Nile Rodgers At SXSW: 'No One Else Can Tell The Story'
David Bowie, Diana Ross, Madonna, Al Jarreau, Grace Jones, Sister Sledge, Daft Punk — and, of course, Chic. What do all of these artists have in common? Nile Rodgers. Over four decades, Rodgers has produced some of the most recognizable songs in pop music, and countless artists have sampled his work. His contributions to music are finally being recognized with his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame later this year.
Rodgers spoke with NPR's Michel Martin not long after giving a keynote address at this week's South by Southwest music festival in Austin. Read on for an edited transcript of their conversation, and hear an abridged version at the audio link.
Michel Martin: You said in your keynote that you actually used to be a snob about top-40 music. That's funny, for someone who's influenced four decades of music.
Yeah, I was a super snob. I started out playing classical music and I had a great classical guitar teacher. And I had given a recital at the Library of
