Listen Live
Magic 95.5 Featured Video
CLOSE

Attempting to list all the achievements of musician, producer and guitarist Nile Rodgers is nearly impossible. His career, which began when he was still a teenager has spanned over 40 years and he remains as a vital part of the music industry. Rodgers was born September 19, 1952 in New York.

In a revealing 2013 interview, Rodgers shared his love of music as a young boy. At the age of seven, Rodgers moved to South Central Los Angeles to attend a mostly-white Catholic school. Dissatisfied with the structure there, Rodgers skipped school to go to movies on Skid Row, which sparked his interest in becoming a musician. But Rodgers’ truancy caught up with him and he was shipped back to New York.

There, Rodgers became a classically trained jazz musician. By age 16, his talents proved formidable enough to get him into the prestigious Julliard School of Music. Instead Rodgers yearned to be a professional musician. He happened to see an audition for band to play for a new children’s show, Sesame Street. He scored the gig and left school behind.

Playing with the Sesame Street band would expose Rodgers to an eclectic set of characters who have all gone on to have astounding careers. One of the friendships forged during Rodgers’ time with the touring Sesame Street band was with legendary R&B crooner Luther Vandross. Vandross, Carlos Almomar, Diva Gray and others joined Rodgers in a group that built the base of Vandross’ performing band, Listen My Brother.

Several of the groups members went on to become session musicians who would work with Mick Jagger, David Bowie and countless others.

Shortly after his Sesame Street stint, Rodgers joined the Apollo Theater house band and credits this period to helping him learn the finer nuances of playing R&B.

After working behind the scenes for Vandross and other musicians, Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards formed the disco band Chic in the 1970s. The group was immensely successful, scoring big hits with “Everybody Dance,” “Good Times,” and other hits. Chic has been nominated to enter the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame a whopping nine times, most recently this year.

Little Known Black History Fact: Nile Rodgers  was originally published on blackamericaweb.com

1 2Next page »