George Cates was an influential American music arranger, conductor, songwriter, and record executive, renowned for his collaboration with Lawrence Welk and his orchestra. Born on October 19, 1911, in New York City, Cates pursued his passion for music after graduating from New York University. He began his career working with the vaudeville team of Olsen and Johnson on their revue, Hellzapoppin. Between 1945 and 1951, Cates honed his skills by arranging and playing saxophone with bands led by Henry Busse, Dick Stabile, and Russ Morgan.

In the mid-1950s, Cates became the A&R director for Coral Records, where he wrote and conducted for prominent artists such as the Andrews Sisters, Teresa Brewer, Bing Crosby, and Danny Kaye. His 1956 release of a medley of "Moonglow" and "Theme from Picnic" reached No. 31 on the Top 40 charts and sold over one million copies, earning a gold disc. This record featured wordless vocal effects by Norma Zimmer, who later became known as Lawrence Welk's Champagne Lady.

Cates joined Lawrence Welk in 1951 as the musical director, conducting the orchestra during rehearsals and arranging music for the show. He composed the theme song "Champagne Fanfare," which was used when Welk's show continued on TV after leaving the ABC network in 1971. In 1973, Cates began conducting the orchestra on-camera until the show's conclusion in 1982. Besides his work with Welk, Cates collaborated with other bandleaders and produced several albums, including Polynesian Percussion, which featured his brother-in-law, guitarist Alvino Rey.

George Cates passed away from heart failure on May 10, 2002, in Santa Monica, California, at the age of 90. He was laid to rest at Mount Sinai Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles.