Paul Rodgers
Encyclopedia
Paul Bernard Rodgers is an English
rock
singer-songwriter
, best known for his success in the 1970s as a member of Free
and Bad Company
. After stints in two less successful bands in the 1980s and early 1990s, The Firm and The Law
, he became a solo artist. He has recently toured and recorded with
another 1970s band, Queen
. Rodgers has been dubbed "The Voice" by his fans. A poll in Rolling Stone magazine ranked him number 55 on its list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time".
Rodgers has been cited as a significant influence on a number of notable rock singers, including David Coverdale
, John Waite
, Steve Overland
, Lou Gramm
, Jimi Jamison
, Eric Martin, Steve Walsh
, Joe Lynn Turner
and Jimmy Barnes
.
(later of Whitesnake
) and Bruce Thomas
(later of Elvis Costello and The Attractions). Rodgers appeared on the British music scene in 1968 as singer/songwriter for bluesy rockers Free
. In 1970, they shot up the international radio charts with "All Right Now
", which Rodgers wrote with the group's bassist Andy Fraser
.
It was a number one hit in more than 20 territories and acknowledged by ASCAP in 1990 for having received over a million radio plays in the US. The song played a role in introducing Rodgers's vocal style, while helping to establish the sound of the British blues/rock invasion. For a short time, Free were alongside Led Zeppelin
as among the highest grossing British acts though Free's status did not sustain. Free released four albums with a combination of blues
, ballads and rock
that were Top Five successes in the UK. When in 2000, the song "All Right Now" achieved the mark of two million radio plays in the UK, an award was given to Rodgers as one of the two writers.
After the first break-up of Free in the spring of 1971, Rodgers briefly formed a three-piece band called Peace. Alongside bassist Stewart McDonald and drummer Mick Underwood
, Rodgers played guitar and sang lead vocal. Peace supported Mott the Hoople's UK tour in 1971, but broke up when Free reformed at the start of 1972. Two songs by Peace were eventually included on the fifth disc of the 2000 Free compilation Songs of Yesterday, along with a song that Rodgers recorded with the Maytals
. A bootleg has circulated of a December 22, 1971 appearance by Peace on the BBC's "Top Gear" program.
, with Mick Ralphs
, former guitarist of Mott the Hoople
. Rodgers said: "Mick and I were trying to come up with names for the band. When I called him and said 'Bad Company', he dropped the phone."
Bad Company toured successfully from 1973 to 1982, and had several hits such as "Feel Like Making Love
", "Can't Get Enough", "Shooting Star", "Bad Company", and "Run With The Pack". Rodgers also showcased his instrumental talents on several tracks: "Bad Company" and "Run With The Pack" featured him on piano; "Rock And Roll Fantasy" on guitar; and on the ballad "Seagull" Rodgers played all of the instruments. Bad Company earned six platinum albums until Rodgers left in 1982 at the height of their fame stating that he wanted to spend time with his young family.
It was revealed in April 2011 that after Jim Morrison
's death, the rest of The Doors
wanted Rodgers to replace him. Rodgers has said that he was unreachably rural at the time, and the moment passed.
(made up of the survivors of Lynyrd Skynyrd
),
In October 1983, Rodgers released his first solo LP Cut Loose. He composed all of the music and played all of the instruments. The album reached number 135 on the Billboard's Pop Albums chart.
When his friend Jimmy Page
started to come around to his house, guitar in hand and Led Zeppelin
at an end, the duo's first live pairing was on the US ARMS (Action Research into Multiple Sclerosis) Tour (rock music's first big charity fundraiser) which had first been mooted by Eric Clapton
and, besides Rodgers and Page, would include Jeff Beck
, Joe Cocker
, Steve Winwood
and others. The inspiration behind ARMS had been former Small Faces/Faces member Ronnie Lane
's own struggle with M.S. This led to Rodgers and Page's further teaming in the group The Firm, which resulted in two albums and two tours. Both Firm world tours managed only average attendance. Despite being panned by critics The Firm's two albums, The Firm
and Mean Business
, achieved moderate sales success and produced the radio hits "Radioactive", "Satisfaction Guaranteed", and, in the UK, "All The King's Horses".
, Rodgers's 1991 musical venture with former The Who and Faces drummer Kenney Jones
, produced Billboard
s number one AOR
chart hit "Laying Down The Law" written by Rodgers, but the album peaked at number 126 on the Billboard 200
chart
. A second album can be found on the bootleg market, which is often referred to as The Law II. It is believed that this collection of songs were leftovers from the first album.
Rodgers acknowledged the influence of Jimi Hendrix
by collaborating with Steve Vai, Hendrix's Band Of Gypsys (Buddy Miles and Billy Cox) and the London Metropolitan Orchestra and recorded the track "Bold As Love", on the Hendrix tribute album In From The Storm. Then Rodgers teamed with Journey
guitarist Neal Schon
and released The Hendrix Set
, a live 5-track CD, recorded in 1993 with Rodgers' interpretations of Hendrix songs. A Canadian and US tour followed.
His Grammy-nominated solo CD, Muddy Water Blues: A Tribute to Muddy Waters
was released in 1993. Rodgers wrote the title track and was backed by guitarists Brian May
, Gary Moore
, David Gilmour
, Jeff Beck
, Steve Miller
, Buddy Guy
, Richie Sambora
, Brian Setzer
, Slash
and Trevor Rabin
.
For Woodstock's 25th anniversary in 1994, Rodgers pulled together drummer Jason Bonham
, bassist Andy Fraser (from Free), guitarists Slash and Schon at the last moment to perform as the Paul Rodgers Rock and Blues Revue.
In 1995 he formed a new band consisting of Jaz Lochrie
on bass, Jimmy Copley
on drums and Geoff Whitehorn
on guitar. The band (The Paul Rodgers Band) toured extensively in Europe, US and in the UK until 1998 and released three albums - Now
, Now and Live and Electric
. Now charted internationally in the Top 40. The single
"Soul Of Love" remained in rotation on more than 86 US radio stations for six months but was not a sales success. His 1997 world tour included Russia
, Japan
, Canada
, US
, UK
, Germany
, France
, Romania
, Bulgaria
, Israel
, Brazil
, Greece
and Argentina
.
Rodgers and Bad Company
hit Billboards US BDS
charts with the number one single "Hey, Hey" in 1999, one of four new tracks off Bad Company's The Original Bad Company Anthology
. The second single release, Rodgers's "Hammer Of Love", reached number two. For the first time in 20 years, all the original members of Bad Company toured the US.
"Drifters" was US rock radio's number one on the Most Added FMQB Hot Trax list, number two on Most Added R&R Rock and number three on Most Added Album Net Power Cuts. "Drifters" remained in the top 10 for eight weeks on Billboards Rock charts. That year, he played sold-out concerts in England, Scotland, Australia, United States and Canada. After his appearance on TV's Late Show with David Letterman
in New York, he met and jammed with B.B. King. That same year, Paul Rodgers, Jimmie Vaughan
, Levon Helm
, bluesmen Hubert Sumlin
, Johnnie Johnson
, James Cotton
and others performed a sold out concert in Cleveland as a Muddy Water Blues: A Tribute to Muddy Waters
.
