Jess Cates

Jess Cates (born July 27, 1976 in Nashville, Tennessee) is a Los Angeles based songwriter who has co-written multi-platinum selling songs such as Nick Lachey's "What’s Left Of Me", and the Backstreet Boys hit of 2006 "Incomplete". In recent years, Cates has worked in a commercially successful songwriting team with Lindy Robbins and Emanuel Kiriakou. In its 2008 "Roundup," ASCAP characterized the trio as "award-winning, multi-platinum selling songwriters."

Other artists who have recorded his songs include Kevin Paige,Jordin Sparks, Britt Nicole, The Jonas Brothers, LeAnn Rimes, Clay Aiken,Kimberley Locke, The Afters, Bo Bice, JC Chasez, Taylor Hicks, plus international artists including Australian Idols Shannon Noll and Dean Geyer, Canadian Idols Melissa O’Neil and Ryan Malcolm, Germany’s Stanfour and Tobias Regner, and Latin superstar David Bisbal.

While in Nashville, Cates earned recognition for cuts with platinum and gold artists Bebo Norman, Plus One, Avalon, and Rebecca St. James. Three of those songs garnered a #1 slot on the CCM Radio chart.

Cates wrote five songs for Nick Lachey’s gold album “What’s Left Of Me,” including the first two singles, the title track and “I Can’t Hate You Anymore”. In April 2007, Cates received an ASCAP Award for “What’s Left Of Me” being among the most performed songs of 2006. In 2002, Cates was recognized by ASCAP for cowriting "I Don't Want To Go," one of the year's most frequently performed Christian songs.

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