Born in rural Kentucky, Dr. Audie Lee Rhodes, an inspirational concert pianist who has traveled and performed concerts worldwide, is returning to the road with a unique "worship experience" with his concerts in churches of all faiths. Although heavily influenced by southern gospel and country music of the region, he was trained as a classical pianist and later introduced to the pipe organ. With an insatiable thirst for music, he tutored with three piano teachers and two organ teachers concurrently. Each teacher had a genre that contributed to the diversity of music knowledge taught to him. Mrs. Margaret Shepard at the Preparatory School of Music in Cluthe Hall gave him the foundation of the classics. Lillian Crawford, a former nightclub and cocktail pianist, added 'flair' to his playing, and of course Dr. Harry Bell, whom he considered his greatest influence, taught him that music was a language of it's own and all music, whether classical or country and everything between, contributed equally to the world.
He studied pipe organ with Dr. Ralph Waterman, again being influenced by the great masters, but also learned the techniques of the electric organ (as the were called in those days) by Dr. Emelio Forondo.
MUSIC WITH A DEDICATION:
As he was growing up listening to performances by great concert artists on the radio, Dr. Audie was also influenced by the music he heard played by the local musicians of Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee. Little did he realize that one day he would play piano and organ in the United States Marine Corps and later on international stages. The church has always been an important part of Dr. Audie's life and the music of worship. He considers himself fortunate to have been able to see music for the church in a different aspect when he was selected to attend studies of liturgical jazz under Dave Brubeck at Indiana University School of Music on a Methodist scholarship. Having studied in New England, Indiana, and Florida in the United States and Austria and England in Europe, his work in the church directed him to his field of Liturgical Music.
Dr. Audie and his wife Kimberly, are members of McFerrin United Methodist Church in Hilham TN, where until recently he was the Director of Worship and pianist. It is their home church. The most difficult part of serving is when you are called to another location. It is like leaving family, and it never gets easier. But God has a purpose for us in the New Orleans area and we are sure he will make his will known shortly. Kimberly is teaching in the St. Bernard Parish School System and I am looking forward to continuing God's work through my music.
I am working a very limited concert schedule and a limited teaching schedule as well. The majority of my time is being used preparing a Music Ministry Radio Program, upgrading my digital recording studio, Audio Laser Recordings and preparing my latest CD, "These Hands In Prayer" that is made available to churches to be used as a fundraiser. Also I am working diligently with churches and faith based organizations to organize Schools of Fines Arts for students in their area that might otherwise be unable to receive lessons and training.
