A distinguished member of the Musicians Hall of Fame, he was a first-call Nashville session cat / sideman from 1977 until he passed in 203.

Raised on a steady diet of country, rhythm & blues, Cajun, jazz, and various permutations thereof in his native Monroe, Louisiana, Michael Rhodes was a master groove / song player who anchored scores of genre spanning artists including Stevie Nicks, Hank Williams Jr., Reba McEntire, Dixie Chicks, Steve Winwood, Randall Bramblett, Vince Gill, Kelly Willis, Johnny Cash, Lorrie Morgan, Toby Keith, Taylor Swift, Dave Stewart, Etta James, Dolly Parton, Joe Bonamassa, Neil Diamond, Joss Stone, Tanya Tucker, Ronnie Milsap, Marty Stuart, Brooks & Dunn, JJ Cale, Willie Nelson, Rosanne Cash, Shawn Colvin, and Terry Radigan to namedrop a select few.

Rhodes cited Joe Osborn, Carol Kaye, John Paul Jones, Tommy Cogbill, Sir Paul, Jack Bruce, and Jack Casady among his influences. His weapons of choice included several Fender Precision basses, a ‘64 Epiphone Embassy Deluxe, various Hofner instruments, all run through an Ashdown CTM 300 Tube Head and two 8 x 10 Ashdown cabinets.

Michael Rhodes Sound & Vision….

Joe Bonamassa’s British Blues Explosion https://youtu.be/ds5p59XOXHk

Dave Stewart and Orianthi “Girl In a Cat Suit” https://youtu.be/sTuOL-qreJc

Terry Radigan “So What” https://youtu.be/Y6Ai-grgtjw

Lee Ann Womack “I Hope You Dance” https://youtu.be/RV-Z1YwaOiw

Kelly Willis “Get Real” https://youtu.be/SJJC2AtbLXw

Shawn Colvin “Sunny Came Home” https://youtu.be/qfKKBDFCiIA