Rupert Wates was born in London and studied at Oxford University. He has been a full time songwriter since the late 1990’s, when he signed a publishing contract with Eaton Music Limited. His contract required him to write material in all kinds of styles and genres, for all kinds of artists. He worked extensively with Jazz vocalist Liz Fletcher. Moving in 2001 to Paris, Wates formed his own quartet and began playing live regularly. In fall 2006 he came to the US. He is now based in New York City and in Colorado.

Since coming to the US, Wates has won more than 30 songwriting awards (list on AWARDS page at www.rupertwatesmusic.com). He was voted an Artist Of The Year 2013 by the international house concert network Concerts In Your Home (www.concertsinyourhome.com), and in 2015 he was recognized as the network’s most booked performer, having secured over 100 dates through their database. He has released 7 solo CDs. They have been very well reviewed in the online press and tracks from them have been played on radio all over the world. His songs have been recorded by other artists in London, Denver and Nashville. He averages 150 live shows every year, in acoustic venues in every state in America, in Canada and in Europe. He performs sometimes alone, sometimes with his trio or his quartet. His music is an eclectic mix of acoustic, melodic art/folk, with flavors of jazz and vaudeville.

In 2014, Wates joined forces with Toronto-based virtuoso pianist Bartosz Hadala to form a piano/guitar duo called The Nightwatchers (www.thenightwatchers.com). The duo tour Europe regularly. In March 2015, they released a debut CD entitled The Nightwatchers, recorded at Phase One Studios in Toronto and featuring some of the standout songs of Wates’s extensive catalog.
Despite Wates’s British background, and underpinning the  universality of his music’s appeal, Folk And Acoustic Music Exchange has called him ‘a prime figure in American music” (www.acousticmusic.com) and goes on: “This is one gifted s.o.b…If you’re not hip to this guy yet you’re missing out”.
Audiences everywhere respond to Rupert Wates’ brand of melodic art/folk—haunting songs that ring true.

Have a listen to Rupert