Rodney Dean Roark born in Atlanta, Texas, grew up in Atlanta and attended Atlanta schools.   Rodney was a free spirit, a leader, dreamer and a friend to many.  Rodney loved music, history and his family.   Rodney fell in love with his Fender electric guitar at an early age and this guitar became one of his closest friends in life, a friend that he shared every experience.   As one that had the opportunity to grow closer to Rodney in the last few years of his life, I learned that I could share Rodney's experiences through his playing that guitar.  This Fender guitar was a window into Rodney's heart and soul as he played what he was feeling on those strings.

Rodney spent most of his life chasing a dream.  He dreamed of being a top rock musician and he never lost that dream.  Rodney left Atlanta for Austin in the late 60's and later traveled to California chasing the dream.   After a few years in California, somewhat broken, he sold one of his guitars to pay for a bus ticket back home to Texas.  

Back home in Atlanta, Rodney assumed his position working alongside his father Bonnie at Roark Motor Supply.  Although home, Rodney never lost his dream. Uniquely versatile on the guitar, Rodney hosted one of the family type hillbilly musical shows in Oklahoma on many weekends.   Rod also sat in and played with several country bands, but his heart was in what I affectionately call "Rockin' Blues".  

Many people thought of Rodney by his appearance and what little they may have known about his music..... they may have considered him some type of radical musician.   What those did not know, is who Rodney really was.   Rodney was a musician, a humanitarian and an avid historian.   He traveled numerous times into the Aztec indian ruins in the mountains of Mexico and into Europe on occasion to trace his ancestry in the O'Roark clan.  

Rodney shared with me that in his early music career he sometimes had the "leader of the band" attitude and at these times he was difficult to work with and may have alienated musician friends.   In the latter years of his life, Rodney spent time working more with others and letting some of these into his life.   At his funeral I was amazed at the number of persons attending and how so many considered Rodney as one of their closest friends, and they also thought he considered them as his best friend.   This was Rodney.   When he was with you, he spent time with you and was honest and did not hide behind any false windows.   My family and I had the opportunity to spend two Fourth of Julys with Rod and his family on Caddo Lake at the Roark Cabin.   Rodney was a most gracious host and chef and he loved that lake.   And.... if you played a trivia type game, you always wanted Rodney on your team!

During these last years Rodney returned to his roots.   Rodney, an eagle scout, became scoutmaster for one of the Atlanta troops and worked with his stepson Chris in this endeavor.   He continued his music, but this time he shared the music and let others in to be "part" of the band and the band decisions.   This is where I fit in.   Rodney asked me to help engineer the band's "sound".   It was some of these late nights in the studio and on the road home that Rodney shared his soul with me.

Through the years many commented that Rodney's music style was much similar to that of the Vaughan Brothers.   But, people that were in Austin back in the late 60's and early 70's tell me it was the Vaughan Brothers that sat in and listened to Rodney play and it was his style that influenced them.   I can report that after the death of Stevie Ray Vaughan there was an increasing interest in Rodney's music.   Shortly before Rodney's death the band laid down tracks on four new songs in the Night Wing studios.   A tape with these tracks was submitted to an interested party within Sony Music.   An appointment was scheduled for this Sony executive to sit in on a band gig in Texarkana.   But, due to Rodney's untimely death this session never took place.   Through his music, the legacy and memories of Rodney live on.   Goodbye old friend.   I'll see you again someday.