John Oates is continuing his prolific solo career following his recent split with his longtime Hall & Oates partner Daryl Hall. After releasing a new Americana-influenced solo album titled Reunion in May, Oates has revisited his love for R&B and Philadelphia soul with a new single called “Mending,” a collaboration with Nashville-based singer/songwriter Devon Gilfillian.
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“Mending” is available now as a digital download and via streaming services.
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Oates and Gilfillian co-wrote and duet on the tune, a grooving, romantic ballad featuring both singers promising to heal the broken heart of a lover. The song is heavily influenced by Philly soul, which is appropriate, since both artists originally hail from the Philadelphia area.
“I became a fan of Devon Gilfillian the first time I heard him perform in Nashville and sensed the Philly soul right away,” Oates said in a statement. “[W]e became friends and this song is the first thing we wrote together.”
John also revealed that his wife, Aimee, was responsible with coming up with the name of the song.
“My wife wanted to help with some inspiration and pulled a random Tarot card that morning,” he explained. “[I]t was ‘Mending’; and [Devon and I] both knew it would be our song title.” He added, “[S]o proud to be creating with him.”
Devon Gilfillian on Collaborating with Oates
Gilfillian also discussed the collaboration with Oates, and how it came about.
“As a fellow Philly Native, I’ve been such a huge fan of John Oates since I can remember,” he noted. “Luckily, we’ve both landed in Nashville at this stage of our lives. I’ve known he’s in town for a while, but I was too shy to reach out. Thankfully, John hit me up a few months ago, and it was magic.”
Regarding “Mending,” Devon said, “The first time we got together to write we got this beautiful song that started from a tarot card that John’s wife Aimee pulled, and that turned into this beautiful story of love and repair. It’s so inspiring writing with John and I’m so honored to sing with such a legend.”
He added, “I hope ‘Mending’ heals some hearts and makes some more lovin’ happen.”
Oates Recently Debuted “Mending While Receiving a Prestigious Honor
On Monday, September 16, Oates was honored by music-rights organization BMI with its prestigious Troubadour Award.
BMI Nashville executive Clay Bradley presented the singer/songwriter with the honor.
“A Troubadour is someone who mixes knowledge with memories and puts that into songs to help us better understand the connections we all share,” Bradley said. “John Oates is the epitome of that. For the past 15 years, he has deepened the Americana community with his timeless albums like Arkansas and Reunion and he continues to raise the bar with music that transcends time.”
Oates was joined by Gilfillian at the reception to give “Mending” its debut live performance.
John Oates’ Touring Plans
Oates has a handful of shows lined up in 2024, and he’s also planning to schedule a full tour for next year. His next concert takes place on Saturday, September 21, at The Station Inn in Nashville. The gig is part of the 2024 AmericanaFest event.
Visit JohnOates.com to check out his full itinerary.
Tickets for Oates’ concerts are available now via various outlets, including StubHub.
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