing vocals Jerry Donahue – lead guitar | none |
| October 2005 – 2008 | Chris Dreja – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Jim McCarty – drums, backing vocals John Idan – lead vocals, bass Billy Boy Miskimmin – harmonica, percussion, backing vocals Ben King – lead guitar, percussion | Live at B.B. King Blues Club (2007) |
| 2008 – May 2009 | Chris Dreja – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Jim McCarty – drums, backing vocals John Idan – lead vocals, bass Ben King – lead guitar, percussion Alan Glen – harmonica, percussion | none |
| May 2009 – July 2013 | Chris Dreja – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Jim McCarty – drums, backing vocals Ben King – lead guitar, percussion Andy Mitchell – lead vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica, percussion David Smale – bass, backing vocals | Making Tracks (2012) |
| July 2013 – January 2015 | Jim McCarty – drums, backing vocals Ben King – lead guitar, percussion Andy Mitchell – lead vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica, percussion David Smale – bass, backing vocals Top Topham – rhythm guitar, backing vocals | none |
| February–May 2015 | Jim McCarty – drums, backing vocals Top Topham – lead guitar, backing vocals John Idan – lead vocals, rhythm guitar Kenny Aaronson – bass Myke Scavone – harmonica, percussion, backing vocals | none |
| May–August 2015 | Jim McCarty – drums, backing vocals John Idan – lead vocals, rhythm guitar Kenny Aaronson – bass Myke Scavone – harmonica, percussion, backing vocals Earl Slick – lead guitar | none |
| August 2015 – July 2018 | Jim McCarty – drums, backing vocals John Idan – lead vocals, rhythm guitar Kenny Aaronson – bass Myke Scavone – harmonica, percussion, backing vocals Johnny A. – lead guitar | none |
| July 2018 – present | Jim McCarty – drums, vocals John Idan – lead vocals, rhythm guitar Kenny Aaronson – bass Myke Scavone – harmonica, percussion, backing vocals Godfrey Townsend – lead guitar, backing vocals | none |