DRUMMER
PERCUSSIONIST

Watching Robert Gates play drums is a study in passionate musicianship. He puts his all into every piece - body, mind, and soul. Ranging from blues to rock, funk to gospel, Robert finds the heart in each and every song he plays.

"Brother Robert is one of the hardest working drummers in the business!" - Gregg Wright

RG w sticks - cropped - lighter_edited.jpg

HISTORY: THE MAN BEHIND THE KIT

Performance Styles: Chicago Style Blues, Jazz, R & B, Funk, Classic Rock, Gospel, Latin.

2023 Oropeza Middle School (Unified School District of Long Beach) Taught Semester of Percussion Workshop
Oct 2023 San Felipe Blues & Arts Fiesta (Mike Wheeler Blues Revue, Headliner), Demetria Taylor Band, OJB Blues Revue, Austin Thomason Band
Oct 2022 San Felipe Blues & Arts Fiesta (Laurie Morvan Band, Headliner), Gregg Wright Band, Mike Wheeler Blues Revue
2022 Touring with Laurie Morvan Band: NorCal Tour, BC & AB Canada Tour, Midwest Tour, and Southern Tour
2021 San Felipe Blues & Arts Fiesta, BC, Mexico (Gregg Wright Band, Headliner) Mike Wheeler Blues Revue, Casey Hensley Band
2021 Produced, Promoted, and Performed the Mike Wheeler Blues Revue SoCal/Mexico Tour '21
2019 & 2018 Leimert Park Village Heritage Festival, LA (The Gregg Wright Band, Headliner)
Feb/Mar 2019 Big City Rhythm & Blues Magazine "On The Road" First Call L.A. Drummer
2019 San Felipe Blues & Arts Fiesta, BC, Mexico (Gregg Wright, and Michele Lundeen & Blues Streak)
2018 Baja Blues Fest, Rosarito, BC, Mexico (Gregg Wright)
2018 San Felipe Blues & Arts Fiesta, BC, Mexico (Gregg Wright)
In LA: Performed with: Gregg Wright King of the Rockin' Blues, Rosa Lee Brooks, Tutu Jones (Cadillac Zack LA Tour), Bernie Pearl, Sonny "Thee Bluesman" Green
In IA: Performed with: Iowa Hall of Famers George & Gil Davis of Sumpin' Doo, Tina Haase Findlay, Janey Hooper, Scot Sutherland
In Chicago: Performed with: Buddy Guy, Linsey Alexander, Howard and Sir Walter Scott & the World Band, Mike Wheeler, John Bruhnke, Professor Eddie Lusk, Charles Crane, Chicago Bears Band, Valerie Wellington, Holle 'THEE' Maxwell
'91 Chicago Blues Fest w/Betty Everett, '98 w/Nolan Struck and King Edward, '15 Illinois State Fair
Toured with Stan Mosley Blues Band
Recorded with: Gregg Wright, Carrie Lyn Infusion, Emery Williams, John Bruhnke, Tina Haase Findlay
Exodus Drum & Bugle Corps Instructor
Private Clinics: Billy Cobham, Ed Shaughnessy (Tonight Show), Art Farmer
American Conservatory of Music, Chicago
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale with Michael Hanes
Mardi Gras Rex Parade, New Orleans
U. S. Army Band School of Music
Johnny Lee Lane at Eastern Illinois University (Summer band camps)
Centralia, IL HS with David Drillinger