John Oates

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John Oates
John Oates in 2016
Background information
Birth name	John William Oates
Born	(1948-04-07) April 7, 1948 (age 73) New York City, U.S.
Origin	North Wales, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Genres	Blue-eyed soul pop rock R&B soul Philly soul soft rock
Occupation(s)	Musician songwriter record producer
Instruments	Guitar vocals
Years active	1966–present
Labels	Atlantic RCA Epic Arista U-Watch
Associated acts	Carly Simon Hall & Oates
Website	hallandoates.com

John William Oates (born April 7, 1948)^[1] is an American rock, R&B, and soul guitarist, singer, songwriter and record producer best known as half of the rock and soul duo, Hall & Oates (with Daryl Hall).

Although Oates' main role in the duo is guitarist, he also co-wrote many of the top 10 songs that they recorded, including (with Hall): "Sara Smile" (the song refers to Hall's then-girlfriend, Sara Allen), "She's Gone", and "Out of Touch", as well as (with Allen and Hall): "You Make My Dreams", "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)", "Maneater", and "Adult Education". He also sang lead vocals on several more singles in the Hot 100, such as "How Does It Feel to Be Back", "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" (a remake of the 1965 song performed by the Righteous Brothers that was written by Phil Spector, Barry Mann, and Cynthia Weil), on which Oates shared lead vocals with Hall, and "Possession Obsession" (with Allen & Hall).

Especially in the duo's 1970s output, the songwriting on the albums was usually very evenly divided, with Oates writing many of the tracks on his own along with many co-written songs. For example, on Daryl Hall & John Oates—released in 1975 and the duo's first top-20 album—most of the songs were co-written, along with two songs by Oates and one by Hall.

In 1986, Oates contributed the song "(She's the) Shape of Things to Come" on the soundtrack to the 1986 film, About Last Night. Oates also co-wrote and sang backup on the song "Electric Blue", recorded by the Australian band Icehouse, which was a Billboard top 10 hit. He also co-wrote, produced and sang duet with the Canadian group the Parachute Club on the 1987 song "Love Is Fire", which was a top 30 hit in Canada.

Oates played the character "Dirty D" in an episode of the eponymously named comedy TV series Garfunkel and Oates.

Oates was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004,^[2] and in 2014, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a member of Daryl Hall & John Oates.^[3] His memoir, Change of Seasons, was published in 2017.

Early life[]

Oates was born in New York City. His mother, Ann De Palma, was an Italian immigrant originally from Salerno. His father, Al Oates, was born to an English father and Gibraltarian mother, who claimed Moroccan heritage.^[4] He was raised in North Wales, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia.

Oates attended North Penn High School and was co-captain of the 1965-66 wrestling team his senior year and was Section 2 champion in the 127 lb (58 kg) weight class.^[5][6] Oates turned down wrestling scholarships and opted to attend Temple University instead because "it was in the city." Oates wrestled as a freshman at Temple and then "got tired of losing weight."^[7]

Career[]

In 1966, he recorded his first single, "I Need Your Love," with the Masters for Philadelphia-based Crimson Records.^[8] After graduating from North Penn High School in 1966,^[9] John enrolled in Temple University in Philadelphia, where he met Daryl Hall, a senior at Temple who was also a professional musician. The two were involved in several college bands, then formed the duo Hall & Oates, and by 1972, they had signed with Atlantic Records.^[10] Hall & Oates went on to record 21 albums (to date), which have sold over 80 million units worldwide, making them arguably the most successful duo in pop–rock history. They have scored ten number-one records and over 20 Top 40 hits and have toured the world for decades. Their involvement in the original Live Aid concert and the charity single "We Are the World", both in 1985, established them further as artists. Their influence on modern American pop music and considerable contributions have been acknowledged by numerous contemporary bands, including Gym Class Heroes and the Killers.^{[citation needed]}

In 1983, Oates was asked whether he regretted not pursuing his degree in journalism. He replied that he did not—and admitted that he had in fact never intended to finish it.^[11]

Despite 30 years as a chart-topping performer and sought-after producer, Oates did not release a solo album until 2002's Phunk Shui.

Oates took part, along with Jamie Cullum, in the song "Greatest Mistake" by Handsome Boy Modeling School. The song appears on the 2004 album White People.

Oates' second solo album, 1000 Miles of Life, was released on August 23, 2008.^[12]

As reported by Billboard in 2008, Oates was shopping an animated series titled J-Stache, created by Evan Duby at Primary Wave Music Publishing.^[13]

In March 2010, Oates played with the indie rock band the Bird and the Bee as a surprise guest. The show was a medley of the Bird and the Bee songs, as well as classic Hall & Oates. The performance was dedicated to H&O bassist T-Bone Wolk who died on February 27, 2010.

On October 1, 2011, Margo Rey charted at #24 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Tracks with the song "Let the Rain", which was co-written by Oates.^[14]

On March 11, 2013, Oates released a new single, "Stand Strong", which he co-wrote with Teddy Morgan. "Stand Strong" is part of Good Road to Follow, a set of original songs released as digital singles, one after the other.^[15] In 2015, Oates released Another Good Road,^[16] a DVD and Live CD combination via PS Records / Warner Elektra, which also debuted as a television special on the Palladia music channel. The DVD was shot live in a recording studio in Nashville, Tennessee, and features rare footage of his home in Woody Creek, Colorado.

His memoir Change of Seasons was published on March 28, 2017 by St. Martin's Press.^[17]

He released an album with his new backing band, "The Good Road Band", titled "Arkansas" on February 2, 2018. Oates commented that the album serves as a connection back to his pre-Hall & Oates music interest of traditional delta, country blues, and ragtime.^[18]

Oates has used many instruments and effects throughout his musical career and endorses several manufacturers and brands. Some of the companies endorsed by Oates include, Taylor Guitars,^[19] Voyage Air Guitars,^[20] Neunaber Audio,^[21] LR Baggs,^[22] and Fishman.^[23]

Personal life[]

Oates has been married twice. His first wife was Nancy Hunter, a former model. He and his second wife Aimee Oates^[4] have a son, Tanner, who was born in 1996. They reside in Woody Creek, Colorado^[24] as well as Nashville, Tennessee.^{[25][full citation needed]} Oates became friends with gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson when he moved to Woody Creek in the late 1980s and the pair maintained a close bond until Thompson's death in 2005.^[26]

Hall & Oates songs on which Oates sings lead[]

Discography[]

Studio albums[]

• Phunk Shui (2002)
• 1000 Miles of Life (2008)
• Mississippi Mile (2011)
• Good Road to Follow (2013)
• Arkansas (2018)

Live albums[]

• Live at the Historic Wheeler Opera House (2004)
• John Oates Solo – The Album, The Concert (2006)
• The Bluesville Sessions (2012)
• Live in Nashville (2020)

References[]

External links[]

• Official John Oates website
• Official website of Hall & Oates
• John Oates at AllMusic