Most folks know that Oregon is home to the fabled Sasquatch, but not everyone knows that Portland houses another mythical beast: The Content Musician.

Bill Rhoades walks into the PRP offices with the gait of a man who knows he’s arriving at a place exactly when he is meant to. His genial calm is catching and the hour melts away as we discuss his musical influences and massive (and I mean MASSIVE) record collection.
This 5th generation Oregonian got his first transistor radio when he was 12 years old, and it was a game changer. “Muddy Waters killed me.”

When the conversation turns to women working in the music industry, Bill doesn’t skip a beat. “When I’m on stage I’m facing the audience. I can’t see who is behind me.” Refreshingly, he doesn’t think twice about the gender of the musicians he plays with, as long as they can play.

In this day and age Bill Rhoades stands out as a man who is doing what he loves and is fulfilled by it. On Saturday he will be inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame, and we’re sure he will arrive there just when he means to be.

PRP