Jeffery Wayne Bates was born in Bunker Hill, Mississippi on September 19, 1963. He was adopted by Ed and Barbara Bates and has eight brothers and sisters. Jeff attended East Marion High School in Columbia. The singer-songwriter has been married five times. His first marriage was to a woman nine years his senior and only lasted two weeks. Jeff was only 17 at the time. His second marriage lasted nine years. The third lasted seven years. His fourth marriage, to Connie, lasted two years with them divorcing on July 13, 2004. Jeff married Kelly Vaughn, his fifth wife, on May 23, 2007. They have a daughter, Brianna Nadine, born April 12, 2010.

Jeff is known for “Long, Slow Kisses”, “Rainbow Man”, and “The Love Song”.