Nile Rodgers
*Nile Rodgers Jr. was born on this date in 1952. He is a Black record producer, guitarist, composer, and philanthropist.
Nile Gregory Rodgers was born on the Lower East Side, New York City, to Beverly Goodman and Nile Rodgers. His mother gave birth to Rodgers when she was 14. He was raised as a Catholic. His biological father, Nile Rodgers Sr., was an Afro Cuban beats percussionist. Although influential, he was rarely present as Rodgers grew up before he died in 1970. In 1959, Goodman married Bobby Glanzrock, a "beatnik Ph.D.
Richard Pryor, Thelonious Monk, and Lenny Bruce often visited their home in Greenwich Village. Glanzrock and Goodman were addicted to heroin, and Rodgers began using drugs at 13. Before learning to play the guitar at 16, Rodgers played the flute and the clarinet. He played guitar with African, Persian, Latin, jazz, and Boogaloo bands as a teenager. He became a member of the New York Black Panther Party.
He formed the Big Apple Band in 1972 with bassist Bernard Edwards; Chic released their self-titled debut album in 1977. The 1978 album C'est Chic included "Le Freak," selling more than seven million singles worldwide. The song "Good Times" from the 1979 album Risqué was a number-one single on the pop and soul charts and became one of the most-sampled songs ever. After Chic's breakup in 1983, Rodgers produced albums and singles for other artists, including David Bowie and INXS, Duran Duran, and Madonna.
He worked with the B-52s, Jeff Beck, Mick Jagger, Grace Jones, The Vaughan Brothers, Bryan Ferry, Christina Aguilera, Lady Gaga, and Diana Ross. Rodgers is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee. Known for his chucking guitar style, in 2014, Rolling Stone wrote that "the full scope of Nile Rodgers' career is still hard to fathom." He won three Grammy Awards in 2014 and two in 2023 for his work with Beyoncé. In 2023, Rolling Stone placed him 7th on a list of the 250 greatest guitarists of all time, writing. He has written, produced, and performed on records that have sold over 500 million albums and 75 million singles worldwide.
To Become a musician or Singer
To Become a Conductor or Composer
To become a sound and video producer
