Musician John Oates to play at An Appalachian Summer Festival in Boone

Jul. 10—BOONE — Appalachian State University's annual summer arts event, An Appalachian Summer Festival, presents John Oates, one half of the best-selling duo of all time, Hall and Oates, and an accomplished solo artist. Oates and his band, who are considered some of Nashville's best, will perform a concert of old rock and roll, roots, blues, Hall and Oates hits, and originals on Friday, July 14 at 8 p.m. at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets range from $25-$50. Purchase in person at the Schaefer Center (733 Rivers St, Boone), online at AppSummer.org, or by calling 828-262-4046.

Oates is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and The American Songwriters Hall of Fame, and recipient of the prestigious BMI Icon Award as well as numerous American Music, MTV awards, and multiple Grammy nominations. Since forming his creative partnership with Daryl Hall in the early 1970s, they recorded 21 albums and sold over 80 million units, making them the most successful duo in rock history. They have scored 10 number one records, over 20 Top 40 hits, and have toured the world for decades. Their involvement in the original "Live Aid" concert and the groundbreaking "We Are the World" charity recording further established them as legendary artists.

An Appalachian Summer Festival, which runs through Saturday, July 29, is a five-week whirlwind presenting the best in music, dance, theatre, film and visual arts programming. John Oates is part of a lineup that includes Hamilton star Leslie Odom, Jr., Broadway and Disney star Lea Salonga, legendary bluesman Keb' Mo' with Americana chanteuse Allison Russell, and country star Darius Rucker. This year's festival also features such artists as Dance Theatre of Harlem, Strings for Peace, Reduced Shakespeare Company, Vivian Howard, and more. For a complete schedule of events, visit AppSummer.org.

Although Oates' main role in Hall & Oates was guitarist, he also co-wrote many of the duo's top 10 songs, including "Sara Smile," "She's Gone," "Out of Touch," "You Make My Dreams," "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)," "Maneater," and "Adult Education." He also sang lead vocals on other Hot 100 singles, such as "How Does It Feel to Be Back," "You've Lost that Lovin' Feelin' " (a remake of the Righteous Brothers' 1965 hit), and "Possession Obsession." In 1986, Oates contributed the song "(She's the) Shape of Things to Come," featured on the soundtrack to the 1986 film About Last Night. He also co-wrote and sang backup on the song "Electric Blue," a Billboard top 10 hit recorded by the Australian band Icehouse.

Since embarking on a solo career in 1999, Oates has recorded seven solo albums: Phunk Shui, 100 Miles of Life, Mississippi Mile, The Bluesville Sessions, Good Road to Follow, Arkansas, and Live from Nashville with the Good Road Band. In addition, his 2017 autobiography, Change of Season, released by St. Martin's press, became an Amazon best seller.

In 2021, he and his wife, Aimee, partnered with the streaming broadcast service NugsTV and co-producer Drive Entertainment Group to create a virtual celebration of stories and songs called Oates Song Fest 7908, inspired by a live series of shows that they created in 2010 at the historic Wheeler Opera House in Aspen, CO. Oates Song Fest 7908 became a free streaming concert with all donations and proceeds going to feedingamerica.org. The broadcast featured an all-star roster of artists, all of whom have volunteered their songs and performances to help families without food across the nation. As a result, over 450,000 meals were provided for American families.

In 2022, Oates became the international ambassador for Movember, the men's health initiative, and released a new original song called "Pushin' a Rock," with a theme of overcoming life's challenges and struggles. Oates recently released a series of digital singles in a variety of eclectic styles, including "Pushin' a Rock," "Maneater" and "Too Late to Break Your Fall," as well as a series of songs from the 2023 film Gringa. He is currently performing an intimate series of solo acoustic shows called an "Evening of Stories and Songs" in America and Europe. John and his wife Aimee reside in Nashville, Tennessee, and Aspen, Colorado.