Todd Rhodes

Todd Rhodes' professional path naturally splits into two distinct eras. His formative studies took place at the Springfield School of Music from 1915 to 1917 and continued at the Erie Conservatory between 1919 and 1921, encompassing both piano and composition. In the years 1922-32 and again in 1933-34, he served as pianist and one of the principal arrangers with McKinney's Cotton Pickers, taking part in nearly all of the group's landmark sessions. Once his time with the band concluded, Rhodes made Detroit his home and worked steadily in local venues for an extended stretch. A shift toward R&B occurred by 1946, after which he cut numerous sides as a leader from 1947 through 1954, chiefly for King, while also appearing as a sideman on recordings by Dave Bartholomew and Wynonie Harris. When that chapter closed, he receded from view once more, though his contributions had already left a lasting imprint across two separate periods in music history.