John Oates | |
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Background information | |
Born | New York City, U.S. | April 7, 1948
Origin | North Wales, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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Years active | 1966–present |
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Website | johnoates |
John William Oates (born April 7, 1948) is an American musician, best known as half of the rock and soul duo Hall & Oates along with Daryl Hall. He has played rock, R&B, and soul 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 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), and "Possession Obsession". In 1986, Oates contributed the song "(She's the) Shape of Things to Come" on the soundtrack to the 1986 film About Last Night . He also co-wrote and sang backup on the song "Electric Blue", recorded by the Australian band Icehouse, which was a Billboard top 10 hit.
Oates was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004, [1] and in 2014 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a member of Hall & Oates. [2] His memoir, Change of Seasons, was published in 2017.
John William Oates was born in New York City on April 7, 1948, [3] He was raised in North Wales, Pennsylvania [4] . He 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]
In 1966, he recorded his first single, "I Need Your Love", with a group named The Masters [8] for Philadelphia-based Crimson Records. [9] After graduating from North Penn High School in 1966, [10] 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. [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 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 [12] and the Killers. [13]
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. [14]
As reported by Billboard in 2008, Oates was shopping an animated series titled J-Stache, created by Evan Duby at Primary Wave Music Publishing. [15]
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. [16]
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. [17] In 2015, Oates released Another Good Road, [18] 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. [19]
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. [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 include Taylor Guitars, [21] Voyage Air Guitars, [22] Neunaber Audio, [23] LR Baggs, [24] and Fishman. [25]
In November 2023, Daryl Hall sued John Oates and filed a temporary 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 in season ten of The Masked Singer as "Anteater". He was eliminated during the Group C finals in "Soundtrack of My Life" alongside Keyshia 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 between Woody Creek, Colorado, [28] and Nashville, Tennessee. [29]
Oates became friends with 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. [30]
Title | Year |
---|---|
Whole Oats | 1972 |
Abandoned Luncheonette | 1973 |
War Babies | 1974 |
Daryl Hall & John Oates | 1975 |
Bigger Than Both of Us | 1976 |
Beauty on a Back Street | 1977 |
Along the Red Ledge | 1978 |
X-Static | 1979 |
Voices | 1980 |
Private Eyes | 1981 |
H2O | 1982 |
Big Bam Boom | 1984 |
Ooh Yeah! | 1988 |
Change of Season | 1990 |
Marigold Sky | 1997 |
Do It for Love | 2003 |
Our Kind of Soul | 2004 |
Home for Christmas | 2006 |
Title | Year |
---|---|
Livetime | 1978 |
Sweet Soul Music | 1984 |
Live at the Apollo (with David Ruffin and Eddie Kendrick) | 1985 |
Sara Smile | 1995 |
Live! | 1998 |
Limited Edition | 2001 |
Ecstasy on the Edge | |
Greatest Hits Live | |
Live in Concert | 2003 |
Live at the Troubadour | 2008 |
Live in Dublin | 2015 |
Title | Album | Year |
---|---|---|
"Goodnight and Good Morning" (as Whole Oats) | Whole Oats | 1972 |
"I'm Sorry" | 1973 | |
"She's Gone" | Abandoned Luncheonette | |
"When the Morning Comes" | 1974 | |
"Can't Stop the Music (He Played It Much Too Long)" | War Babies | |
"Camellia" | Daryl Hall & John Oates | 1975 |
"Alone Too Long" | ||
"Sara Smile" | 1976 | |
"She's Gone" (re-release) | Abandoned Luncheonette | |
"Do What You Want, Be What You Are" | Bigger Than Both of Us | |
"Rich Girl" | 1977 | |
"Back Together Again" | ||
"It's Uncanny" | No Goodbyes | |
"Why Do Lovers (Break Each Other's Heart?)" | Beauty on a Back Street | |
"Don't Change" | ||
"It's a Laugh" | Along the Red Ledge | 1978 |
"I Don't Wanna Lose You" | ||
"Wait for Me" | X-Static | 1979 |
"Portable Radio" | ||
"Who Said the World Was Fair" | 1980 | |
"Running from Paradise" | ||
"How Does It Feel to Be Back" | Voices | |
"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" | ||
"Kiss on My List" | 1981 | |
"You Make My Dreams" | ||
"Private Eyes" | Private Eyes | |
"I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)" | ||
"Did It in a Minute" | 1982 | |
"Your Imagination" | ||
"Maneater" | H2O | |
"One on One" | 1983 | |
"Family Man" | ||
"Italian Girls" | ||
"Jingle Bell Rock" | non-album single | |
"Say It Isn't So" | Rock 'n' Soul: Part 1 | |
"Adult Education" | 1984 | |
"Out of Touch" | Big Bam Boom | |
"Method of Modern Love" | 1985 | |
"Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid" | ||
"Possession Obsession" | ||
"A Nite at the Apollo Live! The Way You Do the Things You Do/My Girl" (with David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks) | Live at the Apollo | |
