John Oates To Receive BMI’s 2024 Troubadour Award
BMI has unveiled John Oates as the Troubadour Award recipient of 2024. The accolade recognizes a songwriter who has set the tone for generations of aspiring artists and creatives. As a member of the best-selling rock duo of all time, Hall & Oates, Oates’ impact on music spans across five decades and continues to make waves in Nashville and across the globe.
“John Oates has enriched Nashville and its music scene with his special blend of soulful storytelling and guitar playing,” says BMI Nashville’s VP of Creative, Clay Bradley. “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.”
Since moving to Nashville in 2010, Oates has revived his passion for Americana music and released eight self-produced, solo albums including his most recent project Reunion. After curating Bonnaroo SuperJam with My Morning Jacket’s Jim James in 2013, he evolved 7908 Aspen Songwriters Festival into a national streaming charity fundraising event called Oates Song Fest 7908.
Since his affiliation with BMI in 1972, Oates has been named a BMI Icon, garnered 10 BMI Awards and 30 BMI Million-Air awards for hits such as “Maneater,” “I Can’t Go For That,” “Out Of Touch,” “Sara Smile,” “She’s Gone” and “You Make My Dreams Come True.” As a member of Hall & Oates, he has scored 10 No. 1 records, over 20 top 40 hits and has recorded 21 albums selling over 80 million copies. These achievements made them the most successful rock duo in history, as well as members of The Songwriters Hall of Fame and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Oates will receive the Troubadour Award on Sept. 16 at an invitation-only event. The celebration, sponsored by Dickel, Gibson, WP Global and YETI, will include tribute performances and speeches by special guests during a cocktail reception and dinner. Previous recipients of the award include Billy Gibbons, John Hiatt, John Prine, Robert Earl Keen and Lucinda Williams.
