Rupert Wates

Rupert Wates is returning to The Focal Point!  He has captivated our audience in the past with his superb guitar work and poignant lyrics, and we’re excited to have him back.

Rupert was born in London and studied at Oxford University. He began his full-time songwriting career in the late 1990s after signing a publishing deal with Eaton Music Limited. In London, he collaborated with top-tier performers before moving to Paris in 2001, where he formed his own quartet and began performing regularly. Since relocating to the United States in 2006, Wates has made his home between New York City and Colorado and has earned more than 50 songwriting and performing awards.

His music is an eclectic blend of acoustic, melodic art/folk infused with elements of jazz, vaudeville, and cabaret. He has released twelve solo albums, each earning critical acclaim and international airplay. His songs have been covered by artists across the UK, Canada, and the U.S., with two full-length tribute albums—Crazy Puzzle (2015) and Wide Open Heart (2017)—produced independently by other performers and composed entirely of Wates’ material. In 2016 alone, over 20 cover recordings of his songs were released.

In 2010, Wates released Joe’s Café, a concept album of 15 original songs inspired by true stories of everyday Americans. Each track features a different vocalist, tracing U.S. history through personal narratives spanning world wars, the Dust Bowl, Vietnam, and the Civil Rights era. Recorded live in a single weekend, the album’s intimate feel evokes a cozy café setting, with standout contributions from Darol Anger (violin) and Michael Manring (bass). Joe’s Café has been performed at festivals and venues across North America and was named Best Music Revue at the 2010 San Francisco Fringe Festival.

In 2014, Wates teamed up with Toronto-based pianist Bartosz Hadala to form The Nightwatchers, a touring duo that regularly performs throughout Canada and Europe. Their debut album, The Nightwatchers, was released in 2015 and features stand out selections from Wates’ extensive catalog.

Performing an average of 120 shows annually across the U.S., Canada, and Europe, Wates prefers intimate listening rooms where the focus is on connection and storytelling. He was voted Artist of the Year in both 2013 and 2016 by Concerts In Your Home and was their most-booked performer for five consecutive years. In 2018, he was a finalist in the Kerrville New Folk Song Contest and named an Emerging Artist at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival.

Though British by birth, Wates has been hailed as “a prime figure in American music” by Folk and Acoustic Music Exchange, who praised him as “one gifted sonofabitch.” Audiences everywhere respond to the haunting, melodic quality of his songs—music that rings true.