This week Tony and I discussed the Rhodes! The Rhodes piano was invented by Harold Rhodes during World War II as a therapeutic instrument for recovering airmen. Following its commercial partnership with Fender in the 1950s, the first production model – the 32-note Piano Bass – was released in 1959. The full-sized Fender Rhodes arrived in the mid-1960s, using hammers to strike metal tines amplified through magnetic pickups. Available as the portable Stage model or the Suitcase version with built-in amplification, it became defined by a warm, bell-like tone that shaped the sound of 1970s jazz, funk, and pop. Though its popularity declined with the arrival of digital synthesizers in the 1980s, the Rhodes returned to prominence in the 2000s and remains in production today, with the Mark 8 continuing the original electro-mechanical design.
The Doors & Daydreaming
The Doors’ debut single Break On Through (To the Other Side) introduced the Rhodes Piano Bass to rock music. The 32-note instrument covered the lower range of a traditional string bass and was used by keyboardist Ray Manzarek throughout the band’s early recordings. The track combines Aeolian-mode harmony with a bossa nova–influenced drum pattern and clave rhythm; Manzarek cited Getz/Gilberto (1964) as an inspiration, while guitarist Robby Krieger based his riff partly on Paul Butterfield’s blues recordings. The song opens the band’s debut album, The Doors (1967).
Written by Aretha Franklin and released on Young, Gifted and Black (1972), Day Dreaming features Donny Hathaway on Rhodes electric piano and Hubert Laws on flute. The recording’s harmonic palette – anchored around F11 and Bb chords – demonstrates how the Rhodes supported Franklin’s blend of soul and jazz textures. The single topped the Hot Soul Singles chart and reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. Franklin later confirmed that the song’s subject was Temptations singer Dennis Edwards. Its combination of soft Rhodes voicings, delicate flute phrasing, and relaxed tempo typifies the early-1970s soul ballad style associated with the instrument.
Elton & Twin Peaks
Elton John’s Daniel, released on Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player (1973), uses the Rhodes piano as part of a restrained arrangement that includes Mellotron flutes. Written with Bernie Taupin, the song was inspired by an article about a Vietnam War veteran who sought anonymity after returning home. Daniel reached No. 2 in the United States and topped the Adult Contemporary chart.
Composed by Angelo Badalamenti for the television series Twin Peaks (1990–1991), the Twin Peaks Theme integrates the Rhodes piano’s soft attack and sustained tone into an atmospheric soundscape. The harmonic movement between F, D minor, and B-flat supports a melody that blends ambient and cinematic elements. Producer Kinny Landrum noted the absence of a conventional bass line, which allowed the Rhodes and low strings to occupy the middle register. The track appeared on the official soundtrack, which achieved international chart success, and became a defining feature of the show’s mood of mystery and nostalgia.
Afro Blue & Africa
Robert Glasper’s 2012 reinterpretation of Mongo Santamaría’s Afro Blue features Erykah Badu and appears on the album Black Radio. Glasper reworks the jazz standard’s 12/8 rhythmic foundation into a 4/4 groove with hip-hop influences. The Rhodes occupies the midrange, providing harmonic color beneath Badu’s vocals and Casey Benjamin’s flute lines. The performance merges jazz, R&B, and neo-soul traditions, emphasizing the Rhodes’ adaptability to modern production contexts. Black Radio went on to win the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album.
Africa, from the late & great D’Angelo’s second album Voodoo (2000), exemplifies the Rhodes piano’s continued influence on neo-soul production. The track’s shimmering tone was achieved by removing the instrument’s cover and miking the tines directly, producing a sound reminiscent of a kalimba or glockenspiel. Recorded at Electric Lady Studios, Africa combines Rhodes chords (Emaj7–Amaj7–D9–Emaj7) with subtle percussion and vocal layering. Inspired by the birth of D’Angelo’s son, the song reflects on ancestry and fatherhood. Voodoo debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and is widely regarded as a landmark of late-1990s and early-2000s soul recording.
Sabrina Carpenter vs ABBA
Our soundslike this week explored similarities in production between Sabrina Carpenter‘s recent song Goodbye and a selection of ABBA‘s back catalogue…
Rhodes Quiz
For our quiz this week, we played clips from famous songs that feature a Rhodes – guess the artist and song!
As always, find the show and blog at joebennett.net/5live, with occasional Instagram extras at @joebennettmusicology. With a new show comes a new Spotify mega-playlist, which contains all songs featured on the show:
And you can still listen to our old mega-playlist here.
- Words: Joe Bennett, John Pierce O’Reilly
- Audio production: Joe Bennett, Rafi Waters
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