Gretchen Rhodes profile picture

Gretchen Rhodes

About Me

Gretchen Rhodes started singing at a very young age in a small Midwestern town where she was raised. It wasn’t hard to believe that she would be musically inclined. Both of her parents are classically trained and have their masters in music. When she was 14 years old her parents took her to Vienna to live for a year. Being that Vienna is the city of music, living there helped to further solidify her longing for musical exposure. Gretchen continued to explore her voice throughout High school and college, but nothing really hit home until she moved to the Virgin Islands and met songwriter/producer Padraic Coursey. Pad is a full blown Cruzan rocker with an island edge. The two quickly became friends. When Padraic moved to L.A., he and Gretchen shared a promise of unfinished musical business. Two years later Gretchen headed to California in search of some soul release. At the time Pad was working with producer, Ted Greenberg. Ted had just won two Grammy’s for “Standing in the Shadows of Motown”. Needless to say, the three were riding on these waves of success. In just four months “Rhodes Colored Glasses” was finished. After that, Gretchen went back to St. John in the Virgin Islands and started a three piece all girls band called “Nectar”. With Cat Braaten on guitar/vocals and “Wanda Burgos “The Puerto Rican Conga Playing Wonder” on percussion, these ladies rocked the V.I. Their sound is a bluesy cross between latin, funk and rock. In 2005 Nectar was fortunate enough to open the St. John Blues Fest for Shemika Copeland. Since then Gretchen has moved to Hawaii and continues to write music. Recently She was introduced to Mick Fleetwood on Maui. She has been lucky enough to be a part of Mick Fleetwood’s Island Rumours Band. Her inspiration comes from the beauty of life and the trials we must go through in order to make ourselves better. “Life was never meant to be easy. It’s the ease with which you get by and the lessons that are learned along the way, that defines you as your own person. I have always learned my lessons the hard way. Because of that I have no regrets.”I edited my profile with Thomas' Myspace Editor V4.4This is my commercial with Tim Duncan in the USVI....!!

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 1/8/2007
Band Members:There are a couple of things happening as far as the "bands" go... Mick Fleetwood's "Island Rumours Band" consists of Eight members. Lenny Castellano on Bass, Lopaka on Percussion, Willie K and Eric Gilliom on Guitars and Vocals, Raiatea Helm on Ukulele and Vocals, Rick Vito on Guitar and Vocals, Myself on Vocals...and ofcourse, Mick on Drums. The other "band" is made up of Pio Marasco and ...Gretchen. For more info on this, check out "Nitelife" on myspace..!
Influences: Gretchen Rhodes grew up with Classic Music flowing through her house. Mozart, Bach, Hayden, Beethoven, and Rachmaninoff were just a few of the composers she was aquainted with. This was due to both her parents having gotten their degrees in music with a Classical background. Her Mother and Father were both music teachers. The former happened to be her instructor from grades three - eight. The later taught at the university level and was the Chairperson of music at the college in the town she grew up in. To this day, Gretchen equates her love of music to her parents passion for it. From this base she skipped ahead to the influence of her siblings. Her sister gave her the broader spectrum of European Rock/Pop which opened Gretchen's mind to bigger more worldly music. Her Brother, however, took her to the place where she draws most of her inspiration, Classic Rock. Gretchen Felt her soul open up as soon as she was led into the land of Led Zepplin and The Beatles. The Who, The Stones, Jimmy, Jerry, John, Janis, Heart, Pink Floyd and so many other amazing people and groups, are the formula for which Gretchen draws most of her strength. However, Gretchen doesn't ever want to stagnate in one genre. She is always looking to new influences as inspiration. Along with Classical music, her parents gave her a deep respect for Gospel and Soul. Gretchen is now drawing on this for the new project she is involved in. She and Pio Marasco are embarking on a House/Deep House experience that is completely different from her familiarity. The vibe is Soulful dance music, where Gretchen sings over the Mix that Pio spins. For her, thus far, the experience has been a powerful one. "Exploring this option has been an eye-opener. There are so many more sub-cultures of music than a person would ever believe. I feel blessed to be apart of something that I can do for the rest of my life, no matter what age and no matter how I look. Finally I've found something that is only about the music." As far as influences for this, Barbara Tucker, Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder are at the fore front. Think 60's & 70's Disco/Dance, unleashed into the next realm. From this, Gretchen Rhodes will continue to keep exploring the wonders for the music world. Because for her, "there is no "1" influence. Music is ever-changing and growing. Nobody ever told me I was only ever allowed to listen to one type of music. The more you hear, the more you know. The bigger your knowledge, the bigger the person you can grow to be..." Keep looking for her in all facets of music and life. She's listening...are you?
Sounds Like:
Record Label: unsigned
Type of Label: Indie

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