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Aaron Crisler | 615-474-8673
aaron@conduitmediaemail.com

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ABOUT LAWSON BATES

Lawson currently lives in Nashville, but grew up in a rural East Tennessee town called Rocky Top in the beautiful foothills of the Smoky Mountains. His latest album “American Dream” is out February 24th, 2022 and can be listened to and downloaded on all music platforms. 

His first album “Freedom Sure Ain’t Free” is available now along with his other album “What Country Means to Me” featuring his hit songs “Past the Past,” “I Will Always,” and “I’ll Love Again.” Lawson’s other popular singles available are “One + One,” “The Way I See You,” “Song For a Girl,” and “If I Ever Lost Your Love.” 

For Lawson Bates, music was a huge part of his childhood right from the beginning. As a young teenager, no dream seemed more fascinating to Lawson than writing songs and thinking they might impact someone. His biggest passions are music, (obviously), acting, his horse “Amiga”, German Shepherd “Duke,” and anything cowboy and country. 

Lawson started piano lessons at 7, picked up a mandolin at 9, and added guitar at 11, as well as a few other instruments along the way. Bluegrass, classic gospel, clean country, and a host of the old crooners such as Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and Roy Rogers strongly influenced his musical background. Songs like Tim McGraw’s “If You’re Reading This” or Aaron Tippin’s “You’ve Got To Stand For Something” or Dean Martin’s “My Rifle, My Pony, and Me,” reached into his heart and took his mind some place else. Those classic gospel songs of faith and hope, along with those country tunes about life, hard work, and freedom are what helped mold his current writing style, mentality, and vision! 

“They say Nashville is a ten year town, but I already feel blessed beyond measure to have worked with some of my musical heroes and inspirations. Yes, each goal checked off the list still feels like a dream (and I’ve still got a long checklist to continue), but the most meaningful thing to me will always be hearing each of your stories and how you’ve been able to connect to a specific song. I enjoy hearing the different ways they’ve impacted your life, or what they’ve made you feel- whether it’s a love song that struck a chord, a heartbreak that you were helped through, a Gospel song that elevated your faith, or a good old roll-the-windows-down-and-crank-it-up summertime jam, those relatable moments that you experience are what really mean the most to me.” - Lawson

At 17, Lawson started working on his first project, a 12-song album titled by with his first original song “Freedom Sure Ain’t Free” with Grammy award winning artist and talented producer, Andy Leftwich. Although a complete novice to the industry at that time, Andy played a huge role guiding Lawson through those first stages of development as an artist.

“If I were to try to list all the folks who have since come alongside and have guided me in development, writing, and production, it would take pages, but each of you know who you are, and I am forever grateful to you for your belief in me as an artist.” - Lawson 

He is the 4th child of 19 biological siblings, which his family has a television show called Bringing Up Bates on the UP television network. Lawson’s childhood was a pretty simple life: hard work in the family tree business, church every Sunday, a load of farm chores, and a summertime lawn company he started on the side to make a little money. He spent most of his free time hunting, fishing, heading to the ranch for some trail riding, or singing and playing music with family and friends. Lawson considers himself “rich” in the things that matter most: big love, strong family relationships, and most importantly, faith in Jesus Christ as His Savior. 

“If I could say just a few words to 15 year-old me, whose only goal was to write a song and then hear it on the radio, as well as to YOU reading this note, it’d simply be this - Whatever your dream is, I know you can reach it! Keep believing in yourself, working hard, doing your best, staying true to yourself, and soon you’ll catch yourself looking back in amazement at the doors God has opened. So for now, lets all keep riding this roller coaster, and if in some way, a lyric or melody or video of mine inspires you even in the smallest way to keep pursuing YOUR dream, then mine has been worth it a thousand times over!

Cheers to the future, it’s bright!” - Lawson

NEW PROJECT - AMERICAN DREAM

  1. American Dream

  2. Song For A Girl

  3. The Way I See You

  4. If I Ever Lost Your Love

  5. One + One featuring Olivia Collingsworth

  6. Crazy Love featuring Tiffany Espensen

  7. Like The Rain

  8. Change Your Mind

  9. You Don’t See Me That Way

  10. Killing Me

  11. Bible On A Shelf

  12. Song For A Girl (acoustic)


Producer: Andy Leftwich
Vocal producers: Adam Wheeler, Matt Rovey 
Mastering: Yesmaster studios
Sound engineer: Matt Rovey
Studio: SoundStage, Nashville 
Album photography and artwork: Matthew Berinato