The spring of 2001, Rodgers returned to Australia, England and Scotland for the second run of sold-out shows. That summer he toured the US with Bad Company
.
Paul Rodgers and Bad Company
released their first live CD and DVD In Concert: Merchants of Cool in 2002. It included all the hits and a new single "Joe Fabulous" penned by Rodgers which hit number one at Classic Rock Radio and Top 20 on mainstream
rock radio in the US. In its debut week, the DVD sales sound scanned at number three Canada, and number four in the US. The Joe Fabulous Tour kicked off in the US and sold out in the UK. While in London, Rodgers performed with Jeff Beck
at the Royal Festival Hall
. Rodgers was invited by long-time fan Tony Blair
to perform at the Labour Party
Conference. "I had the entire Labour Party singing the chorus of "Wishing Well", a song I wrote and shared with Free
, ...'love in a peaceful world'. 'Love in a peaceful world'... over and over and over hoping the words would sink in but we went to war" recalled Rodgers. Twice in 2002, Rodgers performed on Britain's TV show Top of the Pops 2.
In 2003, Rodgers toured as a solo artist for the first time in two years playing 25 US dates. In his solo band were guitarist Howard Leese
(formerly of Heart
), bassist Lynn Sorensen and drummer Jeff Kathan. Jools Holland
invited Rodgers to record "I Told The Truth" for Holland's album Small World Big Band. The CD also featured Eric Clapton
, Ronnie Wood, Peter Gabriel
, Michael McDonald
, Ringo Starr
and others. This led to Rodgers performing two sold-out nights at London's Royal Albert Hall
with Holland and his 18-piece rhythm and blues orchestra, and several UK TV appearances.He also appeared with Jeff Beck, performing some songs from Beck's back catalogue (along with several other notable musicians, including John Mclaughlin, Roger Waters and the White Stripes) for part of a week-long series of charity concerts put on by Jeff Beck at the Royal Festival Hall in London.
In autumn 2004, Rodgers took part in an all-star line-up of some of the world's greatest guitarists and thousands of fans gathered at London's Wembley Arena
to celebrate the 50th birthday of the Fender Stratocaster
guitar. In 2005, he took part in the 50th anniversary celebration of the Four Tops
.
Early in 2004, Rodgers joined Mitch Mitchell
and Billy Cox
(Hendrix's Cry of Love), Buddy Guy
, Joe Satriani
, Kid Rock's Kenny Olson
, Alice in Chain's Jerry Cantrell
, Double Trouble
, Indigenous, Kenny Wayne Shepherd
and blues legend Hubert Sumlin
(Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters) and performed three sold-out shows in Seattle, Portland
and San Francisco as "Experience Hendrix". Once again, Rodgers only played 25 concerts in the US and Canada. He performed at Wembley for the fiftieth anniversary celebration for the Fender Stratocaster
, along with David Gilmour
who played Strat #001, Ronnie Wood, Brian May
, Joe Walsh
, Gary Moore
, Rodgers sang and played a custom designed Jaguar Fender Strat. Rodgers was invited by The Four Tops to be part of their fiftieth anniversary TV/DVD concert celebration at Motown's Opera House and performed alongside Aretha Franklin
, Dennis Edwards & The Temptations Revue, Sam Moore
, Mary Wilson
, Ashford and Simpson and The Four Tops.
In late 2004, after a successful live television performance, two of the four members of the British rock group Queen
proposed a collaboration with Rodgers, in which he would sing lead vocals on a European tour. Rodgers thus joined Brian May
and Roger Taylor (former bassist John Deacon
retired in the late 1990s), with the group billed as Queen + Paul Rodgers
and they subsequently toured worldwide in 2005 and 2006. The participants clearly stated, including on Brian May
's own website, "that Rodgers would be "featured with" Queen as: "Queen + Paul Rodgers", not replacing the late Freddie Mercury
". The group subsequently released a live album with songs from Queen, Bad Company and Free, called Return of the Champions
, and a DVD of the same name. Both featured live recordings from their Sheffield
Hallam FM Arena concert on 9 May 2005. The DVD features "Imagine
" from Hyde Park
. "For one glorious summer" opined music critic Sean Michaels "we were all Paul Rodgers". Another DVD was released in 2006 from a live performance in Japan, called Super Live in Japan
.
Queen + Paul Rodgers also released a single featuring "Reaching Out
", "Tie Your Mother Down
" and "Fat Bottomed Girls
".
The summer of 2006 saw Rodgers again focused on his solo career with a world tour, which commenced in Austin, Texas
, US in June, then on to Japan, finishing in Glasgow
, Scotland, in October 2006.
On 15 August 2006, Brian May confirmed through his website that "Queen + Paul Rodgers" will begin producing a new studio album beginning in October, to be recorded at Roger Taylor's home.
In April 2007 Rodgers released a live album of his 2006 tour, recorded in Glasgow, Scotland 13 October 2006, with a DVD of the same show released the following month.
On 27–28 December 2007, Rodgers performed with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra
during their Winter 2007 Tour in Houston, Texas
and Dallas, Texas. Unannounced, he joined the band at the end of their show to sing "Bad Company" and "All Right Now".
Rogers was a judge for the sixth and seventh annual Independent Music Awards
to support independent artists.
On 27 June 2008, Rodgers and Queen performed at the Concert for Nelson Mandela
to celebrate Mandela's 90th birthday.
On 8 August 2008, Rodgers and original members Mick Ralphs and Simon Kirke reunited as Bad Company to perform a one-night only, sold-out performance at the Seminole Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida. The live performance was released on Blu-ray, DVD, and CD on 9 February 2010 and the tracks included seventeen Bad Company hits. Rodgers dedicated "Gone, Gone, Gone" to original bassist Boz Burrell, who died in 2006.
On 14 May 2009, Rodgers announced he was ending his five year long collaboration with Queen, although did not rule out the possibility of working with them again. On 17 November 2009, it was announced he would join the other surviving members of Bad Company for an eight date UK tour in April 2010.
, followed by casino shows in Lemoore on 17 June and in Santa Ynez on 18 June.
It was recently announced that Rodgers would be taking part in a Paul McCartney
tribute album that would also feature contributions by Billy Joel
, Garth Brooks
, BB King, and KISS
. Originally planned for a late 2010 release, no further information has been announced and no release has taken place as of March 2011.
Rodgers performed a solo UK tour in April 2011 with Joe Elliot's Down 'n' Outz
.
The April 28 concert at Birmingham's National Indoor Arena was filmed for a future live DVD release.
, in the 1990s. Rodgers and Shimizu divorced in 1996.
On 26 September 2007, Rodgers married a former model and Miss Canada, exercise physiologist and artist Cynthia Kereluk
in Canada's Okanagan Valley.
