Rodney Booth

Senior Lecturer of Jazz Trumpet

Music Annex 121 | rodney.booth@unt.edu

Rodney Booth has been an active professional musician for over 30 years. A native of El Paso, Texas, he began his professional career at age sixteen as a trumpet player in his father’s bands. He received his degree in Jazz Studies at the University of North Texas and was a student of Don "Jake" Jacoby. Rodney was a member of the renowned One O'Clock Lab Band.

He traveled across North and South America and Europe with Woody Herman's Thundering Herd Big Band. He has performed with many major recording artists such as Lou Rawls, Nancy Wilson, Wayne Newton, Michael Feinstein, Dionne Warwick, Ella Fitzgerald, Marvin Hamlisch, Ray Charles and Natalie Cole to name a few. He has recorded professionally with the popular artist Al Green and country star Janie Fricke.

Rodney is very active in studio and commercial recordings. He can be heard on national commercials for the Fina Corporation, Texaco, McDonald's Corporation, Domino's, Miller Brewing Company and Chevrolet. In addition, he performed on the commercial recordings for the Texas Rangers, the Boston Red Sox, CNN News, the US Postal Service and also the popular television series, "Wishbone". He also recently recorded the music for a national documentary, "The United States and Mexican War." His various bands have been chosen to perform for companies such as Exxon, the Zales Corporation, Gordon’s Jewelers, Merle Norman Company and Cartier's Jewelers. The Rodney Booth Big Band and his seven piece dance band are in demand for weddings, private and corporate events and award shows throughout the area. Rodney is also an adjunct professor at the University of North Texas where he teaches Improvisation, ear training, and jazz trumpet lessons.

Rodney's CD, "Look Over There" features his own jazz quartet; this CD received a very favorable review by music critic Thor Christensen in the Dallas Morning News and can be ordered through Cdbaby, Amazon, or Boothmusic.com. His second CD, "Ten and One", will feature Swing and Big Band Music and will be released September 11, 2009. An exciting duo CD with piano great Bill Lohr will be completed in December 2009.

Rodney Booth Band on Facebook

http://music.unt.edu/faculty-and-staff/rodney-booth