OXFORD - British singer/songwriter Rupert Wates will bring his eclectic mix of acoustic, melodic art/folk, jazz, vaudeville, and cabaret to 6 On The Square in Oxford at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 5.

Wates was born in London and studied at Oxford University. He has been a full-time songwriter since the late 1990s, when he signed a publishing contract with Eaton Music Limited. In London, he worked with some of the best performers in the city. Moving in 2001 to Paris, Wates formed his own quartet and began playing live regularly. In 2006, he moved to the U.S. and is now based in New York City and Colorado.

He has released 12 solo albums and won more than 50 songwriting and performing awards. They have received outstanding reviews in the international online press and tracks from them have been played on radio all over the world. In addition, Wates' songs have been covered by other artists in the U.K., Canada, and the U.S.

His just-released album “Father to the Man” features 12 songs dedicated to his 4-year-old son Gabriel, depicting the journey from childhood, through manhood, to fatherhood.

Wates averages 120 live shows every year in acoustic venues around the U.S., Canada, and Europe. He performs sometimes alone, sometimes with his trio or his quartet. He prefers smaller listening rooms where the audience is up close and the emphasis is on the music.

He was voted an Artist of the Year in 2013 and 2016 by the international house concert network Concerts In Your Home, and he has been the most booked performer on their database of several hundred artists. In 2018, Wates was a Finalist in the Kerrville New Folk Song Contest, and an Emerging Artist at Falcon Ridge Folk Festival.

Tickets for the 6OTS performance are $20 in advance or $25 at the door; purchase at 6onthesquare.org or call 607-843-OTS6 (6876) to make a reservation. Doors open one hour before the start of performances. The concert also will be streamed live online for $10; more information at 6onthesquare.org.

Open Mic Night returns to 6 On The Square on Thursday, April 3, with emcee Ray Stark. Sign-in begins at 6:45 p.m. with performances at 7. Musicians and poets are encouraged to share their talents.

Performers will use our professional sound equipment, and we'll provide a sound tech. There is no charge to perform or be in the audience - but we'll gratefully take donations.

Open Mic Night will be held the first Thursday of every month through June.

This spring at 6OTS: Abby Posner (April 12), Joe Crookston (May 11), John Flynn (May 31), Laurie MacAllister of Red Molly (June 7) and our 18th Anniversary Show with Vance Gilbert (June 21).

6 On The Square, Inc. is an intimate, not-for-profit, volunteer-based acoustic music listening room and arts venue located at 6 Lafayette Park in downtown Oxford.

-Information from 6OTS