Gene Rodgers born 5 March 1910

Gene Rodgers (March 5, 1910 – October 23, 1987) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger who had a long career although he never became famous. He is best known for being the pianist on Coleman Hawkins' 1939 recording of "Body and Soul". He was adept at classical performance as he was boogie-woogie—often combining the two. 

Born Eugene Ricardo Rodgers Jr, in New York City, he was  the eldest child of Eugene Ricardo Rodgers Sr  and his wife Blanche Bona Cabey who were both born in what was then the Danish West Indies / Danish Antilles, later the American Virgin Islands. Gene had three younger siblings, Mildred (1914), Rowland (1918), and Genevieve (1920). 

Rodgers worked professionally from the mid-1920s. His first 78 was made in 1929 backing vocalist Mamie Smith for Columbia and in the next few years made recordings with Clarence Williams and King Oliver in addition to playing with Chick Webb and Teddy Hill.  He teamed with Frank Radcliffe in the early thirties touring as a popular vaudeville act in many shows, including a tour of European capitals. While visiting England, Rodgers made a number of records with Elisabeth Welch and also Benny Carter in 1936. 

                    

Back in the U.S., Rodgers worked and recorded with Coleman Hawkins (1939-40), was in Zutty Singleton's Trio and with Erskine Hawkins' big band (1943). Rodgers worked in Los Angeles for a couple years (appearing in the film Sensations of 1945 on one number with Cab Calloway opposite fellow pianist Dorothy Donegan) and then led his own trio, mostly working in New York for many years. 

Rodgers appears, with opening title credits, in the 1947 film Shoot to Kill, though it seems the sound was not miked during filming. Appearing about 9:40 into the film is "Ballad of the Bayou" and later is "Rajah's Blues." Both are Rodgers compositions. 

Rodgers recorded sparingly as a leader; he did two sides for Vocalion in 1936, four in a session for Joe Davis in 1945. Other leadership albums include sessions as a trio leader for EmArcy in 1958, Gene Rodgers Plays Richard Rodgers for Mercury in 1959, Gene Rodgers With Slam Stewart and Jo Jones in 1972 for Black & White, and It Might as Well Be...Gene!, recorded live at Jacklin', a club in Zurich, Switzerland, and 88 Up Right in 1980.

In 1981-82 he worked for a period with the Harlem Blues and Jazz Band. He died on October 23, 1987 in New York City, NY.

(Edited from Wikipedia, AllMusic & Bill Egan)