Suites Sample: Coming Soon! - February 4, 2012
SALTY SUITES will soon be releasing a sample of their long-awaited CD -- keep an eye out here, and at upcoming shows - finishing touches and duplication are quickly being completed!
SCOTT GATES & SALTY SUITES: News & Video Journal
HAVE YOU CHECKED OUT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE? - September 9, 2011
Hey there Salty Suites Fans!
Please go to our Facebook Page and search SALTY SUITES.
Check out our new Page and you can chat with us, look at events coming up and see pics and video links that are not on here! Before you leave please click the LIKE button! We are trying to get 1000 members! With us having only been on facebook a few short months we are already at 207 as of this morning!!!!
Thanks so much and hope to see you live in the flesh at a show soon!
NEW CD IN THE WORKS! - September 9, 2011
Yesiree Salty Suites Fans! There is a new CD in the works, the Band has begun preliminary recording of their debut CD and it will soon be in full production... The finished CD will be offered via EMAIL to all our loyal ones here off the Website and thru our Facebook Page so please if you have not registered for our mailing list yet, do so now..
Julian Family Fiddle Camp - January 4, 2011
April 14 - 17, 2011 brings "Julian Family Fiddle Camp" to Camp Cedar Glen in Julian, CA with Scott Gates teaching intermediate - "beginnermediate" mandolin classes. Information regarding Julian Family Fiddle Camp and the available instrument courses can be found at www.familyfiddlecamp.com.
Students registering for Julian Family Fiddle Camp should notate upon registration "Scott Gates sent me!"
Please be sure to review the web site at www.familyfiddlecamp.com for complete information regarding registration, camp, instructors, and the care and feeding of young musicians. See also information regarding the availability of camp scholarships. Again, be sure to notate that Scott Gates sent you!
SALTY SUITES - October 6, 2010
Scott Gates and Chuck Hailes are of like minds. They live in the world of live acoustic music, sharing a passion for roots and bluegrass, as well as traditional mountain music. Scott Gates is as close to a musical prodigy on the mandolin as you will ever meet and now plays guitar with the same fire and brilliance. Scott has been a mainstay at festivals for many years and holds a special place in his heart for people he sees year after year. Having performed all over the country and with artists as varied as John McEuen, Nathan McEuen, Steve Martin, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Kenny Loggins and a virtual Who's-Who of bluegrass players, Scott has started writing music of his own and will be bringing many of these tunes to you this year. Scott appeared last year on the Ellen Show with Steve Martin, recorded with Kenny Loggins on his soon-to-be-released family album, which was picked up by Disney, and toured the US with band mate Nathan McEuen. Partner in this new venture, Chuck Hailes, is one of the top bass players in the country, schooled in classical and jazz bass playing and techniques. Chuck writes his own music and has teamed with Scott to create many new musical gems. With his background in bluegrass music, and degree in the Upright Bass, Chuck sings and plays in a way that is uniquely his own.
Coffee Gallery Backstage: Scott's Annual Birthday Bash playing Sittin' on Top of the World.
Often joining Scott and Chuck in The Salty Suites is fiddler Paul Cartwright and singer/songwriter Chelsea Williams.
Elaine Gregston brings the steady rhythm section to the band by way of the accordion. She likes to surprise us all with an occasional solo!
Often collaborating with The SALTY SUITES are Paul Cartwright and Chelsea Williams.
Born and raised in Bakersfield, California, Paul Cartwright grew up in a musical family. His parents, both musicians, owned a music store where Paul spent his childhood days. He began studying classical violin at the age of 7. Paul studied jazz and classical violin performance at CSU Bakersfield and CSU Northridge. Paul has since led a diverse career, performing and recording with a spectrum of artists, including John McEuen, Kenny Loggins, Rissi Palmer, Everlast, Ozomatli, Dr. Dre, members of Oingo Boingo, Black Eyed Peas, Los Lobos and War. Paul's playing can also be heard on numerous tv, film and video soundtracks, including Battlestar Galactica, Big Love, Trauma, and Mad Men. Paul currently resides in Los Angeles, and is a member of several local progressive string groups, including the Los Angeles String Collective, the Quartetto Fantastico, Elevation Orchestra, and DaKah Hip Hop Orchestra.
Chelsea Williams. Chelsea has been writing and performing her own music since she was 13 years old. After a couple of years in two different working bands, Chelsea took the stage on her own by the age of 17, performing at clubs and coffee shops. While some of her early songs are still hits with her fans, she has continued to develop as a writer penning nearly 100 original songs to date. Chelsea currently makes her living by playing on the street for tips and selling a home-made demo, having sold thousands of CDs in recent months, one-by-one, simply on her own on the street. Her magnetic presence draws them in and her songs set the hook.
