Meet Mark Rhodes | Singer/songwriter/guitarist/educator/therapeutic support musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mark Rhodes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mark, what inspires you?
I’m inspired by many things but professionally, as a music educator, I’m inspired by helping kids with limited resources reach their music potential. I was stopped by an important educator in my childhood and asked an important question. Do I want to keep running with trouble or do I want to use the tools I was gifted with, my singing voice? I said voice and she asked me to join a gospel choir. I accepted and felt an eery feeling. That feeling was being told I was worth something. I had heard it before but never believed it because it came from my family, they’re supposed to say that. This was an outsider. I’ll never forget that feeling. It’s what inspires me today to find the kids that feel the same way I felt and let them know their musical purpose, and if they show they are willing to put in the work it takes to be great at their instrument of choice, I gift them an instrument for free. It fills my heart with joy to see that look on their face when they hear that I’m doing that for them. That’s what inspires me. Helping kids like that who are desperate to find their musical voice.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I think what sets me apart is my upbringing. I was poor growing up and learned some hard lessons in life at a young age. I think that toughened me up and prepared me for the real world. It comes through in my work. When I was younger you heard more frustration/anger in my music. Now, I’m older and have moved on from that pain, but I speak more as an observer. I tell the stories of others because I no longer need to write about me for the therapy of it. Before I needed to say those things because I wanted to scream from frustration of life. Now I live in peace with who I am and I think you can hear that coming through my songs.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My first stop is always Dick’s Den, especially if it’s a Friday night. It’s the musical heartbeat of Columbus. Any night of the week you can go in and you will find the best of the best playing their hearts out to crowd having the time of their lives. It’s really a Columbus treasure that everyone should visit.

I don’t have many favorite spots to eat, I love them all. If I have visitors though we always go to Dirty Franks at Huntington Park so we can kill two dogs with one stone. Best hot dogs in the city mixed with my favorite minor league squad, the Columbus Clippers.

There’s nothing more exciting than going to a Buckeyes Football game at The Horseshoe! That’s always the top thing in this town. Musicians know not to book gigs on game day. If you do and people come that’s a sign that your band is killing it. Columbus takes college football a little too serious, but who can blame them.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My first shout out is plural, and it goes to Central Ohio Music Therapy, The REID Foundation and City Music. They are the organizations that fund my music education work. We now teach inside several prisons, after school programs, pre-school and many more. All thanks to these amazing people who find away to put music in the lives of the underserved and distressed.

Youtube: @rhodesafeller614

Other: https://open.spotify.com/album/21cqqOKPxcCfiSMgwnMJXt?si=IfGI1NlxQ4C9-yBCkAtztg

Image Credits
Dan Mitchell
mitchellmultimedia.com