First class songwriter…
A member of the popular group Bread, David Gates is also a songwriter, keyboardist, vocalist and producer. His first hit as a songwriter came with the popular Murmaids song “Popsicles and Icicles.”
David Gates was born in Tulsa, OK. to a band director and a piano teacher. Surrounded by music from birth, he was proficient in piano, bass and guitar by the time he was in high school. In 1957, he received a musical break when Chuck Berry came to Tulsa; Gates had his first hit, “Jo-Baby,” with Chuck Berry. The song was written for Gates’ high school sweetheart Jo Rita, whom he married and had children with while enrolled at the university of Oklahoma.
In 1961, the family moved to Los Angeles, and Gates embarked on a career of songwriting and producing. By the end of the ’60s, he had worked with Elvis Presley, Bobby Darin and Merle Haggard, and produced the 1965 Glenn Yarbrough hit “Baby the Rain Must Fall.”
Realizing that the only way his songs were sure to be recorded was to sing them himself, Gates founded Bread in 1968; the group consisted of Gates, James Griffin, Robb Royer, and later, drummer Michael Botts and keyboardist Larry Krechtel.
The group’s first album, Bread, was released in 1969 with hits “It Don’t Matter to Me,” “Dismal Day” and “Make It with You.” Soft rock hits became the band’s trademark and made them legends. Greater success and recognition came with the 1971 album, Manna, with the smash hit “If.”
With the popular albums Guitar Man and Baby, I’m a Want You, the band’s success led the members in different directions. The group disbanded in 1973 to pursue their own solo interests and careers, but regrouped in 1977 to produce the album Lost Without Your Love. David Gates produced albums of his own, First Album and Never Let Her Go in 1975; his songs landed him on the contemporary music charts every time, including “The Goodbye Girl,” from Neil Simon’s play of the same name.
Several of his songs have been recorded by artists such as Julio Iglesias and Boy George. “Everything I Own,” a tribute to his father as his greatest influence, was recorded by Nashville artists the Kendalls and Joe Stempley and then by pop rocker Boy George. His incredible songwriting ability offers versatility and a crossing over of musical genres. With a recording studio on his California ranch, David Gates continues to write and produce.
Words from allmusic.com.
Discography
First/Never Let Her Go/Goodbye Girl/Falling In Love Again
Demon Music Group 2013
Tracks: CD1: Sail Around The World, Sunday Rider, Soap (I Use It), Suite: Clouds Rain, Help Is On The Way, Ann, Do You Believe He´s Comin´, Sight And Sound, Lorilee, Never Let Her Go, Angel, Playin´On My Guitar, Watch Our, Part-Time Love, Chain Me, Light Of My Life, Someday, Greener Days & Strangers. CD2: Goodbye Girl, Took The Last Train, Overnight Sensation, California Lady, Drifter, He Don´t Know How To Love You, Can I Call You, Where Does The Lovin´Go, 20th Century Man, She Was So Young, Silky, Falling In Love Again, Starship, Ride, Chingo, Sweet Desire & The Rainbow Song.
Musicians on the First/Never Let Her Go/Goodbye Girl/Falling In Love Again album: David Gates and others.
The David Gates Songbook
Jive Records 2002
Tracks: Make It With You, Find Me, Baby I´m A Want You, I Can´t Play The Songs, If, Love Is Always Seventeen, It Don´t Matter To Me, The Mustan, Everything I Own, Mirror Mirror, Lost Without Your Love, This Could Be Forever, Aubrey, Sail Around The World, Part-Time Love, Sweet Surrender, Goodbye Girl, Never Let Her Go, Diary & The Guitar Man.
Musicians on the David Gates Songbook album: David Gates and others.
Love Is Always Seventeen
Musicraft 1994
Tracks: Avenue Of Love, Love Is Always Seventeen, Ordinary Man, I Will Wait For You, Save This Dance For Me, No Secrets In A Small Town, Heart It´s All Over, I Don´t Want To Share Your Love, I Can´t Find The Words To Say Goodbye, Dear World & Thankin´You Sweet Baby James.
Musicians on the Love Is Always Seventeen album: David Gates and others.
Take Me Now
Arista Records 1981
Tracks: It´s You, Take Me Now, She´s A Heartbreaker, This Could Be Forever, Come Home For Christmas, Still In Love, Vanity, Nineteen On The Richter Scale, Lady Valentine & It´s What You Say.
Musicians on the Take Me Now album: David Gates and others.
Take Me Now
Arista Records 1981
Tracks: It´s You, Take Me Now, She´s A Heartbreaker, This Could Be Forever, Come Home For Christmas, Still In Love, Vanity, Nineteen On The Richter Scale, Lady Valentine & It´s What You Say.
Musicians on the Take Me Now album: David Gates and others.
Falling In Love Again
Elektra Records 1980
Tracks: Can I Call You, Where Does The Lovin´Go, 20th Century Man, She Was So Young, Silky, Falling In Love Again, Starship, Ride, Chingo, Sweet Desire & The Rainbow Song.
Musicians on the Falling In Love Again album: David Gates and others.
Goodbye Girl
Elektra Records
Tracks: Goodbye Girl, Took The Last Train, Overnight Sensation, California Lady, Ann, Drifter, He Don´t Know How To Love You, Clouds Suite, Lorilee, Part-Time Love, Sunday Rider & Never Let Her Go.
Musicians on the Goodbye Girl album: David Gates, Larry Knechtel, Mike Botts, Dean Parks, Jim Horn, Dan Dugmore, David Lindley, Russ Kunkel, Jim Gordon, John Guerin, Larry Carlton.
Never Let Her Go
Elektra Records 1975
Tracks: Never Let Her Go, Angel, Playin´On My Guitar, Watch Our, Part-Time Love, Chain Me, Light Of My Life, Someday, Greener Days & Strangers.
Musicians on the Never Let Her Go album: David Gates and others.
First
Elektra Records 1973
Tracks: Sail Around The World, Sunday Rider, Soap (I Use It), Suite: Clouds Rain, Help Is On The Way, Ann, Do You Believe He´s Comin´, Sight And Sound & Lorilee.
Musicians on the First album: David Gates and others.