John Oates could easily brag about his 7 platinum albums, 6 number-one singles, and, along with musical partner, Daryl Hall, a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
But he’s not in it for the accolades.
“The ultimate reward and the ultimate success of writing a song is: will it stand the test of time?” he said, “Will it sound as good 10 years, 20 years, 30 years in the future?”
Hall & Oates dominated the ’70s and ’80s pop charts, but even they were no match for Covid, which kept the duo off the road for the past year.
“I have really made an effort to stay creative,” Oates said.
The musician and his wife, Aimee, were inspired to perform an act of charity after learning that 1 out of 8 people across the country are facing food insecurity.
Oates said, “We knew about it, but we didn’t realize it was as bad as it is. And of course, the pandemic made it even worse, with people losing their jobs, unemployment. And we just kept sitting there going, no one in America should be without food. It just didn’t seem right.”
They’ve put together an online concert featuring stars from across the musical spectrum.
“I do have a pretty big virtual Rolodex,” he joked.
