Singing for the Soul

BY KAYLOR JONES

Music has been an ever-looming presence in Nile Rodgers’ life, but before he was one of the most prolific producers in the industry, the accomplished guitarist and co-founder of disco group Chic was a little boy growing up in Greenwich Village, New York, with a head full of songs.

“The first thoughts I had when I became self-aware were musical thoughts,” Rodgers says. “I remember looking out my window and seeing these kids – like a gang, but not a tough one, dressed in Lone Ranger-type masks – and I sort of scored the scene in my head. That became the template for my life. I still do it to this very day – every place I walk, I score, whether I’m singing something I already know or writing something that’s a depiction of the environment.”

Among many factors that influenced Rodgers’ love of music was his biological father, Nile Rodgers, Sr., a traveling percussionist with a specialty in Afro-Cuban beats. “I knew that I was going to be a musician from my earliest memories. For a while, I imagined myself as a bandleader playing the congas and the bongos, mostly because my dad was so good at it. I pictured myself in a symphony orchestra. I didn’t know what chair I’d be sitting in, but I certainly knew that was my life’s desire.”

Though Rodgers’ first passion was jazz and classical music, he eventually turned to pop to make a living. As a founding member of Chic, which featured Rodgers on guitar alongside accomplished bassist Bernard Edwards, Rodgers and his band helped define the sound of the 1970s with disco hits like Good Times, I Want Your Love, and Le Freak, which became Atlantic Records’ bestselling single of all time.

After securing a record deal in the first place, Rodgers points to recording his first composition as one of the standout moments of his career. He’d written a song for Chic called Everybody Dance, but didn’t even have enough money to buy a copy of his own. Weeks later, Rodgers got a call from the engineer who had recorded it asking him to come down to his club to see something special.

“I walked into this nightclub, and as soon as the DJ saw me, he put the needle down on Everybody Dance. I heard a bloodcurdling scream, and the whole club went ‘Woo-hoo!’ and got up on the dance floor,” he says. “The last time I’d heard the song was after we listened back in the studio, and now, the next time I hear it, people are going bananas over it? That was incredible to me, and I’ve been chasing that feeling my whole life.”

In the years that followed, Rodgers played a monumental role in music history. He and Edwards produced Sister Sledge and Diana Ross before Rodgers branched out on his own to work with David Bowie on his bestselling album, Let’s Dance, in addition to Madonna, Duran Duran, Mick Jagger, Steve Winwood, Cyndi Lauper, the B-52s, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Lady Gaga, and Daft Punk, to name a few. His work has earned him three Grammy Awards, an induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and the Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

For Rodgers, the countless hours he’s invested in his career over the past five decades are more than worth it when he considers the impact his music has made on the world.

“I can’t pretend I don’t notice when I’m standing in front of enormous amounts of people and we start to play a song like Le Freak or We Are Family or I Want Your Love. It’s an indescribable feeling. To have written and produced so many songs that are so meaningful to people’s lives is an incredible accomplishment,” he says. “That’s what artists live for – we want to communicate with people.”

Songs for a Cause

This year marks Rodgers’ first time performing at Celebrity Fight Night, one of the Valley’s signature fundraising events. Taking place April 1 at JW Marriott Phoenix Desert

Ridge Resort & Spa, the star-studded evening hopes to raise millions of dollars to help Gateway for Cancer Research in the battle against the second-leading cause of death in the U.S.

“It’s a real honor. The fact that they exclusively fund Phase I and Phase II trials – the types of studies that can lead to truly explosive breakthroughs – makes me so excited to be part of the event,” Rodgers says. “There are more than a few surprises in store, but I can tell you it’s going to be a truly incredible night. My hope is that we’re able to set a new record for money raised in one night.”

Rodgers knows as well as anyone the impact cancer can have on one’s life. When he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2010, the feelings of fear and loss of control were devastating. But the moment the doctor proclaimed him cancer-free remains one of the happiest days of his life, and the experience imbued him with a strength that helped him fight his second bout of cancer in 2017 with bravery and composure.

“Unfortunately, too many of us are in the ‘cancer club,’ either having been diagnosed ourselves or having seen loved ones suffer with the disease,” Rodgers says. “It’s almost impossible to escape, which is why taking part in fundraisers with organizations like Gateway is so important and rewarding. I know firsthand how devastating it is to receive a cancer diagnosis, but it’s that experience that has helped me gain perspective on the meaning of nights like Fight Night and the importance of funding cancer research, especially for early trials.”

Hope on the Horizon

During the hardest times in Rodgers’ life, from growing up in poverty to being introduced to drugs at age 13, music was there for him when it felt like all hope was lost.

“When I was younger, there was a time when I planned to commit suicide. I was going to jump into the East River,” Rodgers says. “While I was on my way – which was only a few hundred yards from my apartment – I started singing Cab

Calloway songs. I don’t know why, because I was so depressed. It was just so up, so wonderful and so enchanting.”

It's this kind of strength that Rodgers aims to share with others through his nonprofit, the We Are Family Foundation. Formed in the wake of 9/11 alongside his partner Nancy Hunt, the organization has funded schools across Africa, mentored teen entrepreneurs and young activists as they fight against systemic racism, and created programs that promote diversity and respect, all in the name of supporting the next generation of global leaders.

“Right now, the biggest inspiration I get is from the kids, teens and young adults in my charity,” he says. “They are the turbocharger in my engine. Everything I do –and I’m starting to sound like Bryan Adams right now – I do it for them. These are young people who are doing great things for humankind. They’re trying to change the world, and I want to help them change it.”

To learn more and purchase tickets, visit www.celebrityfightnight.org.