Jeff Bates

在过去，乡村歌手多半来自贫困的家庭，而乡村歌曲也往往都以实际生活中的困顿、与因而带来的启发为素材。自从商业文化兴起後，乡村歌坛已经大大走样。有人说，Jeff Bates 的出现，将带领乡村音乐回归昔日的特色。来自密西西比的 Bates，婴孩时期就被生母抛弃，由一对佃农夫妻收养。他从小展现音乐天赋，在电视上看到猫王後，更决心要成为歌手。1993 年，他组成自己的乐队，四处巡回、同时作曲，甚至得到纳许维尔音乐界的赏识，但由於听信妻子的建议，他返乡发展，结果却沈沦下来，还因为染上毒瘾，到处偷窃乐器换取毒品而入狱。出狱之後，在好友的鼓励下，他力图振作，先是 Tracy Lawrence 唱红了他的「What a Memory」，接着更得到 RCA 的合约，在 2003 年推出首张个人专辑『Rainbow Man』，打进乡村专辑排行前二十名，甚至夺下「潜力榜」的冠军，获得很高的评价。不堪的过去，使他学会了谦卑，保持低调，直到 2006 年才发表第二张专辑『Leave the Light on』。 这回，他继续以浑厚的男中音，感性而又质朴的唱出生命中各种层面的感受，而且更接近传统的乡村风味。来自上一张专辑的「Long Slow Kiss」经过重新剪辑，连说带唱的表现出一个男人应该重视妻子真正的盼望。标题歌「Leave the Light on」浪漫的唱出一个男人迫不及待的想要回家与爱妻温存，「Good People」愉快的指出，在玩世不恭的表面下，很多人的本性其实是很善良的。「The Woman He Walked On」带有 George Jones 那种伤感的小酒馆情歌特质，令人感动。「Rub It In」翻唱自 Billy Crash Craddock 的 70 年代畅销经典，有着耳目一新的表现，「I Can’t Write That」是一个创作歌手的感叹，他无法写下妻子离去的故事，只能透过歌声来表达，而「Mama Was a Lot Like Jesus」更再度唱出了对母爱的歌颂。
Jeff Bates was only 17 when he entered a honky tonk in his hometown of Bunker Hill, MS. He wasn't there for the smoking, drinking, or rabble-rousing; he was there to audition, hoping to land a show or two. The audience went wild for his voice -- a mix of Barry White, Elvis Presley, and Otis Redding -- and before he knew it, Bates was offered a six-nights-a-week gig. All signs pointed to Nashville, but before he would get there, Bates had to battle a crippling methamphetamine addiction that eventually landed him in jail. He experienced a spiritual awakening while locked up and emerged from jail not only clean and sober, but also driven and ambitious in a way he never was before. Moving to Nashville and doubling his work ethic, Bates caught the ear of the RCA label and landed a record deal in 2002. The label issued his debut, Rainbow Man, in 2003 and his sophomore effort, Good People, in 2005. He kicked off the promotional campaign for his 2006 release, Leave the Light On, by performing the album's single, "One Second Chance," live at the Grand Old Opry.