"Everything Your Heart Desires" | Ooh Yeah! | 1988 |
"Missed Opportunity" | ||
"Downtown Life" | ||
"Talking All Night" | ||
"Love Train" | Earth Girls Are Easy (soundtrack) | 1989 |
"So Close" | Change of Season | 1990 |
"Don't Hold Back Your Love" | 1991 | |
"Everywhere I Look" | ||
"Starting All Over Again" | ||
"Promise Ain't Enough" | Marigold Sky | 1997 |
"Romeo Is Bleeding" | 1998 | |
"The Sky Is Falling" | ||
"Hold On to Yourself" | ||
"Throw the Roses Away" | ||
"I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)" (remix) | The Essential Collection | 2001 |
"Private Eyes" (re-release) | 2002 | |
"Do It for Love" | Do It for Love | |
"Forever for You" | ||
"Man on a Mission" | 2003 | |
"Someday We'll Know" (with Todd Rundgren) | ||
"Intuition" | ||
"Getaway Car" | ||
"I'll Be Around" | Our Kind of Soul | 2004 |
"Without You" | ||
"I Can Dream About You" | 2005 | |
"Ooh Child" | ||
"Let Love Take Control" | ||
"It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" | Home for Christmas | 2006 |
"Home for Christmas" | ||
"Take Christmas Back" | non-album singles | 2007 |
"Philly Forget Me Not" (with Train) | 2018 | |
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
Year | Single | Artist | Peak chart positions | Album | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
US | US Country | ||||
1984 | "The Only Flame in Town" | Elvis Costello | 56 | — | Goodbye Cruel World |
2009 | "Sara Smile" | Jimmy Wayne | — | 31 | Sara Smile |
Year | Song | Album |
---|---|---|
1989 | "Love Train" | Earth Girls Are Easy (Soundtrack) |
1991 | "Philadelphia Freedom" | Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin |
1999 | "And That's What Hurts" | Runaway Bride (Music from the Motion Picture) |
Title | Year |
---|---|
Phunk Shui | 2002 |
1000 Miles of Life | 2008 |
Mississippi Mile | 2011 |
Good Road to Follow | 2014 |
Arkansas | 2018 |
Reunion | 2024 |
Title | Year |
---|---|
Live at the Historic Wheeler Opera House | 2004 |
John Oates Solo – The Album, The Concert | 2006 |
The Bluesville Sessions | 2012 |
Another Good Road | 2015 |
Live in Nashville | 2020 |
Year | Song | Album |
---|---|---|
1986 | "She's the Shape of Things to Come" | About Last Night (Soundtrack) |
2004 | "The Greatest Mistake (with Jamie Cullum)" | White People'' (album by Handsome Boy Modeling School |
Title | Year |
---|---|
Let's Drive | c.2014 |
Santa Be Good To Me (featuring the Time Jumpers) | 2016 |
I Blinked Once (featuring Bekka Bramlett) | 2017 |
The Christmas Song | 2020 |
Pushin' a Rock | 2023 |
Disconnected | 2023 |
What a Wonderful World | 2023 |
Why Can't We Live Together | 2023 |
Maneater (Reggae Version) | 2023 |
Too Late to Break Your Fall | 2023 |
Get Your Smile On | 2023 |
Daryl Hall and John Oates, commonly known as Hall & Oates, were an American pop rock duo formed in Philadelphia in 1970. Daryl Hall was generally the lead vocalist; John Oates primarily played the electric guitar and provided backing vocals. The two wrote most of the songs they performed, either separately or in collaboration. They achieved their greatest fame from the mid-1970s to the late 1980s with a fusion of rock and roll, soul music, and rhythm and blues.
Daryl Franklin Hohl, known professionally as Daryl Hall, is an American rock, R&B, and soul singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known as the co-founder and principal lead vocalist of Hall & Oates, with guitarist and songwriter John Oates. Outside of his work in Hall & Oates, he has also released five solo albums, including the 1980 progressive rock collaboration with guitarist Robert Fripp titled Sacred Songs and the 1986 album Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine, which provided his best selling single, "Dreamtime", that peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. He has also collaborated on numerous works by other artists, such as Fripp's 1979 release Exposure, and Dusty Springfield's 1995 album A Very Fine Love, which produced a UK Top 40 hit with "Wherever Would I Be". Since late 2007, he has hosted the streaming television series Live from Daryl's House, in which he performs alongside other artists, doing a mix of songs from each's catalog. The show has been rebroadcast on a number of cable and satellite channels as well.
"Kiss on My List" is a song by American duo Hall & Oates. It was written by Daryl Hall and Janna Allen, and produced by Hall and John Oates. It was the third single release from their ninth studio album, Voices (1980), and became their second US Billboard Hot 100 number-one single. It spent three weeks at the top spot.
"Everytime You Go Away" is a song written and composed by Daryl Hall. It was first recorded in 1980 by the American duo Hall & Oates but was not released as a single. A cover version of the song by Paul Young became an international hit in 1985, reaching No. 1 in the US and No. 4 in the UK.
"Maneater" is a song by American duo Hall & Oates, featured on their eleventh studio album, H2O (1982). It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on December 18, 1982. It remained in the top spot for four weeks, longer than any of the duo's five other number-one hits, including "Kiss on My List", which remained in the top spot for three weeks.