The future of the music we love so much is very bright indeed.
THE SALTY SUITES: a collaborative movement - October 5, 2010
The Gates-Hailes Collaborative (now dubbed The SALTY SUITES) presented their debut performance at the 6th Annual (18th) Birthday Bash held at the Coffee Gallery: Backstage in Altadena, CA on Tuesday, July 27th. Scott Gates and Chuck Hailes have been working out quite the show with new and newly refurbished tunes throughout, and collaborating with the best emerging artists in California. This show brought Scott opening for his own party with Bonny Jean (www.bonnyjean.net), singing "Oh, Mandolin". Gates and Hailes, collaborating with hot-and-sought-after fiddler Paul Cartwright, and with amazing singer/songwriter Chelsea Williams, presented a double set of material written and rendered over the last few months. Nathan McEuen, usually seen as the front man/singer/songwriter/guitarist with Scott Gates as the supporting musician, is currently touring his solo performance.
Scott's plans are to re-enter the world of bluegrass with this new band, The SALTY SUITES, and has already performed several events. Keep a watch on the Calendar page for newly posted events!
Video from 2010's Birthday Bash can be seen at the link below: http://www.youtube.com/agates11#p/a/u/0/adA1OtVIMA4
FANtastic! - June 23, 2010
The Gates Family was pleased to have Scott's first fans in attendance at Huck Finn: KAT and Crazy John from Disneyland, USA & first International Fans: Kimmie and Sunny Kobayashi all the way from Osaka, Japan. Special mention to Karen and Jim Przywara for going the distance and for being able to pronounce their last name! Newest fans: George "Einstein" and Cathy Margolin -- thanks for stopping by.
NATHAN & SCOTT - Newhall, CA - March 27, 2010
NATHAN MCEUEN
AND SCOTT GATES
at Out West
quality western wear and accessories
24265 Main St., Newhall (Santa Clarita), California 91321
24265 Main St., Newhall (Santa Clarita), California 91321
Nathan and Scott / The Grascals - January 29, 2010
The Nathan McEuen Band featuring Scott Gates on mandolin and Chuck Hailes on bass are opening for
THE GRASCALS at the Hanford Fox Theater in Hanford, CA on Saturday, January 30, 2010!
IBMA - September 30, 2009
Scott and Nathan are in Nashville. Scott is visiting IBMA. Any of you who see him there, tell him HELLO from California!
NORMAN, OKLAHOMA - September 27, 2009
John McEuen, Matt Cartsonis, Nathan McEuen and Scott Gates played tonight in Norman, Oklahoma. We talked to Scott after the show, and he was out to dinner with the guys. A pleased concert-goer left the following message in Scott's guest book:
New Guest Book Entry - Sun, 27 Sep 2009 7:45:46pm PDT
Name: Gordon Baker
Comment:
Just saw your show in Norman, OK tonight. Glad to see some young guns to carry on
what John and the Dirt Band started,and also good to see the great originals you are
crafting.
THANK YOU MR. BAKER for letting us know how things are going out there on the road.
Photos below: Scott's room at the Montford Inn -- Norman, OK
Scott and Nathan's Tour Update - September 24, 2009
Scott and Nathan's Fall Tour has taken them out of California, through Arizona and into Texas now. We've been asking for photos, and as soon as they are able to upload, we'll post a few. In the meantime, here is a clip from Dizzy's (San Diego Wine and Culinary Center) in San Diego, in the Harbor Club Building at 2nd and J. Streets in Gaslamp. Next time you go, park in the lot there, walk around the Harbor Club building toward the train tracks, and around to the back that looks like the front to the Wine and Culinary Center -- San Diego's best kept secret is the Dizzy's venue! Limited but excellent menu -- and get the creme brulee!
Local teen makes name as bluegrass artist - May 4, 2009
May 4, 2009 - 10:19 AM
APPLE VALLEY • Scott Gates is in demand as a session mandolin player,
having played with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, recorded an album with Kenny
Loggins and formed two acoustic bluegrass bands of his own.
The kicker? The Apple Valley resident is just 16 years old.
Scott was born in Santa Clarita and began his musical career at the age of
three, fingering the notes to “Mary Had a Little Lamb” on a toy piano.
After a stint with lessons on a real piano, focused mainly on hymns and
classical music, he dropped the instrument completely.
“I regret it now,” he said. “But I’m going to pick it up again
sometime.”
Still, those classical roots come back to haunt him on occasion.
“I was playing (mandolin) with a harpist on the street in Ventura a couple
days ago and I started playing these classical songs,” he said. “I was
like whoa, I didn’t realize I had these in my repertoire.”