Rodgers became a Canadian citizen on October 21, 2011.
Studio albums
Singles
Other albums
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, best known for his success in the 1970s as a member of Free
Free (band)
Free were an English rock band, formed in London in 1968, best known for their 1970 signature song "All Right Now". They disbanded in 1973 and lead singer Paul Rodgers went on to become a frontman of the band Bad Company along with Simon Kirke on drums; lead guitarist Paul Kossoff died from a...
and Bad Company
Bad Company
Bad Company were an English rock supergroup founded in 1973, consisting of two former Free band members — singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke — as well as Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell. Peter Grant, who, in years prior, was a key component of...
. After stints in two less successful bands in the 1980s and early 1990s, The Firm and The Law
The Law (band)
For other bands named Law, see Law The Law were an English rock group formed in 1991 comprising drummer Kenney Jones and singer Paul Rodgers . The two teamed up with the idea of using different supporting musicians, in order to allow Paul Rodgers to pursue whatever musical style he felt like...
, he became a solo artist. He has recently toured and recorded with
Queen + Paul Rodgers
Queen + Paul Rodgers was a supergroup collaboration between Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen and Paul Rodgers...
another 1970s band, Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
. Rodgers has been dubbed "The Voice" by his fans. A poll in Rolling Stone magazine ranked him number 55 on its list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time".
Rodgers has been cited as a significant influence on a number of notable rock singers, including David Coverdale
David Coverdale
David 'Jack' Coverdale is an English rock singer, most famous for his work with the his own hard rock band Whitesnake which achieved massive commercial success.-Early life:...
, John Waite
John Waite
John Charles Waite is an English rock singer and musician. He was lead vocalist for The Babys and Bad English. As a solo artist, he scored several international hits, including 1984's "Missing You", a top ten hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart, reaching #1 in the...
, Steve Overland
Steve Overland
Steve Overland is a British singer/musician who was the lead vocalist and songwriter for the bands Wildlife, FM, The Ladder, Shadowman, and his own group, Overland. Overland's nearly 30 year career began in his home county of East Anglia, where he and his brother Chris formed the band Wildlife in...
, Lou Gramm
Lou Gramm
Lou Gramm is an American rock vocalist and songwriter best known for his role as the lead vocalist and co-writer of many of the songs for the rock band Foreigner. He also had a successful solo career...
, Jimi Jamison
Jimi Jamison
Jimmy Wayne "Jimi" Jamison is a rock vocalist and songwriter, best known as the lead singer for the band Survivor from 1984–1989 and 2000-2006.- Further biography :...
, Eric Martin, Steve Walsh
Steve Walsh (musician)
Steve Walsh is a singer and songwriter best known for his work as a member of the progressive rock band Kansas.-Introduction:The keyboardist/vocalist/songwriter/producer/percussionist is best known for his visionary work with Kansas...
, Joe Lynn Turner
Joe Lynn Turner
Joe Lynn Turner , is an American rock singer, known for his works with Rainbow, Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force, Deep Purple. From the late 1990s, he continued to perform in a large number of solo albums and other studio projects...
and Jimmy Barnes
Jimmy Barnes
James Dixon Swan , better known as Jimmy Barnes, is a Scottish-born Australian rock singer-songwriter. His father Jim Swan was a prizefighter and his older brother John Swan is also a rock singer. It was actually John who had encouraged and taught Jim how to sing as he wasn't really interested at...
.
Free
He played bass (he later moved onto vocals) in local band The Roadrunners, which just before leaving Middlesbrough for the London music scene changed its name to The Wildflowers. Other members of this band were Micky MoodyMicky Moody
Michael Joseph "Micky" Moody is an English guitarist, and a former member of the rock bands Juicy Lucy and Whitesnake. He was also a founder-member of Snafu. Together with his former Whitesnake colleague Bernie Marsden he founded the Moody Marsden Band, and later, The Snakes...
(later of Whitesnake
Whitesnake
Whitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style...
) and Bruce Thomas
Bruce Thomas
Bruce Thomas is best known as bassist for The Attractions; the band formed in 1977 to back Elvis Costello in concert and on record....
(later of Elvis Costello and The Attractions). Rodgers appeared on the British music scene in 1968 as singer/songwriter for bluesy rockers Free
Free (band)
Free were an English rock band, formed in London in 1968, best known for their 1970 signature song "All Right Now". They disbanded in 1973 and lead singer Paul Rodgers went on to become a frontman of the band Bad Company along with Simon Kirke on drums; lead guitarist Paul Kossoff died from a...
. In 1970, they shot up the international radio charts with "All Right Now
All Right Now
"All Right Now" is a rock single by the English rock band Free. The song, released in mid-1970, hit #2 on the UK singles chart and #4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. "All Right Now" originally appeared on the album Fire And Water, which Free recorded on the Island Records label, formed...
", which Rodgers wrote with the group's bassist Andy Fraser
Andy Fraser
Andy Fraser is an English songwriter and bass guitarist whose career has lasted over forty years and includes a notable period as one of the founding members, in 1968, at age 15, of the rock band Free.-Peak years :...
.
It was a number one hit in more than 20 territories and acknowledged by ASCAP in 1990 for having received over a million radio plays in the US. The song played a role in introducing Rodgers's vocal style, while helping to establish the sound of the British blues/rock invasion. For a short time, Free were alongside Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
as among the highest grossing British acts though Free's status did not sustain. Free released four albums with a combination of blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
, ballads and rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
that were Top Five successes in the UK. When in 2000, the song "All Right Now" achieved the mark of two million radio plays in the UK, an award was given to Rodgers as one of the two writers.
After the first break-up of Free in the spring of 1971, Rodgers briefly formed a three-piece band called Peace. Alongside bassist Stewart McDonald and drummer Mick Underwood
Mick Underwood
Mick Underwood is a British drummer best known for his work with Episode Six, Quatermass and Gillan. First playing drums at the age of 14, he was a professional musician by the time he left school...
, Rodgers played guitar and sang lead vocal. Peace supported Mott the Hoople's UK tour in 1971, but broke up when Free reformed at the start of 1972. Two songs by Peace were eventually included on the fifth disc of the 2000 Free compilation Songs of Yesterday, along with a song that Rodgers recorded with the Maytals
Toots & the Maytals
Toots and the Maytals, originally called simply The Maytals, are a Jamaican musical group and one of the best known ska and reggae vocal groups. According to Sandra Brennan at Allmusic, "The Maytals were key figures in reggae music...
. A bootleg has circulated of a December 22, 1971 appearance by Peace on the BBC's "Top Gear" program.
1970s: Bad Company
Rodgers formed his next band, Bad CompanyBad Company
Bad Company were an English rock supergroup founded in 1973, consisting of two former Free band members — singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke — as well as Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell. Peter Grant, who, in years prior, was a key component of...
, with Mick Ralphs
Mick Ralphs
Michael Geoffrey "Mick" Ralphs is an English guitarist and songwriter, who was a founding member of rock bands Mott the Hoople and Bad Company.-Career:...
