Tim Gates, the lead singer of the country music band Due West, will be the opening act at the 99.9 KONY Country “4th of July Celebration” with his band, Gates. The celebration will take place at the Trailblazer Stadium at Dixie State University in St. George, Utah, and includes live music, food trucks and concessions, and the largest fireworks show in Southern Utah.
The event opens at 6:00 pm, the show starts at 8:00 pm, and the fireworks display takes place at 10:00 pm. All times are Mountain Standard Time. Tickets are $10 per person and can be purchased online.
In 2017, Gates made an appearance at the Independence Day celebration and sang the national anthem. At the 2018 celebration, he and his band will perform right before country superstar, Scotty McCreery, takes the stage.
Before moving to Nashville, Tennessee, in 2002, to work as a social worker, Gates lived in Richfield, Utah. In 2003, he quit that job and started waiting tables and playing music. He told St. George News, “I love everything about country music. The guitars, the singers, the stories. I started writing songs at a young age and enjoyed it, so naturally I moved to Nashville.” In 2004, he met Fred Boekhorst, Matt Lopez, and Brad Hull at a party, and before long the quartet formed the band Due West.
By chance, at that same party, Gates also met Jason Deere, a singer, songwriter, record producer, and re-mixer, noted for his ability to write hit songs and develop hit artists like Marie Osmond, Jessica Simpson, and Katy Perry. Deere was greatly impressed with the harmonies of Gates, Boekhorst, Lopez, and Hull and suggested that they find a record deal. They asked Deere to help, he agreed, and they have been working together ever since. In 2004, when Deere started writing songs and created the Mormon music group, The Nashville Tribute Band, he needed someone to tour with him and Due West agreed. After going their separate ways, Gates and Boekhorst got back in touch in 2017 and now they play music in the band Gates full-time. The KONY Country Fourth of July Celebration is the first big show that the band Gates will perform at.
Gates and his wife Roberta have five children, one of which is a newborn. Both he and his wife have a passion for helping people with disabilities. They have four people with disabilities in their lives that they help take care of.
