John Oates

John Oates Artistfacts

  • April 7, 1948
  • Sure, everyone knows Hall & Oates, the iconic rock and soul duo. But John Oates is more than just Daryl Hall's partner in crime. This guitar-slinging vocalist is a key ingredient in the Hall & Oates sound. He co-wrote many of their biggest hits, like "She's Gone," "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)," "Maneater" and "Out of Touch."
  • Things got rocky in November 2023. Hall hit Oates with a lawsuit and a restraining order, accusing him of "the ultimate partnership betrayal" for wanting to sell his songwriting rights. Oates fired back, calling Hall's claims "inflammatory" and "inaccurate."
  • Before Hall & Oates, John Oates recorded a single, "I Need Your Love," in 1966 with The Masters for Philadelphia-based Crimson Records.
  • Oates released his first solo album, Phunk Shui, in 2002. The album title is a play on the words "funk" and "feng shui." So why did it take him so long to make a solo record?

    "I just never really had a collection of songs or a direction that I felt was important enough for me to make that kind of statement," Oates told Songfacts. "I didn't want to make a solo album just to say I made one. It really wasn't until early 2000 that I started to assemble some songs, and I thought it was a good time."
  • He is passionate about photography and has exhibited his work.
  • Oates has a wrestling background and was a champion in high school.
  • In 2017, John Oates released his memoir, Change of Seasons.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

John Parr

John ParrSongwriter Interviews

John tells the "St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)" story and explains why he disappeared for so long.

Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull

Ian Anderson of Jethro TullSongwriter Interviews

The flautist frontman talks about touring with Led Zeppelin, his contribution to "Hotel California", and how he may have done the first MTV Unplugged.

Gavin Rossdale On Lyric Inspirations and Bush's Album The Kingdom

Gavin Rossdale On Lyric Inspirations and Bush's Album The KingdomSongwriter Interviews

The Bush frontman on where he finds inspiration for lyrics, if his "machine head" is a guitar tuner, and the stories behind songs from the album The Kingdom.

Charlotte Caffey of The Go-Go's

Charlotte Caffey of The Go-Go'sSongwriter Interviews

Charlotte was established in the LA punk scene when a freaky girl named Belinda approached her wearing a garbage bag.

Bill Withers

Bill WithersSongwriter Interviews

Soul music legend Bill Withers on how life experience and the company you keep leads to classic songs like "Lean On Me."

Kristian Bush of Sugarland

Kristian Bush of SugarlandSongwriter Interviews

Kristian talks songwriting technique, like how the chorus should redefine the story, and how to write a song backwards.