 He received public musical education at Chicago Piano College, with private lessons under T. T. Taylor and Mrs. Estelle Bonds.His theory, arranging, composition and orchestral training were received under Major N. Clark Smith, who formed an orchestra from his best students including Ray Nance, Oliver Coleman, Claud Adams and Jesse Simpkins.Odom was pianist and arranger for many well known bands, Dave Peyton and Lionel Hampton, and was the pianist for the popular Flying Home record.