"Out of Touch" is a song by American duo Daryl Hall & John Oates from their twelfth studio album Big Bam Boom (1984). The song was released as the lead single from Big Bam Boom on Thursday, October 4, 1984, by RCA Records. This song was their last Billboard Hot 100 number-one single, topping the chart for two weeks in December 1984. It also became the duo's fourteenth consecutive top 40 hit since 1980.
Abandoned Luncheonette is the second studio album by the American pop rock duo Daryl Hall & John Oates, released in November 1973 by Atlantic Records. It combines folk and acoustic rock. It is the most commercially successful of their Atlantic Records period; the album reached #33 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tapes chart and featured one of their first major hits, "She's Gone", which found success after a 1976 reissue. Twenty-nine years after its release, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
"I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)" is a song by American duo Hall & Oates. Written by Daryl Hall, John Oates and Sara Allen, the song was released as the second single from their tenth studio album, Private Eyes (1981). The song became the fourth number one hit single of their career on the Billboard Hot 100. It features Charles DeChant on saxophone.
Ooh Yeah! is the thirteenth studio album by American pop rock duo Daryl Hall & John Oates, released on April 28, 1988. It was their first studio release in four years and their first with Arista Records. Though the album went platinum in the United States and produced a No. 3 entry with the single "Everything Your Heart Desires", as well as the singles "Missed Opportunity" and "Downtown Life" reaching number 29 and 31 respectively, it charted lower, and sold fewer copies than the band's previous albums. Ooh Yeah! is the last Hall & Oates album with Janna Allen contributing to the writing team. She died in 1993 of leukemia.
Big Bam Boom is the twelfth studio album by American duo Daryl Hall & John Oates, released by RCA Records on October 12, 1984. It marked the end of one of the most successful album runs by a duo of the 1980s. RCA issued a remastered version in July 2004 with four bonus tracks. The lead single "Out of Touch" was a #1 pop hit, and charted in several other areas. Another song taken from the album, the Daryl Hall and Janna Allen-penned "Method of Modern Love" reached a high point of #5, and "Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid," reached #18.
Bigger Than Both of Us is the fifth studio album by American pop rock duo Daryl Hall and John Oates. The album was released on September 8, 1976, by RCA Records and peaked at #13 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart. The album included the first of their six #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, "Rich Girl" as well as the singles "Back Together Again" and "Do What You Want, Be What You Are". Hall & Oates released a song titled "Bigger Than Both of Us" on their Beauty on a Back Street album one year later. "Do What You Want, Be What You Are" was covered by The Dramatics in 1979.
War Babies is the third studio album by American pop music duo Daryl Hall & John Oates. The album was released in October 1974, by Atlantic Records. It was their last of three albums for Atlantic Records before moving to RCA Records. The album was produced by Todd Rundgren. Rundgren and other members of Utopia, his then-recently-formed prog-rock band, perform on the record.
Daryl Hall & John Oates is the fourth studio album by American pop music duo Hall & Oates. The album was released on August 18, 1975, by RCA Records. It is sometimes referred to as The Silver Album because of its metallic-foil cover. The album spawned three singles: "Camellia", "Alone Too Long" and "Sara Smile". "Sara Smile" peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the duo's first top 40 and first top ten hit.
Whole Oats is the debut studio album by American pop music duo Hall & Oates. The album was released in September 1972, by Atlantic Records.
"Private Eyes" is a 1981 single by American duo Daryl Hall & John Oates and the title track from their album of the same name. The song was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for two weeks, from November 7 through November 20, 1981. This single was the band's third of six number one hits, and their second number one hit of the 1980s. It was succeeded in the number one position by Olivia Newton-John's "Physical," which was coincidentally succeeded by another single from Hall & Oates, "I Can't Go for That ".
"She's Gone" is a song written and originally performed by the American duo Daryl Hall and John Oates. The soul ballad is included on their 1973 album, Abandoned Luncheonette.
"Everything Your Heart Desires" is a song by American duo Hall & Oates, released as the lead single from their thirteenth studio album, Ooh Yeah! (1988). The song peaked at number three in the United States. It was their sixteenth and last Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 song. The 45 version was later included on their greatest hits album Playlist: The Very Best of (2008) while the video mix was included on VH1 Behind the Music: The Daryl Hall and John Oates Collection (2002) and on the box set Do What You Want, Be What You Are: The Music of Daryl Hall & John Oates (2009).
Eliot Lewis is an American rock, and soul singer, multi-instrumentalist and solo artist. He is best known for his work with Average White Band (1989–2002) and Hall & Oates (2003–2023). Lewis was the original featured musician on Live from Daryl's House, an Internet-based show hosted by Daryl Hall that now can be seen on its popular YouTube channel. In addition, Lewis maintains his own successful solo career as well as a prolific output of music.
Paul Pesco is an American session guitarist, singer-songwriter, film score composer and record producer.
Looking Back – The Best of Daryl Hall + John Oates is a compilation album by American pop rock duo Daryl Hall and John Oates. It was released in 1991. It contains tracks from ten Hall & Oates albums spanning 1973's Abandoned Luncheonette to 1990's Change of Season.