Erin Bode has a message from the heart. She has travelled around the globe and shared it with audiences numbering in the thousands. She has shared her message with a handful of listeners in local cafes and coffee shops. She has shared it with multitudes at various music festivals, and will share it with anyone who has ears to hear.
Bode is quick to smile when addressing the audience between songs and on set breaks. She goes out of her way to chat and sign autographs between sets, often enjoying a good laugh. She is genuinely engaging on and off the stage, and her audience reciprocates with closed mouths and glowing eyes. When asked why she has so much appeal to her fans, she alludes to her personal philosophy, “We try to remain humble while focusing on the audience. We are gracious for their support and we want to please them.” Bode answers every question with “we”, signifying the deep sense of community shared with her group members, which include her husband and bass player, Syd Rodway, singer-songwiter, Adam Maness, and virtuoso drummer, Mark Colenburg.
Originally from a suburb of Minneapolis, Bode attended Webster University for her studies in music before signing a contract with MAXJAZZ in 2004. She married Rodway that same year, and has made St. Louis her home ever since. Despite her growing international success, Bode remains dedicated towards her community. Her message runs deeper than lyrics and legends. Her song comes not only in the form of a melancholy tune or a whispered melody, but in the act of giving her life for others. Whether serving with LCMS in South Africa to raise funds for boys and girls schools, performing at a conference for mercy, or simply taking the time to listen and get to know her fans on a personal level, Bode’s message of love rings clear like the soft bell tone of her voice.
When asked about her time spent working with the Themba Boys and Girls in South Africa, Bode’s eyes light up, “It was incredible. They had twenty-two choirs and no music teacher. They are so passionate about making music.” Bode’s eyes deepen with a sober clarity before adding, “The time I spent with them changed my whole perspective on the purpose of music and what it means to serve others.” This bond formed in faith and music remains alive in her language of expression, whether she is performing for large crowds at an outdoor festival, or a quiet room full of admirers. Erin Bode brings with her a message of love, an image, a story, written deep in the musical fabric that is her life. When asked about the future, she smiles and quips, “We are chronically optimistic.”
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