The Seeing Eye Band - "Volume 1"

The first album released by Cates and the notorious original Seeing Eye Band that featured Jeramy Lamanno on drums, Greg Beaver on bass, Jason Peeler on organ/guitar and Chris Cates on vocals, piano, guitar and harmonica. Recorded at Fred Rumfelt's studio in Marion, NC this album is a masterpiece and an amazing testiment to the band that was made up of all sixteen year olds. Featuring the classics "Psychadelic School Bus", "Polyester King", "Falling Star", etc.

"Good With Gravy Acoustic Album"

The First official solo album by Chris Cates featuring the first version of "Flannel Dreams", "For Astrud", "Rattlesnake Woman Blues", and "Caverns". Recorded spring of 1992 at Lombardy Acres Studios in Morganton, NC, Cates produces, engineers, and plays all of the instuments

The Seeing Eye Band - "Spectrum of Music"

Recorded live at the Lake James Elks Lodge by uber-engineer Lalanni Azradahli (aka Mike Lowdermilk). This record captured the Seeing Eye Band's best line-up of Jeramy Lamanno on drums, Jason Peeler on bass, Kirk Leonhardt on congas/guitar, Mike Lowdermilk on guitar and Chris Cates on vocals, guitar and harmonica. Recorded December 1992.

Chris Cates "The Flannel Demo"

Cates's first album of material mostly written in Boone, NC as a freshman at Appalachian State University. Recorded at Fred Rumfelt's studios in Marion, NC in early 1993. Recorded solo acoustic with harmonica, live in the studio. This album became very popular on campus and in the dorms and was fueled by Cates's inspired performances at the Beanstalk, his main venue in Boone at the time.

The Seeing Eye Band - "80 Mph at 4:00 a.m."

Recorded live in the spring of 1993 after driving all night coming back from an overly inspiring Allman Brother's Concert. "80 Mph" features the classic Seeing Eye jam fittingly called "Allman Bros.", as well as the hit "Dance" and several others. Cates tore his vocal chords making this and was out off commision for several months afterward.

Chris Cates - "Summer"

This album captures the events of the indian summer of 1993, painting vivid impressionistic pictures of nights on John Crowe's land, crazy trips into the mountains and emotional heartbreak of love gone wrong. "Great Truths", "Meteor Shower" and "She Blooms" are a few highlights of this album in which Cates plays every instrument.

Chris Cates - "Fall"

Following up on the seasonal theme of the "Summer" album, Chris Cates released fall in October of the same year ('93). This album is more of a soundtrack than an actual album, full of weaving instrumentals and reprises of songs together with a few actual songs. As it states on the inside 'this album is meant to be listened to while driving in the mountains.

Mealtime Brown - "Mealtime Brown"

Mealtime Brown started as a song by Jeramy Lamanno and Chris Cates and then became an album, then a band (before officially changing the name to Parakeet Nelson in 1995), and then became the name of Cates's production company in 1998. This album, recorded Thanksgiving and Christmas of 1994 chronicals the creative genius and sponaneity of Lamanno and Cates. Highlights include Lamanno's "Fogjuice" and "Into the Unknown", as well as Cates's original version of "Tumbleweed" and "Deformed Ape-man Stomp".

Chris Cates - "Blueberry Stains on the feathers of a Rollercoaster Day...."

Cates's last album recorded while attending Appalachian State University in 1995/1996. This eclectic record features the first version of "Egg Sandwich", the very rare track "Wings of October", and the East Dorm composed "Human". Cates plays all the instruments with a bit of help from Jeramy Lamanno (soon to become known as Hiro Noodles).

Parakeet Nelson - "Servin' it Up"

The first album put out by Cates as Parakeet Nelson, recorded at Outback Studios in Lincolnton, NC in 1996. Featuring the original line-up of Jason Peeler on drums, Kent Schwengel on bass, Chris Cates on guitar, vocals and harmonica; along with Chad Lawson on piano/keyboards, Wes Powers on percussion and Jeramy Lamanno as liason.

Chris Cates - "Sweet Tea"

This live in studio solo acoustic album features an aspiring Cates just before leaving North Carolina for the glory days in Athens, Georgia. Recorded in the fall of 1997 at Outback Studios in Lincolnton, NC, this record features "Jim Jams", "Transparent Alligator" and several other rare Cates tracks that do not show up in shows much any more.

Chris Cates - "Good With Gravy 2"

The first album recorded upon Cates's arrival in Athens, Georgia ('99) at the famed Elixir Consortium Recording Studios and Cates's first collaboration with engineer Peter Fancher. This record, also a live solo acoustic album starts to mark Cates's new funkier style that would become his trademark sound in a few years as he slipped deeper into the Parakeet Nelson personna.

