Rodney Bakerr Biography

Rodney Bakerr is a pioneer of the Chicago House Music scene. He was the first to add live guitar and other live instruments to house and acid house music that was played in the clubs and on record. On the road, Rodney included live guitar as well as electronic percussion. Bakerr was also one of the first to experiment with the guitar synth and the Chapman Stick, touring extensively through Europe with both.

Rodney produced three '80s hits which made The New Music Express British House Top 20. At one time, Rodney had two simultaneous hits in the Top House 20 with Love is Happiness, by Jaquarius, reaching #10 and Scream, by the H-Men, at #12. Rodney cracked the top 20 again with House Girl, by Mystic, which reached #11 in November 1988. All of these songs were on Rodney's own independent label, Rocking House Records, which was one of the original classic Chicago House labels.

Rodney is probably best known as the man who wrote the original drum machine patterns for the Roland Synthesizer Company, maker of the legendary TR808 and TR909 drum machines. Rodney wrote the original house music patterns for these machines in the Roland Drum Machine Dictionary. These patterns were the first House patterns in print, were distributed around the world and are still heard on many dance hits today. For many musicians and producers, this was the first instruction on how to program and play intricate Chicago House beats. Many top producers learned from that book.

To many, Rodney is one of the true unsung heroes or godfathers of House.