David Gates (Tulsa, Oklahoma, December 11, 1940) is a singer and songwriter, best known as the lead singer of the group "Bread", which was very successful in the 1970s by launching numerous world-renowned songs. This group is now in the Hall of Fame, Vocal Group.
•••>LIFE AND EARLY CAREER:...
Gates is the son of a band director and professor of piano as a child and as such enjoyed the music. He played piano, bass and guitar when he enlisted in the Will Roger's School of Tulsa, Oklahoma. As a teenager he joined local bands Cerec of Tulsa. In 1957, his high school band accompanied Chuck Berry at a concert. [1] Later, Gates released his first single, local hit, "Jo-Baby." The song was written by Gates's girlfriend, Jo Rita, whom he later married in 1958 while still studying at the University of Oklahoma.
Gates and his family moved to Los Angeles in 1961 where he became a composer and became involved in the production of records. He worked as a studio musician and producer of many artists including Pat Boone. The early success came with its membership to Murmaids "Popsicles and Icicles" which reached number 3 on Hot 100 in 1963. Another song "Saturday's Child" was recorded by The Monkees. In the late 1960's, had worked with many artists including: Elvis Presley, Bobby Darin, Merle Haggard, Phil Spector and Brian Wilson. In 1965 came the Glenn Yarbrough hit "Baby, the Rain Must Fall." In 1966 he produced two singles on A & M Records for Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band which were hits in the Los Angeles area.
•••>FAME:...
In 1967, Gates produced and arranged the band's debut album The Pleasure Fair, which had among its members Robb Royer. Less than a year later, Gates and Royer got together with Jimmy Griffin for forming the group Bread. The group was signed by Elektra Records, where they remained eight years. Their first album, Bread, was released in 1969, reaching # 127 in Billboard 200. The first single, "Dismal Day," written by Gates, was released in June 1969 without selling well.
Bread's second album, On the Waters, with a new member, drummer Mike Botts, was released in 1970 with great success, included the # 1 single "Make It with You" and was the first of seven consecutive Bread albums achieve gold status in the United States. His next three albums, Manna (1971), Baby I'ma Want You (1972) (with Larry Knechtel replacing Royer) and Guitar Man (1972) were also successful.
From 1970-1973, Bread placed 11 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, all written and sung by Gates, causing antagonism between Gates and Griffin, who contributed significantly to Bread's albums as a singer and songwriter. To the surprise of fans and the music industry, Bread disbanded in 1973.
Gates recorded and produced his solo album First in 1973. The single "Clouds", a version of the track of the album track 'Suite Clouds and Rain ", reached # 47 on Billboard. A second single, "Sail Around The World", reached # 50. The album reached # 107 in Billboard.
In 1975 Gates released the album Never Let Her Go, the single with the same title reached number 29 on the Hot 100.
Bread met in 1976 for an album, Lost Without Your Love, released in late 1976. The main title, again written and sung by Gates, reached # 9 on the Billboard Hot 100. Bread was separated again and the end of 1977, Gates released what would become his most successful solo single, "Goodbye Girl," the film of the same name in 1977, it rose to # 15 in Billboard in 1978. To capitalize on this success, an album was released in 1978 that contained material of the two solo albums Primea Gates mixed with new material. He managed another single, "Took The Last Train." Botts and Knechtel from Bread continued recording and traveling with Gates. One of these trips which called themselves "David Gates & Bread" generated a lawsuit from Griffin and an injunction against use of the name Bread. The dispute was resolved in 1984.
Gates released the albums Falling In Love Again in 1979 and Take Me Now in 1981. He recorded a duet with Melissa Manchester, "Wish We Were Heroes," included in this album Hey Ricky, 1982. Gates was less active in music during the 1980s, focused on the management of a ranch in northern California, he returned to music in 1994 releasing Love Is Always Seventeen, her first album in 13 years.
Gates and Griffin left their differences and came together for a final Bread tour in 1996-1997 with Botts and Knechtel.
In 2002 he launched The David Gates Songbook containing the first singles and new material. Gates currently lives in California.
•••>DISCOGRAPHY:...
-1973 First
-1975 Never Let Her Go
Goodbye Girl -1978
-1979 Falling in Love Again
-1981 Take Me Now
-1994 Love Is Always Seventeen
-2002 The David Gates Songbook
