Jeff Bates

About

Jeffery Wayne Bates (born September 19, 1963) is an American country music artist. Signed to RCA Nashville in late 2002, Bates released his debut album Rainbow Man in May 2003. In 2005 he released his second album, Leave the Light On, on RCA. He left RCA in 2006. This album was followed by Jeff Bates in 2008 on the independent Black River Entertainment. Bates’ two RCA albums accounted for seven chart singles on the Billboard country charts, of which three reached top 40: “The Love Song” (his highest, at No. 8), “I Wanna Make You Cry” at No. 23, and “Long, Slow Kisses” at No. 17.

Jeff Bates was born in Bunker Hill, Mississippi, a community in Marion County. He went to East Marion High School in Columbia.

Before signing to a record contract, Bates co-wrote Tracy Lawrence’s 2002 single “What a Memory”. Bates signed to RCA Records Nashville in 2003, releasing his debut single, “The Love Song” in December 2002. Peaking at No. 8 on the Billboard country charts, it was the first of three singles from his debut album Rainbow Man, which also produced a No. 47 in its title track and a No. 23 in “I Wanna Make You Cry”. Bates co-produced the…