Phil Gates Band

Phil Gates was born in Chicago Ill., into a family of musicians that helped form his music style, and ability. Phil began playing musical instruments at the age of eight. Later, while in the U.S. Air Force, Phil was selected as the guitarist and technical director for the "Tops in Blue" World Tour, which performed in fourteen countries as well as the halftime show at the NFL Superbowl.

The Phil Gates Band won the 2009 Regional International Blues Challenge, as well as the “Beale Street Blues Kings” Competition in Memphis.

Phil has been a valued judge for the Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN (2010), and also at the Guitar Center “King of the Blues” competition in Hollywood, CA (2008-2010)

Phil has also performed at great Blues venues such as B.B. King’s, Cozy’s, Biscuits and Blues San Francisco, Highway 99 Seattle, WA, The Monterey Bay Blues Festival, The Santa Clarita Blues Festival, The Topanga Canyon Blues Festival, The Simi Valley Cajun & Blues Festival, The Blues Music Awards Blind Raccoon Showcase, The Blues Nights Gossau(Blues Festival in Gossau, Switzerland)

In the studio, Phil is an accomplished session guitarist, performing on such projects Philip Bailey, Maurice White, Zac Harmon, Preston Glass, Peabo Bryson, Regina Belle, Melba Moore, Freddie Jackson, Evelyn "Champagne" King, Deniece Williams, Jody Watley, Howard Hewett, Teddy Pendergrass, and Brian McKnight. His current CD “Addicted To The Blues” is available on iTunes, and many other outlets along with his other four releases.

Phil is the founder of the Los Angeles Blues Society. He has also Co-Produced the award winning Blues record "The Blues According to Zacariah", and scored an AFI film “My Normal Life”.

Phil has also written and produced a guitar loop CD for M-Audio’s Pro Session’s Library and Apple computer’s Garage Band

Phil is a published author with Mel Bay Publications with an instructional book called “Recording The Guitar”.