About Ron Oates

Ron Oates' name is a familiar one to anyone who has ever perused a CD insert or read the back of an album cover. The list of friends and artists with whom he's recorded reads like pages from a dreamscape… unreal.

Producer, arranger, conductor, artist development. Composer, songwriter, publisher. A working member of the Nashville recording community for more than fifty years.

His talents brought America's famous jingles to life, such as McDonald's, Burger King, RC Cola (Me and my RC), 7-UP, Kraft, Miller Beer, Chevrolet, Coors, United Airlines, and we cannot forget one of the most notable series of commercials of all time which contained the famous line, “Where's The Beef”.

His film credits include “Best Little Whorehouse in Texas”, “Nine To Five”, “Sesame Street — Follow That Bird” (which won a Grammy in 1985 for best children's album) and the themes from “The Exterminator” and “The Buddy System” (entitled “Here's That Rainy Day”, performed by Gladys Knight).

Ron was the first pianist and arranger included in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's tribute to studio musicians. He was recognized and placed in the Congressional Record by US Congressmen Bob Clement of Tennessee and David Phelps of Illinois. In part, the honorarium states that Ron Oates is one of the major creative forces behind an amazing list of hit records, and millions of record sales.

Ron has one daughter, Melanie, who lives in Pennsylvania, along with his three grandsons, Brant, Hayden and Lane.