, former guitarist of Mott the Hoople
Mott the Hoople
Mott the Hoople were a British rock band with strong R&B roots, popular in the glam rock era of the early to mid 1970s. They are popularly known for the song "All the Young Dudes", written for them by David Bowie and appearing on their 1972 album of the same name.-The early years:Mott The Hoople...
. Rodgers said: "Mick and I were trying to come up with names for the band. When I called him and said 'Bad Company', he dropped the phone."
Bad Company toured successfully from 1973 to 1982, and had several hits such as "Feel Like Making Love
Feel Like Makin' Love (Bad Company song)
"Feel Like Makin' Love" is a song by British supergroup Bad Company. The song originally appeared on the LP Straight Shooter in April 1975 and was released as a single in August of the same year...
", "Can't Get Enough", "Shooting Star", "Bad Company", and "Run With The Pack". Rodgers also showcased his instrumental talents on several tracks: "Bad Company" and "Run With The Pack" featured him on piano; "Rock And Roll Fantasy" on guitar; and on the ballad "Seagull" Rodgers played all of the instruments. Bad Company earned six platinum albums until Rodgers left in 1982 at the height of their fame stating that he wanted to spend time with his young family.
It was revealed in April 2011 that after Jim Morrison
Jim Morrison
James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American musician, singer, and poet, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors...
's death, the rest of The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
wanted Rodgers to replace him. Rodgers has said that he was unreachably rural at the time, and the moment passed.
1980s: Solo career and The Firm
In the early 1980s, it was rumoured that Rodgers would sing with The Rossington-Collins BandThe Rossington-Collins Band
The Rossington Collins Band was a southern rock band founded in 1979 by guitarists Allen Collins and Gary Rossington following the 1977 plane crash which killed three members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, of which both had been members. The Jacksonville band released two albums, but disbanded in 1982...
(made up of the survivors of Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band prominent in spreading Southern Rock during the 1970s.Originally formed as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, Freebird...
),
In October 1983, Rodgers released his first solo LP Cut Loose. He composed all of the music and played all of the instruments. The album reached number 135 on the Billboard's Pop Albums chart.
When his friend Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page
James Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
started to come around to his house, guitar in hand and Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
at an end, the duo's first live pairing was on the US ARMS (Action Research into Multiple Sclerosis) Tour (rock music's first big charity fundraiser) which had first been mooted by Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
and, besides Rodgers and Page, would include Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
, Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker
John Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE is an English rock and blues musician, composer and actor, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles...
, Steve Winwood
Steve Winwood
Stephen Lawrence "Steve" Winwood is an English international recording artist whose career spans nearly 50 years. He is a songwriter and a musician whose genres include soul music , R&B, rock, blues-rock, pop-rock, and jazz...
and others. The inspiration behind ARMS had been former Small Faces/Faces member Ronnie Lane
Ronnie Lane
Ronald Frederick "Ronnie" Lane was an English musician, songwriter, and producer who is best known as the bass guitarist and founding member of two prominent English rock and roll bands; the Small Faces where he was nicknamed "Plonk", – and, after losing the band's frontman, Faces, with two new...
's own struggle with M.S. This led to Rodgers and Page's further teaming in the group The Firm, which resulted in two albums and two tours. Both Firm world tours managed only average attendance. Despite being panned by critics The Firm's two albums, The Firm
The Firm (album)
-Accolades:-Album:-Singles:-Album:-Band:*Paul Rodgers - Vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, producer*Jimmy Page - Acoustic and electric guitars, producer*Tony Franklin - Bass guitar, keyboards, synthesizer...
and Mean Business
Mean Business
1986 Compact disc editionSame track listing and order as the vinyl release.- Album :- Singles :- Band :* Paul Rodgers - Vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, producer* Jimmy Page - Acoustic and electric guitars, producer...
, achieved moderate sales success and produced the radio hits "Radioactive", "Satisfaction Guaranteed", and, in the UK, "All The King's Horses".
1990s: The Law and solo career
The LawThe Law (band)
For other bands named Law, see Law The Law were an English rock group formed in 1991 comprising drummer Kenney Jones and singer Paul Rodgers . The two teamed up with the idea of using different supporting musicians, in order to allow Paul Rodgers to pursue whatever musical style he felt like...
, Rodgers's 1991 musical venture with former The Who and Faces drummer Kenney Jones
Kenney Jones
Kenneth Thomas "Kenney" Jones is a veteran English rock drummer best known for his work in Small Faces, Faces, and The Who.-Small Faces to the Faces:...
, produced Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s number one AOR
Album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock is an American FM radio format focusing on album tracks by rock artists.-Music played:Most radio formats are based on a select, tight rotation of hit singles...
chart hit "Laying Down The Law" written by Rodgers, but the album peaked at number 126 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
. A second album can be found on the bootleg market, which is often referred to as The Law II. It is believed that this collection of songs were leftovers from the first album.
Rodgers acknowledged the influence of Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
by collaborating with Steve Vai, Hendrix's Band Of Gypsys (Buddy Miles and Billy Cox) and the London Metropolitan Orchestra and recorded the track "Bold As Love", on the Hendrix tribute album In From The Storm. Then Rodgers teamed with Journey
Journey (band)
Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded...
guitarist Neal Schon
Neal Schon
Neal George Joseph Schon is an American rock guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist best known for his work with the band Journey. He is the only member to have recorded on all of Journey's albums...
and released The Hendrix Set
The Hendrix Set
The Hendrix Set is a live EP by Paul Rodgers of Free and Bad Company fame. Released 2 November 1993, The Hendrix Set consists of covers of five of Jimi Hendrix's songs...
, a live 5-track CD, recorded in 1993 with Rodgers' interpretations of Hendrix songs. A Canadian and US tour followed.
His Grammy-nominated solo CD, Muddy Water Blues: A Tribute to Muddy Waters
Muddy Water Blues: A Tribute to Muddy Waters
Muddy Water Blues: A Tribute To Muddy Waters is the second solo album by Paul Rodgers of Free and Bad Company fame.Although attributed solely to Paul Rodgers, this album features many other artists including Brian May, Buddy Guy, David Gilmour, Jeff Beck, Neal Schon, Gary Moore, Brian Setzer,...
was released in 1993. Rodgers wrote the title track and was backed by guitarists Brian May
Brian May
Brian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...
, Gary Moore
Gary Moore
Robert William Gary Moore , better known simply as Gary Moore, was a Northern Irish musician from Belfast, best recognised as a blues rock guitarist and singer....
, David Gilmour
David Gilmour
David Jon Gilmour, CBE, D.M. is an English rock musician and multi-instrumentalist who is best known as the guitarist, one of the lead singers and main songwriters in the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has worked as a producer for a variety of...
, Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
, Steve Miller
Steve Miller (musician)
Steven H. "Steve" Miller is an American guitarist and singer-songwriter who began his career in blues and blues rock and evolved to a more popular-oriented sound which, from the mid 1970s through the early 1980s, resulted in a series of successful singles and albums.-Early years:Born in Milwaukee,...
, Buddy Guy
Buddy Guy
George "Buddy" Guy is an American blues and jazz guitarist and singer. He is a critically acclaimed artist who has established himself as a pioneer of the Chicago blues sound, and has served as an influence to some of the most notable musicians of his generation...
, Richie Sambora
Richie Sambora
Richard Stephen "Richie" Sambora is an American rock guitarist, producer, musician, singer, and songwriter who is the longtime lead guitarist of the rock band, Bon Jovi. He and frontman Jon Bon Jovi form the primary songwriting unit of the band...
, Brian Setzer
Brian Setzer
Brian Setzer is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. He first found widespread success in the early 1980s with the 1950s-style rockabilly revival group The Stray Cats, and revitalized his career in the late 1990s with a jazz-oriented big band.-Career:Setzer was born in Massapequa, New York...
, Slash
Slash (musician)
Saul Hudson , known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N'...
and Trevor Rabin
Trevor Rabin
Trevor Charles Rabin is a South African born musician, best known as a guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for the British progressive rock band Yes from 1983–1994, and since then, as a film composer.- Early years :...
.
For Woodstock's 25th anniversary in 1994, Rodgers pulled together drummer Jason Bonham
Jason Bonham
Jason John Bonham is an English drummer. Jason's parents are Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham and his wife Pat Phillips. After his father's death in 1980, he has played with Led Zeppelin on different occasions, including the Ahmet Ertegün Tribute Concert at The O2 Arena in London in...
, bassist Andy Fraser (from Free), guitarists Slash and Schon at the last moment to perform as the Paul Rodgers Rock and Blues Revue.
In 1995 he formed a new band consisting of Jaz Lochrie
Jaz Lochrie
Jaz Lochrie is a bass guitarist born in Scotland, UK.Credits have included Bad Company, Go West, Psychedelix, Paul Rodgers, Pete Townshend, British Rock Symphony, Mamma Mia! The Musical, David Knopfler, Breathe and many others.-References:...
on bass, Jimmy Copley
Jimmy Copley
Jimmy Copley, sometimes credited as Jim Copley is an English rock drummer who has worked with Jeff Beck, Graham Parker, Paul Young, Roger Glover, Magnum, Ian Gillan and Glenn Hughes of Deep Purple, Go West, Killing Joke, Tears for Fears, Seal, Tony Iommi and Paul Rodgers.Born James Copley in...
on drums and Geoff Whitehorn
Geoff Whitehorn
Geoffrey Charles 'Geoff' Whitehorn is a guitarist and singer-songwriter, who has played as a member of If, Crawler and Procol Harum.- History :...
on guitar. The band (The Paul Rodgers Band) toured extensively in Europe, US and in the UK until 1998 and released three albums - Now
Now (Paul Rodgers album)
Now is the third studio album by English rock musician Paul Rodgers, of Free and Bad Company fame. Released on 17 June 1997, Now is Paul Rodgers' second solo work of original material, following 1983's Cut Loose...
, Now and Live and Electric
Electric (Paul Rodgers album)
Electric is a studio album by Paul Rodgers of Free and Bad Company fame. It was recorded in 1999 at Lartington Hall Studios near Barnard Castle in the North East of England...
. Now charted internationally in the Top 40. The single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"Soul Of Love" remained in rotation on more than 86 US radio stations for six months but was not a sales success. His 1997 world tour included Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
.
Rodgers and Bad Company
Bad Company
Bad Company were an English rock supergroup founded in 1973, consisting of two former Free band members — singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke — as well as Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell. Peter Grant, who, in years prior, was a key component of...
hit Billboards US BDS
Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems
Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems, better known as BDS, is a service that tracks monitored radio, television and internet airplay of songs based on the number of spins and detections...
charts with the number one single "Hey, Hey" in 1999, one of four new tracks off Bad Company's The Original Bad Company Anthology
The Original Bad Company Anthology
The Original Bad Co. Anthology is a compilation album released by Bad Company in 1999 on Elektra Records. This album marks Bad Company's first new songs since 1982 to feature original lead singer Paul Rodgers. In addition to the classic hits, it also features six B-sides and outtakes. Technical...
. The second single release, Rodgers's "Hammer Of Love", reached number two. For the first time in 20 years, all the original members of Bad Company toured the US.
2000s: Solo career, Queen and Bad Company reunion
Rodgers focused on his solo career in 2000 and released Electric, his 6th solo CD. In its debut week, the singleSingle (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"Drifters" was US rock radio's number one on the Most Added FMQB Hot Trax list, number two on Most Added R&R Rock and number three on Most Added Album Net Power Cuts. "Drifters" remained in the top 10 for eight weeks on Billboards Rock charts. That year, he played sold-out concerts in England, Scotland, Australia, United States and Canada. After his appearance on TV's Late Show with David Letterman
David Letterman
David Michael Letterman is an American television host and comedian. He hosts the late night television talk show, Late Show with David Letterman, broadcast on CBS. Letterman has been a fixture on late night television since the 1982 debut of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC...
in New York, he met and jammed with B.B. King. That same year, Paul Rodgers, Jimmie Vaughan
Jimmie Vaughan
James Lawrence "Jimmie" Vaughan is an American blues rock guitarist and singer from Dallas, Texas, United States. He is the older brother of the late Stevie Ray Vaughan....
, Levon Helm
Levon Helm
Mark Lavon "Levon" Helm , is an American rock multi-instrumentalist and actor who achieved fame as the drummer and frequent lead and backing vocalist for The Band....
, bluesmen Hubert Sumlin
Hubert Sumlin
Hubert Sumlin is an American Chicago blues and electric blues guitarist and singer, best known for his celebrated work, from 1955, as guitarist in Howlin' Wolf's band. His singular playing is characterized by "wrenched, shattering bursts of notes, sudden cliff-hanger silences and daring rhythmic...
, Johnnie Johnson
Johnnie Johnson (musician)
Johnnie Johnson was an American pianist and blues musician. His work with Chuck Berry led to his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.-Career:...
, James Cotton
James Cotton
James Cotton is an American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter, who has performed and recorded with many of the great blues artists of his time as well as with his own band.-Career:...
and others performed a sold out concert in Cleveland as a Muddy Water Blues: A Tribute to Muddy Waters
Muddy Water Blues: A Tribute to Muddy Waters
Muddy Water Blues: A Tribute To Muddy Waters is the second solo album by Paul Rodgers of Free and Bad Company fame.Although attributed solely to Paul Rodgers, this album features many other artists including Brian May, Buddy Guy, David Gilmour, Jeff Beck, Neal Schon, Gary Moore, Brian Setzer,...
.
The spring of 2001, Rodgers returned to Australia, England and Scotland for the second run of sold-out shows. That summer he toured the US with Bad Company
Bad Company
Bad Company were an English rock supergroup founded in 1973, consisting of two former Free band members — singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke — as well as Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell. Peter Grant, who, in years prior, was a key component of...
