Lawson Bates Concerts, Spring 2019

Have you ever had the pleasure of attending one of Lawson Bates‘ concerts? We have heard from lots of readers who are hoping he will plan a show in their area. Well, we have a couple upcoming concerts to share, and we are told that Lawson will be planning more in the near future.

Benefit Concert for Bates' Hometown School
Friday, April 26, 2019
7-9pm
Location: Lake City Elementary School, 402 Lindsay St, Rocky Top TN 37769
Concert will benefit the Lake City Elementary 5th graders' safety patrol trip to Washington D.C.
All tickets are general admission and can be purchased on Lawson's website.
Tickets will be delivered via email.

Benefit Concert for Parker's Promise
Friday, June 14, 2019
7:30-9pm

Legacy Christian Church, 1150 Rockaway Rd, Senoia, Georgia 30276

Tickets: $45 (Ultimate VIP Fan Experience) and $85 (Premium Ticket)

Tickets will be delivered via email and can be purchased on Lawson's website.

Ultimate VIP Fan Experience: Meet and greet with Lawson Bates before the show, along with photo opt. VIP includes private Q&A session with the band where you can hear sneak peeks of new songs and possibly get access to exclusive merchandise. Please arrive by 5:30pm
Premium Ticket: Meet and greet and photo opt – Please arrive by 6:20pm

*Apparently, Senoia is the filming location for a popular TV show called The Walking Dead 

Photo courtesy of Lawson Bates, Taryn Yager Photography

2 Bates Daughters Move Home

Tori Bates Smith and Bobby Smith move back to Knoxville

Have you heard the exciting Bates news? Michaela and Brandon Keilen are relocating to East Tennessee! (Michaela also has an announcement regarding her career plans, which you can read about in the post we published earlier today.)

And guess what? Another Bates daughter is moving home, as well. Tori, Bobby, and almost-five-month-old Kade have left Nashville. Less than one year ago, the Bates family transported all their belongings three hours west. And they just moved them back. Kelly is thrilled to have two of her daughters back in the Knoxville/Rocky Top area.

East Tennessee is home for Michaela and Tori, but it isn't where their husbands hail from. Bobby is from Florida, while Brandon's family lives in Michigan. 

Photo courtesy of thebatesfamily.com

Kade Smith at 3 Months Old

Photos of Kade are few and far between, and he has not yet appeared on Bringing Up Bates, so we know you will enjoy this new snapshot of him. He is now three months old.

The Bates are all in Rocky Top this weekend for their annual I Love You Day celebration. Last year the theme was "growing old together," and this year they all dressed in medieval costumes.

Kade Smith and Lawson Bates

Photo courtesy of lawsonbates.com

Couples Dinner 2019

The Bates' annual Valentine's Day (aka I Love You Day) celebration has begun! The family is gathered at the homestead in Rocky Top, Tennessee, and everyone is elated to spend the weekend together. Tonight is the couples' dinner.

Remember last year, when Nathan and Lawson "crashed" the couples' dinner? They said they were bringing dates, but those dates ended up being each other. Well they are joking about bringing dates again this year, but they have made it clear that they aren't in relationships. Stay tuned to find out if they try to play another joke.

Whitney Bates, Carlin Bates, Erin Paine,

Tori Smith, Alyssa Webster

Photo courtesy of Alyssa and John Webster

Bates Christmas 2018

This weekend, all the Bates, in-laws, and grandchildren are gathered at the family home in Rocky Top, Tennessee, for the annual Bates Christmas celebration. They have enjoyed making gingerbread houses, eating Christmas cookies, playing games, and opening gifts. They also headed outside to take a new family photo and a picture of the nine grandchildren. The film crew is on hand, so you will likely see the gathering on an upcoming episode of Bringing Up Bates.

This year, there are 36 Bates, plus Evan Stewart, who will officially join the family on May 25th, 2019, when he marries Carlin.

Whitney Bates and Kaci Bates

Photo courtesy of Zach and Whitney Bates

Tori's 30-Week Baby Bump

Tori Bates Smith is approaching the 31-week mark in her pregnancy. Robert Ellis Smith IV is due November 24th. Tori and Bobby have chosen to call him Kade because they say it is Latin for "fourth generation."

Unlike her sisters, Tori has not shared many details about her pregnancy. During a recent visit with the family in Rocky Top, this photo was taken. The siblings are all eager to feel the baby move!

Tori Bates Smith

Photo courtesy of thebatesfamily.com

The Bates' Guest Quarters

"When Gil says to somebody, 'Let me give you a tour of the house,' the first thing that goes through my mind is...there's probably a mess."
-Kelly Bates

When Bobby's parents drive him up to Rocky Top, Gil and Kelly Bates realize that it's their first visit to the house and insist on giving them a tour. If you've been a long-time viewer of the show, you've seen the family's bedrooms, but you probably haven't seen the guest quarters (video below).

Photo/video courtesy of UP

Bates College/Career Update

 Lawson, Josie, Carlin, Tori, Trace, Nathan

Four of Gil and Kelly Bates' 19 children are married and out of the house, but what about the non-married siblings who are finished with high school but still living at home? They are all preparing for their futures in different ways.

Lawson Bates (No. 4, 24 years old) devotes most of his days to his budding music career, splitting time between Nashville and Rocky Top.

Nathan Bates (No. 5, 23 years old) has been in Mississippi for a few months, working on his commercial and instructor pilots licenses. He took a big test last week and plans to be home for a while.

Tori Bates (No. 7, 21 years old) is in an official courtship with Bobby Smith. She attends The Crown College of the Bible and will graduate with an education degree in May 2018. Tori's current plan is to wait until after graduation to get married. Bobby finishes school in Florida this May and has thought about moving to Tennessee to be closer to his girlfriend.

Trace Bates (No. 8, 20 years old) is also taking classes at Crown. He had hoped to be a trick rider for the Dixie Stampede, but that hasn't worked out yet. He and Tori, Carlin, and Josie enjoy carpooling to school each morning and having each other as a support system. Trace has not announced his major.

Carlin Bates (No. 9, 19 years old) is working on her music major at Crown. (Hear more from her in the video below.) She is also getting to know Evan Stewart of Nashville, although the two are not in an official courtship.

Josie Bates (No. 10, 17 years old) is studying cosmetology at Crown.

If you enjoy this blog, check out our other blogs (NashvilleWife.com and DuggarFamilyBlog.com).

Photo courtesy of lawsonbates.com, video courtesy of UP

Trace and Jeb's Double Birthday

It's a double Bates birthday! Trace Bates is turning 20, and Jeb Bates is turning five.

The eighth oldest of Gil and Kelly Bates' 19 children, Trace Whitfield loves anything that involves competition, including basketball, football, ping pong, foosball, horseback riding, and indoor games. He has been working with Gil in the family tree business and aspires to be a trick rider at the Dixie Stampede. Trace also enjoys telling Chuck Norris jokes.

The Bates say that Jeb Colton, the youngest child, is spoiled. His name means "beloved friend of Coal Town." Before the Bates' small town was renamed Rocky Top three years ago, it was Lake City, but up until the 1930s, it was Coal Creek.

Trace Bates and Jeb Bates

Photo courtesy of UP

Spreading Joy Through Music

Lawson Bates, 23, recently visited East Tennessee Children's Hospital in Knoxville to spread joy to young patients through music. In the following video, Lawson sings "Rocky Top" and "Amazing Grace" with a couple youngsters. Do you recognize the guy on the right who accompanied Lawson on his visit to the hospital? (Hint: His initials are JD.)

"Rocky Top"


"Amazing Grace"



Videos courtesy of the Bates family