Advertising

Michael Rhodes, Basist and Musician Dead

Michael Rhodes cause of death
Advertising

Michael Rhodes cause of death: Renowned bassist and session musician Michael Rhodes, who was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame in 2019, has passed away at the age of 69.

Michael Rhodes cause of death

According to a representative for Rhodes who spoke to Billboard, the musician passed away at his home in Nashville, Tennessee, on Saturday morning (March 4). No cause of death has been provided at this time.

Born in Monroe, Louisiana, in 1953, Rhodes was a self-taught guitarist who began playing professionally at the age of 11 before switching to bass.

After living in Austin and Memphis, Rhodes arrived in Nashville in 1977, where he joined local rock band Nerve and Tree Publishing’s house demo band.

In an interview with Nashville Arts, Rhodes said that his time in those groups gave him a “great crash course in the art of playing a song, and what was needed for a song.”

Rhodes went on to enjoy a prolific career as a session musician, contributing to award-winning songs such as Shawn Colvin’s “Sunny Came Home” (1996) and Lee Ann Womack’s “I Hope You Dance” (2000).

He also played on both LeAnn Rimes’ and Trisha Yearwood’s 1997 versions of Diane Warren’s “How Do I Live.”

Advertising

Throughout his career, Rhodes worked with a staggering array of artists, including Willie Nelson, Etta James, Mark Knopfler, Alan Jackson, Stevie Nicks, Brian Wilson, Joss Stone, Dolly Parton, the (Dixie) Chicks, J.J. Cale, Wynonna, Merle Haggard, Randall Bramblett, Amy Grant, Hank Williams Jr, the Highwaymen, John Oates, George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Bob Seger, Dave Stewart, Keith Whitley, Joan Baez, Lionel Richie, Burt Bacharach, Aaron Neville, Johnny Cash, Lonnie Mack, India.Arie, Buddy Guy, Grace Potter, Billy Joe Shaver, Ruthie Collins, Michael McDonald, Dan Penn, Jennifer Holiday, John Fogerty, Elton John, and Joan Osborne.

In recent years, Rhodes was a regular player in Joe Bonamassa’s band.

Michael Rhodes Wife and Children

Rhodes is survived by his wife Lindsay Fairbanks Rhodes, son Jason Rhodes, and daughter Melody Wind Rhodes, as well as Lindsay’s sons, Van and Weston Hayes, and grandchildren Cayman Rhodes, Cora Rhodes, Wylder Rhodes, Kingsley Rhodes, Jenna Nicole Hillman, and Ryley Bruce Hillman.

The family has requested that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Music Health Alliance, an organization that provides healthcare and support to musicians in need.

Checks can be sent to Music Health Alliance, 2737 Larmon Dr, Nashville, TN, 37204 or made via their website, musichealthalliance.com.

Rhodes’ wife also encouraged people to listen to a piece of music that mattered to them, in the spirit of her husband. Rhodes was a fan of jazz and John Coltrane, among other artists. “It fed him, always,” she said.

Michael Rhodes leaves behind an extraordinary legacy as a musician, and his contributions to countless recordings will be felt for years to come.

Advertising
Advertising