John Oates
Oates performing in May 2024
Background information
Born	(1948-04-07)April 7, 1948 (age 76) New York City,New York, U.S.
Origin	North Wales, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Genres	Blue-eyed soul pop rock R&B soul Philly soul soft rock
Occupations	Musician songwriter record producer
Instruments	Guitar vocals
Years active	1966–present
Labels	Atlantic RCA Epic Arista U-Watch Thirty Tigers
Website	johnoates.com

John William Oates (born April 7, 1948) is an American musician, best known as half of the rock and soul duoHall & Oates along withDaryl Hall. He has playedrock,R&B, andsoul music, serving as a guitarist, singer, songwriter, and record producer.

Although Oates's main role in the duo is being the guitarist, he also co-wrote many of the top 10 songs that they recorded, including: "Sara Smile" (referring to Hall's then-girlfriend,Sara Allen), "She's Gone", and "Out of Touch", as well as "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 theHot 100, such as "How Does It Feel to Be Back", "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" (a remake of the 1965 song performed bythe Righteous Brothers), and "Possession Obsession". In 1986, Oates contributed the song "(She's the) Shape of Things to Come" on the soundtrack to the 1986 filmAbout Last Night. He also co-wrote and sang backup on the song "Electric Blue", recorded by the Australian bandIcehouse, which was aBillboard top 10 hit.

Oates was inducted into theSongwriters Hall of Fame in 2004,^[1] and in 2014 was inducted into theRock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a member of Hall & Oates.^[2] His memoir,Change of Seasons, was published in 2017.

Oates was born inNew York City on April 7, 1948.^[3] Oates's memoir states his mother was Italian, and his father was aGibraltarian of mixed background: Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Moorish (Berber and/or Arab). He was raised inNorth Wales inMontgomery County, Pennsylvania.^[4]

He attendedNorth Penn High School inLansdale, Pennsylvania, where he was co-captain of the 1965-66wrestling team his senior year and was Section 2 champion in the 127 lb (58 kg) weight class.^[5][6] Oates turned downcollege wrestling scholarships and opted to attendTemple University inNorth Philadelphia instead because "it was in the city." Oates wrestled as a freshman for theTemple Owls and then "got tired of losing weight."^[7]

In 1966, he recorded his first single, "I Need Your Love", with a group named The Masters^[8] for Philadelphia-basedCrimson Records.^[9] After graduating fromNorth Penn High School in 1966,^[10] John enrolled in Temple University in Philadelphia, where he metDaryl Hall, a senior at Temple who was also a professional musician. The two were involved in several college bands, then formed the duoHall & Oates, and by 1972, they had signed withAtlantic Records.^[11] 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 originalLive 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, includingGym Class Heroes^[12] andthe Killers.^[13]

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

Oates took part, along withJamie Cullum, in the song "Greatest Mistake" byHandsome Boy Modeling School. The song appears on the 2004 albumWhite People.

Oates' second solo album,1000 Miles of Life, was released on August 23, 2008.^[14]

As reported byBillboard in 2008, Oates was shopping an animated series titledJ-Stache, created by Evan Duby atPrimary Wave Music Publishing.^[15]

On October 1, 2011,Margo Rey charted at #24 onBillboard's Adult Contemporary Tracks with the song "Let the Rain", which was co-written by Oates.^[16]

On March 11, 2013, Oates released a new single, "Stand Strong", which he co-wrote with Teddy Morgan. "Stand Strong" is part ofGood Road to Follow, a set of original songs released as digital singles, one after the other.^[17] In 2015, Oates releasedAnother Good Road,^[18] a DVD and CD combination via PS Records /Warner Elektra, which also debuted as a television special on thePalladia music channel. The DVD was shot live in a recording studio in Nashville, Tennessee, and features rare footage of his home inWoody Creek, Colorado.

His memoirChange of Seasons was co-written with Chris Epting and published on March 28, 2017, by St. Martin's Press.^[19]

He released an album with his new backing band, The Good Road Band, titledArkansas, 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.^[20]

Oates has used many instruments and effects throughout his musical career and endorses several manufacturers and brands. Some of the companies endorsed by Oates includeTaylor Guitars,^[21] Voyage Air Guitars,^[22] Neunaber Audio,^[23] LR Baggs,^[24] and Fishman.^[25]

In November 2023, Daryl Hall sued Oates and filed atemporary restraining order against him, for initially undisclosed reasons.^[26] The following week, Hall filed a declaration accusing Oates of "the ultimate partnership betrayal" for planning to sell his share of the duo's publishing to Primary Wave Music. Oates responded that Hall's statements were "inflammatory, outlandish, and inaccurate".^[27]

Also in 2023, Oates competed inseason ten ofThe Masked Singer as "Anteater". He was eliminated during the Group C finals in "Soundtrack of My Life" alongsideKeyshia Cole as "Candelabra".

Oates was previously married to former model Nancy Hunter. He and his second wife, Aimee, have a son named Tanner (born 1996).^[4] They split their time betweenWoody Creek, Colorado,^[28] andNashville, Tennessee.^[29]

Oates became friends withHunter S. Thompson when he moved to Woody Creek in the late 1980s, and the pair maintained a close bond until Thompson's suicide in 2005.^[30]

• Official John Oates website
• Official website of Hall & Oates
• John Oates discography atDiscogs
• John Oates atAllMusic

• 1948 births
• 20th-century American guitarists
• 20th-century American male musicians
• American male singers
• American rock guitarists
• American male guitarists
• American soul musicians
• Singers from New York City
• Musicians from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
• Temple University alumni
• Living people
• Singers from Pennsylvania
• Hall & Oates members
• American rhythm and blues singers
• IMSA GT Championship drivers
• Guitarists from Philadelphia
• Guitarists from New York City
• Thirty Tigers artists
• American people of Italian descent
• American people of Portuguese descent
• American people of Spanish descent
• American people of Gibraltarian descent

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