.
Paul Rodgers and Bad Company
Bad Company
Bad Company were an English rock supergroup founded in 1973, consisting of two former Free band members — singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke — as well as Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell. Peter Grant, who, in years prior, was a key component of...
released their first live CD and DVD In Concert: Merchants of Cool in 2002. It included all the hits and a new single "Joe Fabulous" penned by Rodgers which hit number one at Classic Rock Radio and Top 20 on mainstream
Mainstream
Mainstream is, generally, the common current thought of the majority. However, the mainstream is far from cohesive; rather the concept is often considered a cultural construct....
rock radio in the US. In its debut week, the DVD sales sound scanned at number three Canada, and number four in the US. The Joe Fabulous Tour kicked off in the US and sold out in the UK. While in London, Rodgers performed with Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
at the Royal Festival Hall
Royal Festival Hall
The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,900-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge. It is a Grade I listed building - the first post-war building to become so protected...
. Rodgers was invited by long-time fan Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
to perform at the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
Conference. "I had the entire Labour Party singing the chorus of "Wishing Well", a song I wrote and shared with Free
Free (band)
Free were an English rock band, formed in London in 1968, best known for their 1970 signature song "All Right Now". They disbanded in 1973 and lead singer Paul Rodgers went on to become a frontman of the band Bad Company along with Simon Kirke on drums; lead guitarist Paul Kossoff died from a...
, ...'love in a peaceful world'. 'Love in a peaceful world'... over and over and over hoping the words would sink in but we went to war" recalled Rodgers. Twice in 2002, Rodgers performed on Britain's TV show Top of the Pops 2.
In 2003, Rodgers toured as a solo artist for the first time in two years playing 25 US dates. In his solo band were guitarist Howard Leese
Howard Leese
Howard M. Leese is an American guitarist, record producer and musical director who played with Heart for 22 years...
(formerly of Heart
Heart (band)
Heart is an American rock band who first found success in Canada. Throughout several lineup changes, the only two members remaining constant are sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson. The group rose to fame in the 1970s with their music being influenced by hard rock as well as folk music...
), bassist Lynn Sorensen and drummer Jeff Kathan. Jools Holland
Jools Holland
Julian Miles "Jools" Holland OBE, DL is an English pianist, bandleader, singer, composer, and television presenter. He was a founder of the band Squeeze and his work has involved him with many artists including Sting, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, The Who, David Gilmour and Bono.Holland is a...
invited Rodgers to record "I Told The Truth" for Holland's album Small World Big Band. The CD also featured Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
, Ronnie Wood, Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
, Michael McDonald
Michael McDonald (singer)
Michael McDonald is a five-time Grammy Award winning American singer and songwriter. McDonald is known for a soulful baritone singing style and a multi-octave range. He began his career singing back-up vocals with Steely Dan...
, Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
and others. This led to Rodgers performing two sold-out nights at London's Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
with Holland and his 18-piece rhythm and blues orchestra, and several UK TV appearances.He also appeared with Jeff Beck, performing some songs from Beck's back catalogue (along with several other notable musicians, including John Mclaughlin, Roger Waters and the White Stripes) for part of a week-long series of charity concerts put on by Jeff Beck at the Royal Festival Hall in London.
In autumn 2004, Rodgers took part in an all-star line-up of some of the world's greatest guitarists and thousands of fans gathered at London's Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena is an indoor arena, at Wembley, in the London Borough of Brent. The building is opposite Wembley Stadium.-History:...
to celebrate the 50th birthday of the Fender Stratocaster
Fender Stratocaster
The Fender Stratocaster, often referred to as "Strat", is a model of electric guitar designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares in 1954, and manufactured continuously by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation to the present. It is a double-cutaway guitar, with an extended top...
guitar. In 2005, he took part in the 50th anniversary celebration of the Four Tops
Four Tops
The Four Tops are an American vocal quartet, whose repertoire has included doo-wop, jazz, soul music, R&B, disco, adult contemporary, hard rock, and showtunes...
.
Early in 2004, Rodgers joined Mitch Mitchell
Mitch Mitchell
John Ronald "Mitch" Mitchell was an English drummer, best known for his work in The Jimi Hendrix Experience.-Early life and the Jimi Hendrix Experience:...
and Billy Cox
Billy Cox
William "Billy" Cox is an American bassist, best known for performing with Jimi Hendrix.-Early years:Born in Wheeling, West Virginia, Cox was raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and attended Schenley High School. He first met Jimi Hendrix in the early 1960s, when they were both in the United States...
(Hendrix's Cry of Love), Buddy Guy
Buddy Guy
George "Buddy" Guy is an American blues and jazz guitarist and singer. He is a critically acclaimed artist who has established himself as a pioneer of the Chicago blues sound, and has served as an influence to some of the most notable musicians of his generation...
, Joe Satriani
Joe Satriani
Joseph "Joe" Satriani is an American instrumental rock guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, with multiple Grammy Award nominations...
, Kid Rock's Kenny Olson
Kenny Olson
Kenny Olson is a guitarist from the Detroit, Michigan area. He played in Kid Rock's Twisted Brown Trucker Band. Along with Jason Krause, he played guitar on Kid Rock's studio albums Devil Without a Cause , The History of Rock , Cocky , and Kid Rock .Kenny Olson currently lives in Nashville,...
, Alice in Chain's Jerry Cantrell
Jerry Cantrell
Jerry Fulton Cantrell Jr. is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter best known for his work with the grunge/metal band Alice in Chains, as lead guitarist, backing and co-lead vocalist, and co-lyricist. He performs lead vocals on his solo projects, and is part of Alice in Chains' harmonizing...
, Double Trouble
Double Trouble (band)
Double Trouble was the backing rhythm section for Texas blues rock guitarist and lead vocalist Stevie Ray Vaughan. Originally consisting of drummer Chris Layton and bassist Tommy Shannon, Reese Wynans would later join the outfit on keyboards.-History:...
, Indigenous, Kenny Wayne Shepherd
Kenny Wayne Shepherd
Kenny Wayne Shepherd is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He has released several studio albums and experienced a rare level of commercial success both as a blues artist and a young musician.-Biography:Shepherd graduated Caddo Magnet High School in Shreveport, Louisiana...
and blues legend Hubert Sumlin
Hubert Sumlin
Hubert Sumlin is an American Chicago blues and electric blues guitarist and singer, best known for his celebrated work, from 1955, as guitarist in Howlin' Wolf's band. His singular playing is characterized by "wrenched, shattering bursts of notes, sudden cliff-hanger silences and daring rhythmic...
(Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters) and performed three sold-out shows in Seattle, Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
and San Francisco as "Experience Hendrix". Once again, Rodgers only played 25 concerts in the US and Canada. He performed at Wembley for the fiftieth anniversary celebration for the Fender Stratocaster
Fender Stratocaster
The Fender Stratocaster, often referred to as "Strat", is a model of electric guitar designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares in 1954, and manufactured continuously by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation to the present. It is a double-cutaway guitar, with an extended top...
