{{short description|American singer}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Mighty Mo Rodgers | image = MightyMoRodgers398Flickr.jpg | caption = Mighty Mo Rodgers | image_size = | birth_name = Maurice Rodgers | alias = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1942|07|24}} | birth_place = East Chicago, Indiana, United States | death_date = | death_place = | instrument = Vocals, keyboards | genre = Electric blues<ref name="AMG">{{cite web|author=Campbell, Al |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/mighty-mo-rodgers-mn0000407489/biography |title=Mighty Mo Rodgers: Biography |publisher=AllMusic.com |date= |accessdate=March 13, 2014}}</ref> | occupation = Musician, singer, songwriter, record producer | years_active = Mid 1960s–present | label = Various including Blue Thumb | website = {{URL|http://www.mightymorodgers.com/|Official website}} }}
'''Mighty Mo Rodgers''' (born July 24, 1942)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sonicbids.com/band/mightymorodgers4/about/ |title=About Mighty Mo Rodgers |publisher=Sonicbids.com |date= |accessdate=March 13, 2014}}</ref> is an American electric blues musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer, who has released eight albums to date.<ref name="AMG"/> He has been influenced by the work of Aretha Franklin, Bobby Bland, Eddie Boyd, Jimmy Reed, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, and Willie Dixon.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/mighty-mo-rodgers-mn0000407489/related |title=Mighty Mo Rodgers: Related |publisher=AllMusic.com |date= |accessdate=March 13, 2014}}</ref>
Bonnie Raitt noted that "Mo Rodgers' music is a breath of fresh air in the blues/R&B world. He combines sly social commentary with a great funky sound. . . . I love his voice. He's a welcome original."<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.bignoisenow.com/mightymorodgers.html |title=Mighty Mo Rodgers |publisher=Bignoisenow.com |date= |accessdate=March 13, 2014}}</ref>
==Biography== '''Maurice Rodgers''' was born in East Chicago, Indiana,<ref name="AMG"/> He studied classical piano, but was more influenced by witnessing the blues acts that performed at his father's nightclub. In the mid-1960s, the music produced by the American record label Stax also affected his musical ambitions. In high school, Rodgers formed his first band, the Rocketeers. After entering Indiana State College, he fronted the Maurice Rodgers Combo. His love of playing keyboards led Rodgers to leave college and relocate to Los Angeles, California, becoming a full-time musician.<ref name="AMG"/>
He played the Farfisa electronic organ on Brenton Wood's 1967 hit "Gimme Little Sign".<ref name="AMG"/><ref name="Rodgers">{{cite web|url=http://www.mightymorodgers.com/bio.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000831103209/http://www.mightymorodgers.com/bio.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=August 31, 2000 |title=Mighty Mo Rodgers Bio Page |publisher=Mightymorodgers.com |date= |accessdate=March 13, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.soulbluesmusic.com/mightymorodgers.htm |title=Mighty Mo Rodgers |publisher=Soulbluesmusic.com |date= |accessdate=March 13, 2014}}</ref>
In 1973, Rodgers co-produced the album ''Sonny & Brownie'' (A&M Records), by Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee.<ref name="Rodgers"/> He also played keyboards on the album's cut.<ref name="AMG"/> Following a spell as a session musician, Rodgers moved into songwriting for Motown and Chappell & Co. He also worked as a record producer before returning to education and obtaining a philosophy degree from California State University, Northridge.<ref name="blues1">{{cite web|last=Limnios |first=Michalis |url=http://blues.gr/profiles/blogs/mighty-mo-rodgers-a-blues-poet-philosopher-socrates-laid-down |title=Mighty Mo Rodgers, a Blues Poet Philosopher: Socrates Laid Down Some Real Good Blues "Know Thyself" |publisher=Blues.Gr |date=July 27, 2012 |accessdate=March 13, 2014}}</ref> His first solo album, ''Blues Is My Wailin' Wall'', was released in 1999 by Blue Thumb Records. The lyrics of several of the songs on the album present Rodgers's philosophical views of mankind.<ref name="AMG"/>
In 2000, Rodgers performed at the Notodden Blues Festival. His European excursions have included concerts at the New Morning nightclub in Paris. In 2001, he performed on the album ''Memphis'', recorded by Jean-Jacques Milteau, which also included contributions from Little Milton and Mighty Sam McClain.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/memphis-mw0000031055/credits |title=Jean-Jacques Milteau, ''Memphis'': Credits |publisher=AllMusic.com |date= |accessdate=March 13, 2014}}</ref> His own recordings continued with ''Red, White & Blues'' (2002); ''Black Paris Blues'', a live album issued in 2004; and ''Redneck Blues'' (2007). His next release was ''Cadillac Jack'' in 2012.<ref name="allmusic1">{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/mighty-mo-rodgers-mn0000407489/discography |title=Mighty Mo Rodgers: Discography |publisher=AllMusic.com |date= |accessdate=March 13, 2014}}</ref>
