JOHNNY GATES

Johnny Gates is a Rhode Island native whose journey from East Coast garages to Nashville songwriting rooms has been anything but ordinary. He got his start the summer after high school playing in a punk band called The Invite — later known as Runaway Saints — grinding through VFW halls and tiny clubs before eventually making the move to Nashville on a whim after falling in love with country music.

Not long after arriving, Gates and his band signed to a major label, trading mall jobs and duplex rehearsals for writing rooms with some of Nashville’s best producers, A&R minds, and songwriters. But after years of chasing radio hits and slowly losing sight of what made music fun, the band walked away from their deal and relocated to Los Angeles. There, Runaway Saints hit their stride — touring non-stop, opening for legends like Rod Stewart, and earning a name as one of Hollywood’s breakout bands. But the high-speed life eventually caught up to them, and the band quietly ended in a rehearsal space off Santa Monica Blvd. 

After the breakup, Gates was invited to compete on The Voice (Team Gwen, forever) — an experience that unexpectedly launched his solo career. That chapter led to a record deal in Sweden, management, and streaming success. But at a crossroads in his mid-30s, he walked away from it all, packed a couple bags, and moved back to Nashville — this time for good. 

What followed was a true second act: a publishing deal with Deluge Music, the release of his solo album East Music Row, and the beginning of a new chapter as a songwriter and producer. After working with artists like Chloe Kinnon of Winona Fighter, Gates discovered he loved working with other artists, and helping shape their stories even more than telling his own.

That realization led to the launch of East Music Row Records, a fully independent, artist-first label he co-founded with David Robkin and Austin Luther. The label is now home to rising acts like Felicity, Belles, and Jyou, and has become a creative hub for artist development — something Gates believes the music industry desperately needs more of.

Today, Gates splits his time between writing, producing, and developing artists. He continues releasing his own music through three separate projects: his introspective solo work, his punk band Johnny Was Here, and a developing country project known only as Cowboy Carl. His career may be unconventional, but it’s always been guided by instinct, honesty, and a deep belief in the magic of the beginning.