Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Gates.
Hi Christopher, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I learned to sing in church and was a tenor in the church choir singing mostly southern gospel songs during worship services back home in Louisiana. After grad school, I borrowed a guitar from a friend and learned a few chords. Before I knew it, I was playing guitar, writing worship songs and singing in churches all over north Louisiana. In 2009, I moved to Austin and became a staff worship leader for one of the larger Austin churches, leading Sunday morning worship, organizing and performing in community events and fundraisers, and writing liturgies and original worship songs for use in my main church’s worship gatherings. I also taught guitar lessons to about 20 students a month.
In 2010 I was playing at The Nutty Brown Amphitheatre, just me and my guitar at a city-wide Easter event and was approached by the manager and drummer from The Rocket Brothers Band. They said they were starting a new rock n roll cover band and looking for a lead singer and thought I’d be a perfect fit. I had never done anything other than church music so I was hesitant. But after learning 30 or so songs in a matter of weeks and playing our first gig, I was hooked! I loved performing the classic/southern rock and country songs that I listened to growing up! After that first gig (which was pretty terrible) I stayed with the Rocket Brothers as co-lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the next eight years. We played mostly weddings and private events with a few public shows here in there. It was a lot of fun!
In 2016 I left church work for good after a massive disagreement in philosophy with church leaders. A major point of contention was my support of the LGBTQ+ community. It seemed like my whole world had turned upside down and I wasn’t sure what I would do next. I left the Rocket Brothers Band in early 2017 and took a year off from music to figure out my next move. I didn’t know if I would ever play music again. But after spending a year back home in Louisiana someone invited me to play a few songs with them at their gig and it all came rushing back. I moved back to Austin in the Summer of 2018 and began teaching again and playing solo acoustic gigs.
Then the world blew up!
Covid hit me pretty hard in March of 2020 and I was sick for two months. After that, I pretty much stayed home for the rest of the year and began writing songs and putting together a song list, a website, and social media pages for when (if ever) I would be able to get back out there and play music again.
In March of 2021, I was introduced to the Tammy Miranda Music Booking Agency and began booking solo acoustic shows all over central Texas. Tammy has been really good to me! Now, on top of my solo career, I have a power trio called Chris Gates & the Black Hats, which will eventually turn into a full band, and I’m working on a country duo with an amazing singer/songwriter that I’ve become friends with. I’m still writing original songs and playing them at open mics here and there and hope to have my first EP out sometime this year.
I absolutely love playing live music in Texas and I know that’s what I was born to do!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Lol! What’s a smooth road. Where I come from in central Louisiana, there’s no such thing as a smooth road. Neither literally nor figuratively. Other than dealing with a global pandemic, the most difficult thing for me to overcome is the feeling of absolute vulnerability on stage as a solo artist. When you’re playing with an eight piece band there’s security in numbers, but when you’re on your own, your exposed and it’s all eyes on you. But after developing relationships with the staff at the venues, I play regularly it has gotten a lot easier. I still feel the pressure and do my best to give it 100% every time I play, but it’s not as nerve racking as it once was.
The other thing that makes the road a little bumpy is the rising cost of housing in the Austin area. I feel like it’s driving many artists like me outside the city limits and that’s a real shame since we pride ourselves in being the “live music capitol of the world.” Challenges aside, there’s nothing I’d rather be doing and no place I’d rather be doing it! I love Austin!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m an entertainer before anything else. Whether I’m playing a 4 hour set of cover songs to a crowded bar or 1 or 2 original songs at an open mic, my goal is to make people feel good and forget about the challenges of life for a while. I love curating a good time for folks through my music. When playing cover show, I specialize in country and classic rock hits. I basically just play all my favorite songs, songs that I grew up listening to. Turns out that’s what a lot of other people love as well so it works. When I play original music, it’s more low key, folksy-Americana type stuff (e.g., John Moreland, Jason Isbell, Tyler Childers, Townes Van Zandt, Blaze Foley, etc.) and I’m definitely still figuring it out.
What I’m most proud of is putting myself out there in a full-time solo career and keeping at it. It’s a feast or famine trade and it’s easy to be tempted to quit and get a “real job” during the famines. But I’ve stuck it out and it’s been rewarding and the future looks bright!
There are so many extremely talented artists in Austin and I’m constantly watching them and taking notes. I love seeing other bands/artists play and I do my best to make it out to a couple of shows a week. After all, I’m not just a solo artist, I’m a fan!
I’m taller than most people, so I guess that sets me apart…
How do you think about luck?
I believe that luck and hard work go hand in hand. I’ve definitely been lucky. I’ve also worked hard to get to where I’m at. For example, I was lucky to find the booking agency that books 95% of my shows, but I only found them because I was calling and emailing venues every day asking for bookings. I’ve also worked hard to learn songs that people want to hear and to present myself in the most professional and consistent way possible. But despite all the hard work a little luck can be life-changing!
Contact Info:
- Email: christophergatesmusic@gmail.com
- Website: www.christophergatesmusic.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/christophergatesmusic
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/christophergatesofficial