, along with David Gilmour
David Gilmour
David Jon Gilmour, CBE, D.M. is an English rock musician and multi-instrumentalist who is best known as the guitarist, one of the lead singers and main songwriters in the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has worked as a producer for a variety of...
who played Strat #001, Ronnie Wood, Brian May
Brian May
Brian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...
, Joe Walsh
Joe Walsh
Joseph Fidler "Joe" Walsh is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He has been a member of three commercially successful bands, the James Gang, Barnstorm, and the Eagles, and has experienced notable success as a solo artist and prolific session musician, especially with B.B...
, Gary Moore
Gary Moore
Robert William Gary Moore , better known simply as Gary Moore, was a Northern Irish musician from Belfast, best recognised as a blues rock guitarist and singer....
, Rodgers sang and played a custom designed Jaguar Fender Strat. Rodgers was invited by The Four Tops to be part of their fiftieth anniversary TV/DVD concert celebration at Motown's Opera House and performed alongside Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
, Dennis Edwards & The Temptations Revue, Sam Moore
Sam Moore
Samuel David Moore is an American Southern Soul and Rhythm & Blues singer who was the tenor vocalist for the soul vocal duo Sam & Dave from 1961 through 1981...
, Mary Wilson
Mary Wilson (singer)
Mary Wilson is an American singer, formerlymember of the Motown female singing group The Supremes during the 1960s and 1970s. Wilson was the only singer to be a consistent member of the group in its eighteen-year tenure...
, Ashford and Simpson and The Four Tops.
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
proposed a collaboration with Rodgers, in which he would sing lead vocals on a European tour. Rodgers thus joined Brian May
Brian May
Brian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...
and Roger Taylor (former bassist John Deacon
John Deacon
John Richard Deacon is a retired English multi-instrumentalist and song writer, best known as the bassist for the rock band Queen. Of the four members of the band, he was the last to join and also the youngest, being only 19 years old when he was recruited by the other members of the band...
retired in the late 1990s), with the group billed as Queen + Paul Rodgers
Queen + Paul Rodgers
Queen + Paul Rodgers was a supergroup collaboration between Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen and Paul Rodgers...
and they subsequently toured worldwide in 2005 and 2006. The participants clearly stated, including on Brian May
Brian May
Brian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...
's own website, "that Rodgers would be "featured with" Queen as: "Queen + Paul Rodgers", not replacing the late Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury was a British musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range...
". The group subsequently released a live album with songs from Queen, Bad Company and Free, called Return of the Champions
Return of the Champions
Return of the Champions is a double live album by English rock band Queen + Paul Rodgers. It was recorded in May 2005 during the Queen + Paul Rodgers Tour at the Hallam FM Arena in Sheffield, England and released on 19 September 2005...
, and a DVD of the same name. Both featured live recordings from their Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
Hallam FM Arena concert on 9 May 2005. The DVD features "Imagine
Imagine (song)
"Imagine" is a song written and performed by the English musician John Lennon. It is the opening track on his album Imagine, released in 1971...
" from Hyde Park
Hyde Park, London
Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, United Kingdom, and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner.The park is divided in two by the Serpentine...
. "For one glorious summer" opined music critic Sean Michaels "we were all Paul Rodgers". Another DVD was released in 2006 from a live performance in Japan, called Super Live in Japan
Super Live in Japan
Super Live in Japan is a DVD by Queen + Paul Rodgers, capturing the performances in Saitama Super Arena in Japan on 27 October 2005 from their world tour, featuring songs from both Queen and Rodgers' catalogues. 15 of these songs will become available on DVD to the rest of the world as a Bonus DVD...
.
Queen + Paul Rodgers also released a single featuring "Reaching Out
Rock Therapy
Rock Therapy was a 1996 one-off project consisting of Queen guitarist Brian May, Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, plus a number of guest vocalists including Sam Brown, Andy Fairweather-Low, Paul Rodgers and Lulu. This was a 3-track charity CD issued in aid of the Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy...
", "Tie Your Mother Down
Tie Your Mother Down
"Tie Your Mother Down" is a song by the English rock group Queen, written by guitarist Brian May. It is the opening track and the second single from their 1976 album A Day at the Races...
" and "Fat Bottomed Girls
Fat Bottomed Girls
"Fat Bottomed Girls" is a song by the English rock band Queen. Written by guitarist Brian May, the track featured on their 1978 album Jazz, and also appears on the band's compilation album, Greatest Hits...
".
The summer of 2006 saw Rodgers again focused on his solo career with a world tour, which commenced in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, US in June, then on to Japan, finishing in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland, in October 2006.
On 15 August 2006, Brian May confirmed through his website that "Queen + Paul Rodgers" will begin producing a new studio album beginning in October, to be recorded at Roger Taylor's home.
In April 2007 Rodgers released a live album of his 2006 tour, recorded in Glasgow, Scotland 13 October 2006, with a DVD of the same show released the following month.
On 27–28 December 2007, Rodgers performed with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Trans-Siberian Orchestra is an American progressive metal band founded in 1993 by producer, composer, and lyricist Paul O'Neill, who brought together Jon Oliva and Al Pitrelli and keyboardist and co-producer Robert Kinkel to form the core of the creative team. Since then, TSO sold nearly 8...
during their Winter 2007 Tour in Houston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and Dallas, Texas. Unannounced, he joined the band at the end of their show to sing "Bad Company" and "All Right Now".
Rogers was a judge for the sixth and seventh annual Independent Music Awards
The Independent Music Awards
The Independent Music Awards is an international program that honors top-ranked independent artists and releases in more than 50 Album, Song, Music Video and Design categories....
to support independent artists.
On 27 June 2008, Rodgers and Queen performed at the Concert for Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
to celebrate Mandela's 90th birthday.
On 8 August 2008, Rodgers and original members Mick Ralphs and Simon Kirke reunited as Bad Company to perform a one-night only, sold-out performance at the Seminole Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida. The live performance was released on Blu-ray, DVD, and CD on 9 February 2010 and the tracks included seventeen Bad Company hits. Rodgers dedicated "Gone, Gone, Gone" to original bassist Boz Burrell, who died in 2006.
On 14 May 2009, Rodgers announced he was ending his five year long collaboration with Queen, although did not rule out the possibility of working with them again. On 17 November 2009, it was announced he would join the other surviving members of Bad Company for an eight date UK tour in April 2010.
2010s: Solo career
On 5 June 2010 he began a mini-California tour by performing at the Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival. One week later, on 12 June, Rodgers and his band appeared as headliners on the Grandstand Stage at the San Diego County Fair in Del Mar, CaliforniaDel Mar, California
Del Mar is an upscale beach town in San Diego County, California. The population was 4,161 at the 2010 census, down from 4,389 at the 2000 census. The San Diego County Fair is hosted on the Del Mar Fairgrounds every summer. Del Mar is Spanish for "of the sea" or "by the sea", because it is located...
