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Nile Rodgers on Madonna, David Bowie, and Frank Sinatra's Priceless Advice

Legendary producer and Chic co-founder Nile Rodgers discusses his encounters with Madonna, meeting David Bowie, and the impactful advice he received from Frank Sinatra, with whom he shares a Songwriters Hall of Fame membership.

Variety Music·Jun 24, 2026·via Variety Music

Nile Rodgers on Madonna, David Bowie, and Frank Sinatra's Priceless Advice

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Jun 24, 2026 7:00am PT

Super-Producer Nile Rodgers Shares Wild Tales About Walking Out on Madonna, Meeting David Bowie, Advice From Frank Sinatra and More

By Jem Aswad

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Jem Aswad

Executive Editor, Music

jemaswad

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With a track record that includes David Bowie, Madonna , Daft Punk, Diana Ross and many others, Nile Rodgers , co-founder and leader of Chic, is one of the greatest producers and guitarists of the last 50 years, and a legendary songwriter as well — he’s not only a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, he’s been its chairman for eight years. He is also a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the “Musical Excellence” category.

Yet even those accolades are just a small segment of the story of his extraordinary life and career: In a far-reaching, nearly 100-minute interview with Variety ‘s Jem Aswad for New York Music Month — presented by Variety and Berklee NYC School of Music — at his longtime home base, New York’s Power Station Studios, Rodgers spoke about most of the above as well as his musical background, his early years as a member of bands on “Sesame Street” and at the Apollo Theater in Harlem — the latter with a classic story involving Screaming Jay Hawkins — the formation and multiplatinum success of Chic, the many records he’s made at the Power Station, and lots more, including a brief story about Frank Sinatra.