David Rode Rode

I grew up living in the Panama Canal Zone,San Antonio,Texas,and Northern Virginia with my father, an Air Force officer/pilot,my mother and two sisters.

I started playing guitar and writing songs as a teenager,learning from blues masters, B.B.King, John Lee Hooker, and Buddy Guy. Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, Jeff Beck and Roy Buchanan were also big influences. I am proficient in most styles of popular music. (Blues, Jazz, Funk, Rock and Country) My songwriting, fronting ability and signature screaming guitar are a big part of Topper's sound. I have been band-leader / manager of Topper for 42 years, as of this Summer (2019)

I am an endorsed artist with several musical instrument and pro audio companies. I currently reside in Fannin County, GA.

My father was a decorated USAF veteran of WW2, Korea and Vietnam. Our family has lived in Cleveland OH, San Antonio, TX, Annandale, VA, The Panama Canal Zone and Paris, France, so I went to several different elementary, junior high and high schools. I graduated from Thomas Jefferson High in 1969. Most of my friends lived in Washington, D.C. during this time, however! I'll never forget my homeroom teacher, David Blevins, though. A great guy, very cool, awesome teacher (Political Science) Being into guitar, he blew me away when he brought Jimi Hendrix's second album, "Axis Bold As Love" to class one day! I was a huge Jimi Hendrix fan & am influenced by him to this day! To tell the truth, that was my most memorable experience at Jefferson!! David kind of looked like James Franciscus in the television series, "Mr Novak. When I saw David drive by me one weekend on a motorcycle, that sealed the deal! He was super cool!
My Blues Band, "The Modern Blues Quartet" played at a school function my senior year, also! The details are kind of vague, at the moment, but the memories may return!!