Nile Rodgers Speaker & Booking Information

A guitarist, songwriter, studio musician, and entrepreneur, Rodgers' versatility is astounding. His inventive mind and creative nature are what make his work as groundbreaking today as it was 20 years ago during the days of CHIC. This four-time Grammy winner has inspired generation after generation, establishing himself as a respected icon in the industry.

Rodgers recently received the New York Heroes Awards, which honors outstanding individuals whose creative talents and accomplishments cross all musical boundaries and who are integral to the vitality of the music community. The Heroes Award is the highest honor bestowed by the New York Chapter and recipients embody the high standards of excellence and integrity that the Academy champions and promotes.

Today, Rodgers finds himself at the helm of the next craze: the rapidly growing video game soundtrack industry. Recognizing that music is becoming "as integral to the game experiences as soundtracks are to movies," Rodgers is the go-to guy responsible for recent hits such as Microsoft Xbox's "Outlaw Volleyball," and "Halo," along with the next pop phenomenon, "Halo 2," being released in April, 2004.

Rodgers' presence resonates in even further corners of society, as his music is the most sampled of any artist in the world today. Songs incorporating his sounds include "Rapper's Delight" (Sugarhill Gang), "Another One Bites the Dust" (Queen), "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It" (Will Smith), and "Mo Money Mo Problems" (Notorious B.I.G./Featuring Puff Daddy and Mase).

Applying his love for music to other walks of life, Rodgers is responsible for founding the We Are Family Foundation in response to the September 11th tragedies. A firm believer that nothing "lifts the spirit like song," Rodgers had a vision to spread a positive vibe and use song to heal a troubled world. Two-hundred celebrities gathered to re-record Rodgers' world-renowned hit song "We Are Family" to deliver an upbeat message of unity.

The song bears a rich history, which started over 20 years ago when Rodgers co-wrote and co-produced the song, "We Are Family," with Bernard Edwards for Sister Sledge. The album, "We Are Family," instantly became a hit, and crowds nationwide were reciting the lyrics. At the same time, Rodgers' and Edwards' band CHIC was notching hit after hit, including "Dance, Dance, Dance," and "Le Freak," which is Atlantic's best-selling single to this day.

Throughout the 80's and 90's, Rodgers continued to produce albums for artists such as Diana Ross, David Bowie, Duran Duran, Mick Jagger, and the B-52's. He is also the man behind Madonna's hit album and title track "Like A Virgin." Never one to let his talents rest, Rodgers continued to perform, working on albums such as Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors" and Michael Jackson's "HIStory."

In the late 90's, Rodgers' entrepreneurial character emerged as he acquired his own record-distribution business, Sumthing Distribution, and label division, Sumthing Else Music Works, becoming the first African American to own a national music-distribution company.

Having established himself as a veteran in several fields, Rodgers can clearly speak to a range of audiences and address a variety of topics. From maintaining integrity in your career, to entertainment marketing and the creative process, Rodgers advocates that people must stay true to their passions and work towards dreams one goal at a time. Once a pop icon of the 70's with hit band CHIC, and now the pioneering king of the video game soundtrack empire, Rodgers has never lost his edge and clearly never will.