About John Oates
John William Oates 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" , "She's Gone", and "Out of Touch", as well as "You Make My Dreams", "I Can't Go for That ", "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'" , and "Possession Obsession". In 1986, Oates contributed the song " 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, and in 2014 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a member of Hall & Oates. His memoir, Change of Seasons, was published in 2017.
Oates was born in New York City on April 7, 1948. Oates's memoir states his mother was Italian, and his father was a Gibraltarian of mixed background: Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Moorish . He was raised in North Wales in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
He attended North Penn High School in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, where he was co-captain of the 1965-66 wrestling team his senior year and was Section 2 champion in the 127 lb weight class. Oates turned down college wrestling scholarships and opted to attend Temple University in North Philadelphia instead because "it was in the city." Oates wrestled as a freshman for the Temple Owls and then "got tired of losing weight."
In 1966, he recorded his first single, "I Need Your Love", with a group named The Masters for Philadelphia-based Crimson Records. After graduating from North Penn High School in 1966, 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. Hall & Oates went on to record 21 albums , 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.
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