In his role as Showrunner, Tony has produced, directed, shot, and edited over 270 episodes of the nationally syndicated, live music performance & documentary series The Texas Music Scenehosted by award-winning singer/songwriter Jack Ingram. The series highlights the best in Americana, alt-country, and roots music.
Gates jumped right into his career in 1999 after graduating from the University of North Texas as a 4-year letter-winning Defensive Back for the Mean Green and armed with a degree in Radio, Television & Film. He now carries an impressive tracklist of "Greatest Hits" with over 17 years of experience in Directing, Producing, Editing, Writing and Field Camera Operating for television, music videos, and promotional video projects.
Tony’s work has garnered several Addy's, Lone Star Emmy Nominations, and 20+ National Telly Awards in categories ranging from Editing & Cinematography to Use of Graphics & Music Entertainment Program Series. His press accolades include write-ups in The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, NOW Magazine, and The MusicFest Magazine.
In 2007, he co-created and served as the primary showrunner, field director, and editor of GEAR with Cameron Smith. The 14-episode single-season aired on MOJO HD (In Demand Networks) with additional international distribution via inflight programming.
He produced, directed, and edited a full-length concert film Aaron Watson LIVE: Deep in the Heart of Texas, and a handful of music videos for artists like Cody Canada & The Departed, Micky & The Motorcars, and Breelan Angel. His passion for providing visual branding to a musician's art expanded into perfecting the craft of the video EPK - a documentary-style, short-form promotional video piece. He edited over 90 of these music video electronic press kits in the Jazz arena for artists like Joe Sample, Al Jarreau, David Sanborn, and Chris Botti while serving as an editor and co-producer on the nationally syndicated series Smooth Jazz TV with Cameron Smith. Gates is credited with the full, script-to-screen production of seven dramatic accident recreations & narrative short films exclusively used for demonstrative evidence in civil litigation and mediation.
He served as the creative lead and Director on promotional pieces for Bacardi Rum, Rhino Records, Shout Factory, General Motors, and The Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau among others. On top of that, Tony has produced and edited programming for ESPN, Scripps Networks, CMT, GAC, BET, PBS, and MOJO HD. Gates has fully turn-keyed countless projects for a list of household name brands that include Sony, Chevrolet, Microsoft, Warner Brothers, Sleep Experts, Vuretgo Pogo Sticks, United Airlines, ExxonMobil, Jack Daniels, Bacardi, Crown Royal, Deep Eddy Vodka, Whataburger, and H-E-B.
