written by Rick Amburgey 

Country music artist and songwriter Billy Yates has been playing some European dates and that is scheduled to continue at least through September.  Yates played Denmark and Switzerland in July and is scheduled to play in France during September.

It’s not surprising that for the past seven years Yates has been spending time in Europe promoting his music because his songs are very popular there, as well as the United States. Yates’ latest single, "Famous For Bein' Your Fool" from his "Bill's Barber Shop" disc recently broke records as it sat in the number one position on the respected CHIhotdisc chart for nine weeks.

Yates said that even though his success as an artist in the United States has been minimal, he's still proud that he has been on just about every label in Nashville. "My songwriting successes are something I'm very proud of. A Grammy nomination for "Choices" stands out," he added.

Yates is probably best known for co-writing two George Jones hits, “I Don’t Need Your Rocking Chair,” and “Choices.”  However, the prominent songwriter has had cuts by a number of Nashville’s stars including George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Sara Evans, Joe Nichols, John Michael Montgomery, Jeff Bates, Doug Stone and Ricochet to name a few.

He moved to Nashville in 1987 and he said he found his desire to be in writing. "Being around so many gifted writers made learning so much easier. I was lucky enough to meet a guy named Frank Dycus who taught me an awful lot."

Yates said that he has always been a fan of writers like Harlan Howard, Whitey Schafer, Doodle Owens and Hank Cochran. "Also, the simplicity in Hank Williams' (Sr.) songs appealed to me," Yates said. "Later, I fell in love the songs of Bob McDill, Dean Dillon, Wayland Holyfield and several others."

Yates released his first CD in 1997, on Almo Sounds, which is no longer in operation. The CD contained the single, “Flowers.”  The 1997 self-titled CD also contained Yates’ version of “Choices,” which would later become a hit for George Jones. The CD is now out of print, but autographed copies are available on Yates web site.

Yates’ later songs were released on Yates’ own label, M.O.D. Records. That label released a “Favorites” CD in 2006, featuring 21 of his favorite songs. The CD includes “Flowers” and a version of “Choices,” which is a duet with Jones. Every song was written or co-written by Yates. He has co-written with many of Nashville’s top songwriters, such as Kim Williams, Paul Overstreet and Monty Criswell.

Yates said "Flowers" and "Choices" are two of his favorite songs that he has ever written. "Beyond that," he said, "several songs that haven't been recorded yet."

Yates has always been a fan of traditional country music. He hosts the ‘Countriest of the Country” show every year, which showcases a number of artists that are still staying true to traditional country music. The show is done as a fundraiser for Christmas For The Children, a benefit Yates holds to giving less fortunate children in Robertson County, TN a better Christmas.