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Rodd Bland and The Members Only Band
Most would call Rodd Bland Blues royalty. The son of Bobby "Blue" Bland and godson of B.B. King, any musician would envy the opportunity to be among these greats which was a normal everyday thing for Rodd. With traditional blues sounds & feels as his foundation, Rodd's love for music began to manifest as he started playing drums by age three. From his learning of drums by his father's drummers John "Jab O'" Starks, Harold "Peanie" Portier, George Weaver, Rodd began playing double drums in his father's band alongside his brother Tony Coleman. As a result, Bland can equally hold down rhythms in an orchestrated blues big band, but also down and dirty blues injected rock outfits as well.
While most kids were busy mowing lawns for a summer job, Rodd was on the road with his father & band interning and learning the ropes gaining experience one would need in order to anchor a band.
A fixture on the world famous street that took his father and others to fame, Rodd is the standing drummer for The Will Tucker Band at the B.B. King's Blues Club on Beale Street. He's also a highly sought after live drummer who has backed many respected artists Corey Osborn, Eric Gales, and Preston Shannon to more recently Janiva Magness, Chris "Bad News" Barnes, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Reverend Shawn Amos and Otis Clay.
Having spent so much of his time touring and playing live, Rodd did manage to find time to do sessions with Darren Jay & The Delta Souls, Ian Siegel & The Youngest Sons, Roxanne Lemmon, and Will Tucker. Rodd appears alongside his father and Will in an episode of Music Voyager and Austin City Limits with his father. Take Me To The River's documentary and soundtrack, features him performing with his father and Yo Gotti. Rodd even took part in a Sundance Film Festival concert for the movie, where he anchored the drum throne with The Hi Rhythm Band, playing behind STAX legends William Bell and Ben Caulley Jr., as well as Oscar award winning rapper Frayser Boy and Al Kapone.
In recent years, Rodd has entered a new era of his life as a musician. With the loss of his father, King, & Clay, he's taken the opportunity to pass on lessons he learned to a new generation of blues fans. Whether he's on stage behind his band Brimstone Jones, Mercury Blvd, or Will Tucker he's been actively relevant on festival circuits. Keep an ear out for the rebrand as the new line of blues emerges from this son of the blues.