There is no fancy life style to Doyle Bates. He's just pure simple country and proud of it. He was born in 1951 on a cold January 29th day in Monroe, Georgia, this year he is 57 years young. With a little gray hair spread around, okay he admits a lot of gray hair and some missing to. He was raised on a cotton farm and was very poor. He didn't even know what a store bought shirt was like until he entered high school in 1965 when his Mother was to ashamed to make them any more. Most were made of flour sacks, but she had nothing to be ashamed of, she now makes his stage clothes. He started singing in a small town jamboree at the age of eight years old, with an average audience of about 150 people per night. He worked with the jamboree for eleven years, the show ran for twenty-one years until the founder died. He signed his first record contract in 1971 and learned first hand what crooks was all about in the music business. After this experience he was so disgusted with the business he left it for eighteen years to raise a family. He worked for 17 years as a milk man. Doyle was married for 34 years and divorced as of June 10th 2007when his wife left for reasons unknow to him.
After his departure from the music business he tried to come back on a major label, but none wanted him. Time and age had set in, in today's world of beauty queens and hunks, it just wasn't musical talent anymore it was a whole new ball game and he was quick to realize this. Being the person Doyle is he started Going Home Records and Doyle Bates Music/BMI and never looked back.
In 1992 he released his first album (I'm Going Home). He enjoyed a great deal of success with four songs off the album overseas as well as in the U.S.A. The biggest song "I'm Going Home" gained him world recognition and several awards. In 1999 he released his second album (Walking Through The Memories). The first song to be released off the album would be "White Line Fever" which was written about his son with his first experience of leaving home for the fist time for the military. People who hear this song say it reminds them of their first time leaving home. In the year 2000 he released his third album (What About The Children). One song was released off this album called "But Now I've Got Viagra", which he did with his Ex wife Pat Bates. It went wild in the U.S.A. and did fair overseas. It received mixed opinions. Doyle said as long as people are talking about you and your song they know you're there so let them talk. In the year 2001 he released his first gospel album (I'll Take Off My Hat To Jesus). A song has been released called "Life's Windmill" which is a true story. This album has already out sold all of his country albums combined. This is not your typical gospel. But we have learned to expect the unexpected from Doyle Bates. Doyle said God did the writing he just held the pen. Doyle said he likes to write songs with truth in them and that's what country music is all about.
I don't know exactly how to describe him even though I lived with him each day. He will walk around for days thinking. Then I know a new song is not far away. He has a hard time when it comes time to perform his own songs remembering the words because he's written so many. I've often seen him get on stage with the words in his hand. After he records a song he just pushes it aside and forgets it and goes on to something new. He's like a child with a brand new toy and don't guess he'll ever grow up. He is a proud person and takes a lot of pride in what he does. He don't say much and certainly want brag on what he does, often when folks talk about him you might see a little grin. On November 30th Doyle became a member of the Atlanta Country Music Hall Of Fame. Doyle said I guess I'm finally getting old.
Written by Ex wife Pat Bates