"Mealtime Brown presents... Parakeet Nelson"

The first big budget Parakeet Nelson album co-produced by Cates and Peter Fancher at the famed Elixir Studios in downtown Athens in 2000. This album features an array of musicians, mainly Jeramy Lamanno (now known as Hiro Noodles), Brian Head, Moo Goo Gai Pan, Ryan Scott, Mike Elam, soon to be famous DJ Dangermouse and several others. Cates searches for his new sound, exploring funk, jazz, rock and punk on this highly polished overly produced rocker recorded on wonderful vintage equipment.

Phallic Phungus & Parakeet Nelson - "100% Frische"

Cates joined the avant-garde jazz funk group Phallic Phungus for their European Tour in the summer of 2001 and continued to tour with them until the core of the group moved to Austin, Texas in 2003. This live album recorded at the Georgia Theatre and the fabulous 40 Watt captures the songs written for that crazy European tour; such as "Freeballin'", "Das Stimmt" along with several Cates classics "B&H Patrol" and "Paradigm Shifting".

Parakeet Nelson - "Risky Biscuits"

The turning point to Cates's entire career and the album that went on to win Album of the year at the 2004 Athens Flagpole Music Awards. Cates's eclectic funk/pop masterpiece featuring Mike Elam, Gary Hartle (aka G the Nefarious), Dwayne Wallace, Seth Hendershot, John Kell, John Wayne, Dave Brockway, Daniel Marler, Jason Fuller, Andrej Kurti, Jesse Cole, Hiro Noodles, Blood, and Coda Båerfider. After releasing this album Cates and Parakeet Nelson gained the respect and critical acclaim througout the southeast and toured extenively to promote it.

PREVIEW "RISKY BISCUITS" HERE

Chris Cates - "Getaway Plans"

Cates's final album recorded in Athens before moving back to the mountains of North Carolina. This album once again moves Cates's music into a new direction exploring more of a roots americana sound based around virtioso violinist Andrej Kurti and the Parakeet Nelson band. Featuring Dwayne Wallace, Dave Brockway, John Wayne, John Kell, Jason Fuller and Marlon Patton along with Cates playing guitar, mandolin, piano/keyboards and singing. Highlights from this album are "Your Lucky Umbrella", "Gasoline" and "If U Feed it, it Will Grow".

PREVIEW "GETAWAY PLANS" HERE

Chris Cates - "Sneak Preview"

A special release four song preview of Chris Cates's ill fated album "Maybe This One Will Sell" featuring the happy uptempo 'Favorite Surprise', the funky and funny 'Dead Man's Suit', Cates's latest tearjerker 'Twice as Many Reasons', and the big rock finish 'My Town' possibly one of Cates's best songs to date... These songs feature Dave Brockway on drums, John Kell on alto sax, Mike Lowdermilk on bass and Chris Cates on vocals, guitar, harmonica, mandolin, keyboards and drums.

Chris Cates - "Triple Bogey with 17 Holes to Play" - The GOLF CD

Cates's first full length comedy album about the treacherous sport of Golf. With hilarious songs like the title track, "3 Putt King", "I'm Stuck on the Bogey Train", "I Try to Work but Golf Get's in the Way" with hilarious interludes and other suprises, this album does not fail to bring some harddriving rock n' soul, country and blues. "Triple Bogey" also marks the first efforts recorded with The MasterPlan, Chris Singleton on bass and Jared Callahan on drums. ON SALE NOW on this site..

PREVIEW "TRIPLE BOGEY" HERE!!

Chris Cates & the MasterPlan - "DEAD MAN'S SUIT"

An uptempo instant classic. "Dead Man's Suit" takes Cates's hardriving fun sound mixed with poignant subjects as Cates plays several silly and tragic characters on songs like "Smellin' Good" and "My Town". Chris Singleton, founding member of the MasterPlan is featured throughout, keeping the bottom end dancing on the bass capturing the essence of a Chris Cates & the MasterPlan live performance. John Kell's alto sax also accents Cates's soaring guitar with the drumming duties split by former Parakeet Nelson drummer Dave Brockway and current MasterPlan drummer Jason Peeler.

PREVIEW "DEAD MAN'S SUIT" !!!!

Chris Cates - "Passion & Purpose"

"Passion & Purpose" is a jazzy rock masterpiece AND a groundbreaking tool in self development and motivation. Rhonda Byrnes DVD/Book "The Secret" has now been viewed by 100 million people throughout the world, so more and more people are becoming aware of the power of their thoughts on a daily basis.

Auto Suggestion (what you say to yourself) has been proven over and over again that it can change every aspect in a person's life, from health to wealth to happiness. (We talk to ourselves 50,000 times a day, 40,000 of which are NEGATIVE!!) With that in mind Chris Cates, with the encouragement of some of the leaders in the industry has made an entire positive album in first person. By singing all the songs that begin with the word "I", the listener is actually singing to themself, reinforcing sub conscious thoughts with words of gratitude, love, success, strength, balance.

The best part is that "Passion & Purpose" is some of Chris Cates's best and most timeless music. Appealing to everyone!!

PREVIEW "PASSION & PURPOSE" HERE