August 13, 2024
Invitation-Only Event at BMI Nashville to Feature One-of-a-Kind Performances Highlighting Oates’ Genre-Bending Career
NASHVILLE, TN – Aug. 13, 2024 - BMI will recognize music legend, John Oates, for his mastery of the American musical landscape by presenting him with its coveted Troubadour Award on Sept. 16th. The prestigious accolade recognizes a songwriter who has made a profound impact on the creative community as their craft continues to set the pace for generations to follow. As one half of the best-selling rock duo of all time, Oates’ massive popularity spans across five decades, generations and listening formats as he continues to carve a significant presence in Nashville and beyond.
“John Oates has enriched Nashville and its music scene with his special blend of soulful storytelling and guitar playing,” Nashville’s VP of Creative, Clay Bradley said. “His influence has elevated our community to be more accepting and open to all genres of music. We are proud to honor him as this year’s BMI Troubadour.”
After moving to Nashville in 2010, the “classic American songbook enthusiast” (The Tennessean) rekindled his passion for music by revisiting his inspirations historic roots. Opening a pathway to write self-produced music that captures the essence of Nashville’s Americana community, he has released eight solo albums including his most recent release, Reunion. The legend’s roots infused footprint continued to rise following notable performances at Newport Folk Festival, Philadelphia Folk Festival, Pilgrimage Music Festival and AMERICANAFEST. In 2013, Oates and My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, curated the Bonnaroo SuperJam and he was also the creator and executive producer for the 7908 Aspen Songwriters Festival, which evolved into a national streaming charity fundraising event called Oates Song Fest 7908.
Since his 1972 affiliation with BMI, Oates has been named a BMI Icon for his unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers. He has also received 10 BMI Pop Awards and 30 BMI Million-Air awards for 7x “Maneater,” 5x “I Can’t Go For That,” 3x “Out Of Touch,” 5x “Sara Smile,” 5x “She’s Gone” and 5x “You Make My Dreams Come True.” As a member of Hall & Oates he has scored 10 No. One records, over 20 Top 40 hits and have recorded 21 albums, which have sold over 80 million units, making them the most successful duo in rock history as well as members of The Songwriters Hall of Fame and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Dubbed “Nashville’s most glorious low-key party” (Rolling Stone), the invitation-only event will include unforgettable tribute performances and commemorative speeches by special guests during a cocktail reception and dinner. Oates joins the ranks of past Troubadour Award recipients including Billy Gibbons, John Hiatt, John Prine, Robert Earl Keen and Lucinda Williams. Falling on the eve of AMERICANAFEST, the night serves as a homecoming for BMI’s Americana family of artists and is sponsored by Dickel, Gibson, WP Global and YETI.
ABOUT BMI: Celebrating over 80 years of service to songwriters, composers, music publishers, and businesses, Broadcast Music, Inc.® (BMI®) is a global leader in music rights management, serving as an advocate for the value of music. BMI represents the public performance rights in over 22.4 million musical works created and owned by more than 1.4 million songwriters, composers, and music publishers. The Company negotiates music license agreements and distributes the fees it generates as royalties to its affiliated writers and publishers when their songs are performed in public. In 1939, BMI created a groundbreaking open-door policy becoming the only performing rights organization to welcome and represent the creators of blues, jazz, country, and American roots music. Today, the musical compositions in BMI’s repertoire, from chart toppers to perennial favorites, span all genres of music and are consistently among the most-performed hits of the year. For additional information and the latest BMI news, visit bmi.com, follow us on X and Instagram @BMI, or stay connected through Broadcast Music, Inc.’s Facebook page. Sign up for BMI’s The Weekly™ and receive our e-newsletter every week to stay up to date on all things music.
ABOUT JOHN OATES:
John Oates, co-founder of the legendary group Hall & Oates, is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the American Songwriters Hall of Fame a BMI Icon award winner and has won numerous American Music, MTV awards, and multiple Grammy nominations. As part of Hall & Oates he has recorded 21 albums, scored 10 number one records, over 20 Top 40 hits which have sold over 80 million units, making them the most successful duo in rock history. In 2017 he released an autobiography “Change of Season” that became an Amazon Best Seller. Singing from the time he could talk and playing the guitar since the age of five, John Oates was destined to be a musician. Born in New York City, his family moved to a small town outside of Philadelphia, PA in the early 1950s. His earliest musical memories were formed by listening to his parents Big Band and Swing music from the 1940s. Since the early 1950s John’s life has paralleled the evolution of Rock and American Popular music. He draws influence from the beginnings of rock and roll and later the nascent roots music of the early 1960s folk revival as well as the classic soul and R&B of that same era. His most recent recording “Reunion” showcases his songwriting, production and instrumental skills from his fifty plus years as a professional musician. John continues to tour worldwide with an intimate acoustic “Evening of Songs and Stories” style performance that has garnered rave reviews.
