It’s been a wild year of ups and downs for John Oates. He saw the dissolution of his longtime creative partnership with Daryl Hall, watched himself work through the emotions of that breakup in the press, and released the cathartic new album Reunion, his most introspective solo project yet.
Now, Oates, a fixture of the Nashville music scene since he took up residence in the city in 2010, follows in the footsteps of names like John Prine and Lucinda Williams when he receives the BMI Troubadour Award this year.
The annual award is presented to a songwriter who, according to a release, “has made a profound impact on the creative community as their craft continues to set the pace for generations to follow.” Oates and his music will be celebrated on Sept. 16 at a private ceremony at the Nashville offices of the performing-rights organization.
“John Oates has enriched Nashville and its music scene with his special blend of soulful storytelling and guitar playing,” Clay Bradley, BMI Nashville’s VP of Creative, said in a statement. “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.”
Along with Prine and Williams, past honorees have included John Hiatt, Robert Earl Keen, and last year’s recipient, ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons. The ceremony, traditionally held the Monday before AmericanaFest kicks off in Nashville, features guest artists performing the songs of the honoree. During Williams’ party, artists like Jason Isbell, Gibbons, Madeline Edwards, Angel Olsen, and Amos Lee all performed. (The performers are typically kept a secret until the day of the show.)
In an interview with Rolling Stone in April, Oates addressed his split from Hall and shared why he felt renewed as a solo artist. “During the pandemic, there were no more private planes. There were no more arena shows or even acoustic shows. It gave me a chance to step back. I had a chance to reevaluate things. My wife and I decided it was time to give back,” he said. “We started the Oates Song Fest for Feeding America, and we fed 350,000 families with that. And then I was asked to do Movember, which was a men’s health movement. I just got out of the mode of getting back on stage with the big band and the big production.”
On Reunion, he took stock of how he’ll be remembered, particularly on the song “All I Ask of You.” “I’m asking, ‘What will people think of me down the road? What will my personal legacy be?’” he told RS. “It’s not my musical legacy so much, but my legacy as a human. These are the things that are important to me.”
Oates is a 2014 inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a member of Hall & Oates, and a 2004 inductee of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