TRACK BY TRACK - AMERICAN DREAM

American Dream
Writers: William Lawson Bates, Trent Willmon
The title track is ALL about perspective and gratitude. I’ve been blessed to travel the world and see so many beautiful places and faces, so when I sat down with my friend Trent to delve into what my “American Dream” means to me, it was really just drawing from all those experiences! As I’ve traveled to places like Iraq, the Philippines, South and Central America, and many other beautiful places, there’s no feeling like that moment when I touch back down in the USA. Sonically “American Dream” is that driving ballad you’ll wanna crank up at every cookout, July 4th, or Memorial Day as a reminder that although our Country has its flaws and will always be a work in progress and growth, we have so many freedoms to be thankful for. May we never lose the gratitude toward each hero who makes those freedoms a reality.

Song For A Girl
Writers: William Lawson Bates, Trent Willmon.
I wrote “song for a girl” sitting on the back of a tailgate just outside of Nashville, and that’s the exact vibe I hope you feel as you listen! Get out in the sunshine, or roll those windows down and crank up something you can drive to! This one’s the feel good country jam of the album!

The Way I See You
Writers: William Lawson Bates, Janelle Arthur, Jordan Walker
When I first had the idea to write this song, my goal was to capture a genuine and heartfelt message of empowerment, hope, and validation to someone who may be feeling overwhelmed, overlooked, and underappreciated. I wanted to make sure I had a broad perspective on things in painting this picture, so I worked with two of my favorite co-writers Janelle Arthur and Jordan Rainer. In one great three hour session, this 90s -esque ballad came to life!

If I Ever Lost Your Love
Writers: William Lawson Bates, Trent Willmon, Thomas Karlas
If you’re thinking 90’s country love song with that John Michael Montgomery heartfelt depth and sincerity, this one’s for you! “If I Ever Lost Your Love” is an ode to true commitment toward the one who means the world to you.

One + One feat. Olivia Collingsworth
Writers: William Lawson Bates, Adam Wheeler
We wrote “One + One” in a single afternoon with the simple concept taken from a Biblical passage telling us how a threefold cord is not easily broken. It’s a reminder that the strength of our relationships will always be strongest as we grow closer together in faith.

Crazy Love
Writer: William Lawson Bates 
This is one of the two songs I wrote on the album without any co-writer, and it’s by far my favorite because I was able to sing it as a duet with my fiancée! “Crazy Love” takes a different turn from the rest of the album, bringing out a lighthearted crossover vibe through the melody, while still showing it’s depth and heart in the lyrics.

Like The Rain
Writers: William Lawson Bates, Trent Willmon, Thomas Karlas 
There’s so many country love songs out there that pull from the same platitudes, but when we sat down to write “Like the Rain,” my goal was to steer more toward the listener who’s feeling a bit more jaded to love, but longs for something that’s real- someone who may not have the perfect line and is a little rough around the the edges, but is still ready to put their heart on the line for love.

Change Your Mind
Writers: William Lawson Bates, Mike Todd, Jennifer Todd 
If you could wrap truly broken-hearted in one melody, this song would spell it out perfectly! 
They say once you’ve had the best, nothing else will do, and that’s how the story goes in “Change Your Mind.” It’s the commitment of waiting forever for someone who may never feel the same, and being ok with it. That says it all.

That Way
Writers: William Lawson Bates, Trent Willmon 
Do I speak out about how I feel and get broken-hearted, or stay silent to not potentially ruin a friendship? That is the question anyone who’s ever been falling hard for someone a little too quickly asks themselves, and it’s the one “That Way” is contemplating. It’ll have you toe tapping to a dance floor tune, right before twisting the storyline to potential heartbreak in the hook.

Killin’ Me
Writers: William Lawson Bates, Thomas Karlas 
I wrote this song with my buddy Tommy Karlas and you feel it’s message most deeply in the lyric right before the hook, “I know I’m not what you want or need, but I used to be.”
It’s not the unknown that’s driving you crazy, but the memory of how things were. And as bad as you’re hurt, you wouldn’t change a thing, because you still care too much.

Bible On A Shelf
Writers: William Lawson Bates, Robyn Collins, Blake Griffith 
There wasn’t a better way to wrap this album that’s filled with so much emotion and outlook on life and love, than bringing it back to a faith perspective: “Bible on a Shelf” tells a story from the Good Book’s perspective. You see, the search for peace in life can only be found through finding a genuine connection with our Creator, and we can all do that when we take the time to open up His Word and let it speak life into our heart and soul.