When Scott was seven he was at Disneyland with his parents watching Billy Hill
& the Hillbillies. He was enthralled by the mandolin player, who turned
out to be duo-style master Evan J. Marshall.
“After a show I walked up to him and asked him if he would teach me
mandolin,” Scott said.
Marshall agreed, and what started as one hour lessons every two weeks quickly
grew into three hours once or twice a week.
Scott’s parents continued driving him down for lessons when he moved to
Apple Valley at 8 years old. That’s also when Scott became friends with the
son of a Lost Highway Bluegrass Band member and fell in love with the genre
through the Huck Finn Festival.
At 13 Gates and his friends formed the Pacific Ocean Bluegrass Band, which was
more of a “music collective” really, Scott said, with its young members
changing constantly.
In 2007, the “collective” took top honors in the Topanga Banjo/Fiddle
contest.
Last summer Scott was invited to play with a friend at the Camarillo Airport.
Turned out he was joining Jonathan McEuen, son to Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
founder, John McEuen.
After finishing the airport gig, Jonathan invited Scott to join him the next
night.
“He said, ‘I’m going to be playing with my dad and my brother if you
want to come and pick.’ I didn’t realize it was John McEuen until I got
there.”
Scott ended up playing with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band during last year’s
Huck Finn Jubilee.
Soon Gates and Nathan McEuen, who is 26 and has opened for David Crosby,
decided to make their own band. Bass player Chuck Hailes joined the group to
form the Gates McEuen Hailes Band.
Over the last year the acoustic bluegrass band has played shows in Memphis and
Nashville, done a tour around the southwest and is getting ready for another
in Colorado.
Meanwhile Scott’s earning his high school diploma online through
Philadelphia-based PennFoster.edu. He hopes to graduate through the
independent study program within the next six months.
“I’m not going to be the Social Distortion rockstar who drops out of high
school and runs with it,” Scott said. “There’s so many people with crazy
pipe dreams and I really want to have something to fall back on.”
Right now he’s thinking that might include a career in environmental
studies, or maybe advertising — “something that I can make a good living
at,” he said.
“Some of the best advice I’ve ever gotten, and I’ve gotten a lot, is
‘You’re not going to be the cute little kid forever,’’ Scott said with
a laugh.
When asked how he recently snagged a gig recording songs on the latest Kenny
Loggins album, Scott said humbly, “It was one of those things where this guy
knows this guy and this guy knows this guy...”
Nathan McEuen showed Loggin’s producer a YouTube video of Scott and what
started as playing one break along with John McEuen, battling back and forth
between the mandolin and the banjo, grew to recording three or four songs.
“The best part was when I left (Loggins) said, ‘We’ll do it again
sometime,’” Scott said.
While his oldest brother Thomas is “completely tone deaf” — raising
three beautiful daughters, holding down three jobs and still making time to
play Airsoft with Scott — his other three siblings have all dabbled in
music.
His brother Brandon played bass in a punk band as a teen, but has dropped the
hobby for dropping out of planes, doing military intelligence work for the
U.S. Army.
Dustin’s still a great guitar player, Scott said, sticking to classic rock
— not Chicago classic rock, Scott clarifies, but more like “some great
Chuck Berry licks.”
And his sister Lorie, who’s married to an airman in Arizona, still sings in
a band.
Scott started singing a few years back, mainly because no one else wanted to
be “the front guy” for POB. Now he’s taking lessons with a singing coach
in Hollywood and sings backup vocals with Nathan McEuen whenever he feels
inspired.
Brenda Hough of Bluegrass Breakdown has said, “Scott’s vocals now match
his mandolin prowess.”
Scott would love to become a songwriter, too. He’s penciled one so far about
a coal miner, but calls it “nothing special.”
“I like the idea of getting my heart out there. But I really want to write
something that’s different and unique,” he said. “I’ve crumpled a lot
of papers.”
He also has a passion for Celtic music, as evidenced by his Dropkick Murphys
ringback tone. And he dreams of playing in an Irish pub where, he’s been
told, people “shut up and pay attention” to good ol’ acoustic music.
When asked about his ultimate goal as a musician, Scott said, “I just kind
of want to make people happy, I guess. I know it sounds cheesy, but I want
people to have the same appreciation for music that I do.”
Brooke Edwards may be reached at 955-5358 or at bedwards@VVDailyPress.com.
the future
What a great Kid. Now here's a young man with real ambition and
he looks like he wears his pants where they're supposed to worn!
It's good to see such a young boy focused on something that he
loves and can possibly make a good living at. You go Scott and
keep working at your goals. I hope you do take up the piano
again. Someone that is cultured in the arts sure beats the young
one's that constantly want a handout and think everyone owes
them.