Global InformationNile Rodgers information
Nile Rodgers | |
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 Rodgers performing at BST Hyde Park 2022 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Nile Gregory Rodgers Jr. |
| Born | September 19, 1952 New York City, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1972–present[1] |
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| Member of | Chic |
| Website | nilerodgers |
Nile Gregory Rodgers Jr. (born September 19, 1952)[2] is an American record producer, guitarist, composer, and philanthropist. The co-founder of Chic, he has written, produced, and performed on records that have sold more than 500 million albums and 75 million singles worldwide.
Rodgers is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee. He has received six Grammy Awards, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement/Special Merit Award. Known for his chucking guitar style, in 2014 Rolling Stone wrote that "the full scope of Nile Rodgers' career is still hard to fathom".[3][4] In 2023, Rolling Stone placed Rodgers 7th on a list of the 250 greatest guitarists of all time, writing: "There's 'influential,' then there's 'massively influential', then there's Nile Rodgers... a true innovator who never slows down, still making history with his guitar."[5]
Formed as the Big Apple Band in 1972 with bassist Bernard Edwards,[6][7] Chic released their self-titled debut album in 1977; it featured the hit singles "Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)" and "Everybody Dance". The 1978 album C'est Chic included "I Want Your Love" and "Le Freak", with the latter 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 of all time, predominantly in hip-hop, starting with the Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight".[8][9]
With Edwards, Rodgers wrote and produced music for other artists, including the songs "He's the Greatest Dancer" and "We Are Family" (for Sister Sledge) and "I'm Coming Out" and "Upside Down" (for Diana Ross).[10] After Chic's breakup in 1983, Rodgers produced albums and singles for other artists, including David Bowie's Let's Dance; "Original Sin" by INXS; Duran Duran's "The Reflex" and "Notorious"; and Madonna's Like a Virgin.[11] He worked with artists including The B-52s, Jeff Beck, Daft Punk, Mick Jagger, Grace Jones, The Vaughan Brothers, Bryan Ferry, Christina Aguilera and Lady Gaga. He won three Grammy Awards in 2014 for his work on Daft Punk's Random Access Memories,[12][13] and two in 2023 for his work with Beyoncé on her album Renaissance. In 2018, Rodgers co-founded Hipgnosis Songs Fund, a publicly traded music intellectual property investment company.
- ^ Andy Kellman. "Nile Rodgers". AllMusic. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
- ^ Clerc, Benoit (2022). David Bowie: All the Songs. Running Press. ISBN 9780762474721.
- ^ "The Deep Hidden Meaning of Nile Rodgers". Vulture. July 27, 2015. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
- ^ Odman, Sydney (February 6, 2023). "Grammys Honor Bobby McFerrin, Nirvana, The Supremes, Nile Rodgers and More With Lifetime Achievement Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
- ^ Sheffield, Rob (October 13, 2023). "The 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
- ^ Amorosi, A. D. (September 27, 2018). "Nile Rodgers on Leaving Warner Music for Universal After 40 Years, New Chic Album 'It's About Time'". Variety. Retrieved October 4, 2018.
- ^ Steve Huey (January 16, 2020). "Chic". AllMusic.
- ^ "The Guide to Getting into Chic". Noisey. April 17, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2018.
- ^ SNOWDEN, DON (April 5, 1992). "POP MUSIC: They're Still Family: After an 8-year layoff, Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards relaunch their group Chic but worry that their soulful sound may be dated". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved October 4, 2018.
- ^ "5 takeaways from Nile Rodgers' Grammy tribute". USA TODAY. Retrieved October 4, 2018.
- ^ "Nile Rodgers | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved October 4, 2018.
- ^ "Nile Rodgers | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
- ^ "Daft Punk wins Album of the Year at the Grammys". The Verge. Retrieved October 4, 2018.