Rodgers appeared at the 22nd Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival in August 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rootsandblues.ca/mighty-mo-rodgers/ |title=Mighty Mo Rodgers: Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival / Music / Canadian / International / World / Family Event |publisher=Rootsandblues.ca |date=April 4, 2013 |accessdate=March 13, 2014}}</ref>
In 2019, he toured with Baba Sissoko and performed at several European blues festivals. In 2017, they had jointly released the album, ''Griot Blues''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/griot-blues-mw0003110924|title=Griot Blues - Mighty Mo Rodgers, Baba Sissoko | User Reviews|website=AllMusic|accessdate=August 7, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.onerootmusic.com/artists-releases/697-2/|title=Griot Blues|website=Onerootmusic.com|accessdate=August 7, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bluesblastmagazine.com/mighty-mo-rodgers-baba-sissoko-griot-blues-album-review/|title=Mighty Mo Rodgers & Baba Sissoko – Griot Blues | Album Review|first=Mark|last=Thompson|website=Bluesblastmagazine.com|accessdate=August 7, 2019}}</ref>
==Awards== *W. C. Handy Award nomination (1999) for ''Blues Is My Wailin' Wall'' *Chic de l'Annee (1999) (France) as Blues Album of the Year for ''Blues Is My Wailin' Wall'' *''Living Blues'' magazine, Contemporary Blues Album of the Year (2002) for ''Red, White & Blues'' *Académie Charles Cros (Grand Prix du Disque) (2002) for ''Red, White & Blues'' *Trophees France Blues (2001) and (2002) International Artist *Trophees France Blues (2003) International Songwriter *Chic De L'Annee (2007) Blues Album of the Year for ''Redneck Blues''<ref name="Rodgers"/>
==Discography== ===Studio albums=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year || Title || Record label |- | 1999 || ''Blues Is My Wailin' Wall''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/blues-is-my-wailin-wall-mighty-mo-rodgers-blue-thumb-records-review-by-ed-kopp |title=Mighty Mo Rodgers: Blues Is My Wailin' Wall |publisher=Allaboutjazz.com |date= |access-date=March 13, 2014}}</ref> || style="text-align:left;"|Blue Thumb |- | 2002 || ''Red, White & Blues''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mumaprod.com/ontour/mightymorogers.html |title=Musicmatters Mighty Mo Rogers |publisher=Mumaprod.com |accessdate=March 13, 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140313181044/http://www.mumaprod.com/ontour/mightymorogers.html |archivedate=March 13, 2014 }}</ref> || style="text-align:left;"|Blue Thumb |- | 2004 || ''Black Paris Blues''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.last.fm/music/Mighty+Mo+Rodgers/Black+Paris+Blues+(Live) |title=Black Paris Blues (Live) – Mighty Mo Rodgers |publisher=Last.fm |date=November 26, 2013 |accessdate=March 13, 2014}}</ref> || style="text-align:left;"|Isabel |- | 2007 || ''Redneck Blues''<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.bluesweb.com/p_disque.php3?id_article=1201 |title=Mighty Mo Rodgers – Redneck Blues |publisher=Bluesweb.com |date= |accessdate=March 13, 2014}}</ref> || style="text-align:left;"|DixieFrog |- | 2009 || ''Dispatches from the Moon''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dispatches-Moon-Mighty-Mo-Rodgers/dp/B00B32FQ5S |title=Dispatches from the Moon, Mighty Mo Rodgers |website=Amazon.co.uk |date=May 5, 2009 |accessdate=March 13, 2014}}</ref> || style="text-align:left;"|DixieFrog |- | 2012 || ''Cadillac Jack''<ref name="blues1"/> || style="text-align:left;"|Waterfront |- | 2017 || ''Griot Blues'' || style="text-align:left;"|One Root Music |- | 2023 || ''Memphis Callin': Soul Music & the American Dream'' || style="text-align:left;"|Drinking Gourd |}<ref name="allmusic1"/>
==See also== *List of electric blues musicians *Studio City Sound
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{URL|http://www.mightymorodgers.com/|Official website}} *[http://www.reverbnation.com/mightymorodgers Reverbnation.com] *[http://www.soulbluesmusic.com/mightymorodgerspage.htm Biography and discography at Soulbluesmusic.com]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rodgers, Mighty Mo}} Category:1942 births Category:Living people Category:American blues singers Category:American blues pianists Category:American male singers Category:People from East Chicago, Indiana Category:Electric blues musicians Category:Record producers from Indiana Category:Songwriters from Indiana Category:20th-century American pianists Category:21st-century American pianists Category:American male songwriters Category:20th-century American male pianists Category:21st-century American male pianists