, followed by casino shows in Lemoore on 17 June and in Santa Ynez on 18 June.
It was recently announced that Rodgers would be taking part in a Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
tribute album that would also feature contributions by Billy Joel
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
, Garth Brooks
Garth Brooks
Troyal Garth Brooks , best known as Garth Brooks, is an American country music artist who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon. His eponymous first album was released in 1989 and peaked at number 2 in the US country album chart while climbing to number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart...
, BB King, and KISS
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
. Originally planned for a late 2010 release, no further information has been announced and no release has taken place as of March 2011.
Rodgers performed a solo UK tour in April 2011 with Joe Elliot's Down 'n' Outz
Down 'n' Outz
Down 'n' Outz are an English band featuring members from Def Leppard, The Quireboys, and Raw Glory. The group covers bands and artists related to Mott the Hoople including Mott, British Lions, and Ian Hunter. Their debut album, My ReGeneration Vol...
.
The April 28 concert at Birmingham's National Indoor Arena was filmed for a future live DVD release.
Personal life
Paul Rodgers married Machiko Shimizu in 1971, and has two children by that marriage, Steve and Jasmine. The two children are also musicians and singers who formed a band, BôaBôa
Bôa are a British alternative/indie band formed in London in 1993 by drummer Ed Herten.Their latest album, Get There, was released on February 1, 2005. It took Bôa in a new direction, with more structure in lyrics and melody, as well as a more mellow, yet more harder-edged/indie-rock format...
, in the 1990s. Rodgers and Shimizu divorced in 1996.
On 26 September 2007, Rodgers married a former model and Miss Canada, exercise physiologist and artist Cynthia Kereluk
Cynthia Kereluk
Cynthia Kereluk is a fitness and exercise guru from British Columbia, Canada.In 1984 she won the Miss Canada title and competed in Miss Universe 1984. From 1985 to 2000 she reached both a Canadian and American audience through television with her exercise program, Everyday Workout...
in Canada's Okanagan Valley.
Rodgers became a Canadian citizen on October 21, 2011.
Solo
- Cut LooseCut Loose (album)Cut Loose is Paul Rodgers debut solo album. Unlike his other work, Paul Rodgers plays all the instruments on this album. It was recorded at his house in Kingstone....
(1983) - Muddy Water Blues: A Tribute to Muddy WatersMuddy Water Blues: A Tribute to Muddy WatersMuddy Water Blues: A Tribute To Muddy Waters is the second solo album by Paul Rodgers of Free and Bad Company fame.Although attributed solely to Paul Rodgers, this album features many other artists including Brian May, Buddy Guy, David Gilmour, Jeff Beck, Neal Schon, Gary Moore, Brian Setzer,...
(1993) - The Hendrix SetThe Hendrix SetThe Hendrix Set is a live EP by Paul Rodgers of Free and Bad Company fame. Released 2 November 1993, The Hendrix Set consists of covers of five of Jimi Hendrix's songs...
(live EP, 1993) - Paul Rodgers and Friends: Live at Montreux (1994, edited 2011)
- Live: The Loreley TapesLive: The Loreley TapesLive: The Loreley Tapes...... is a live album by Paul Rodgers of Free and Bad Company fame. It was recorded at the Rockpalast Open Air Festival, at Loreley, Germany on 8 July 1995 and released in 1996.- Track listing :# Little Bit Of Love# Be My Friend...
(live album, 1996) - NowNow (Paul Rodgers album)Now is the third studio album by English rock musician Paul Rodgers, of Free and Bad Company fame. Released on 17 June 1997, Now is Paul Rodgers' second solo work of original material, following 1983's Cut Loose...
(1997) - Now and Live (2CD compilation, 1997)
- ElectricElectric (Paul Rodgers album)Electric is a studio album by Paul Rodgers of Free and Bad Company fame. It was recorded in 1999 at Lartington Hall Studios near Barnard Castle in the North East of England...
(2000) - Live in Glasgow (2007)
- Live at Hammersmith Apollo 2009 (2010)
with Free
- Tons of SobsTons of SobsTons of Sobs is the debut album by English blues rock band Free, released on 14 March 1969. While the album failed to chart in the UK and reached #197 in the US, Free are still cited as one of the definitive bands of the British blues boom of the late 1960s even though this is the only album of...
(1969) - FreeFree (Free album)Free is the second album by English rock group Free, recorded and released in 1969. The band had spent time touring after their debut album Tons of Sobs the previous year, and there is a marked difference in the musicianship of the band as well as Paul Rodgers's voice...
(1969) - Fire and Water (1970)
- Highway (1970)
- Free Live!Free Live!Free Live! was the fifth album by English rock band Free, and their first live album. It was rush-released by Island Records to commemorate the band, who had broken up in April 1971...
(live album, 1971) - Free at LastFree at Last (Free album)- Extra tracks :# "Burnin' " 5.57# "Honky Tonk Women" 3.13# "Magic Ship" 5.28# "Little Bit of Love" 2.37# "Guardian of the Universe" 6.07...
(1972) - HeartbreakerHeartbreaker (Free album)Heartbreaker is the seventh and final album by English rock group Free, that provided them with one of their most successful singles, "Wishing Well"...
(1973) - The Free Story (1973)
- The Best of Free (1991)
with Bad Company
- Bad CompanyBad Company (album)Bad Company is the eponymous debut studio album by hard rock band Bad Company.The album was recorded at Headley Grange with Ronnie Lane's Mobile Studio in November 1973....
(1974) - Straight ShooterStraight Shooter (Bad Company album)Straight Shooter is the second studio album by British supergroup Bad Company. The album was released in April 1975, a month after the release of the single "Good Lovin' Gone Bad" and four months before the album's second single "Feel Like Makin' Love" .The album became a hit in America, making the...
(1975) - Run With the PackRun With the PackRun With The Pack is Bad Company's third album. It was released in 1976.Run With The Pack was recorded in France with The Rolling Stones Mobile Truck in September 1975 with engineer Ron Nevison and mixed in Los Angeles by Eddie Kramer...
(1976) - Burnin' SkyBurnin' SkyBurnin' Sky is the fourth album by the band Bad Company. It was released in 1977 .Burnin' Sky was recorded in France at Château d'Hérouville in July and August 1976 with future Rolling Stones engineer Chris Kimsey but its release was delayed until March 1977 as to not compete with the band's...
(1977) - Desolation AngelsDesolation AngelsDesolation Angels is a 1979 album by the hard rock band Bad Company. It was their 5th studio release. Paul Rodgers revealed on In the Studio with Redbeard that the album's title came from the novel of the same name by Jack Kerouac.Desolation Angels was recorded at Ridge Farm Studios in Surrey,...
(1979) - Rough DiamondsRough DiamondsRough Diamonds is the sixth album by rock band Bad Company released in August 1982.Rough Diamonds, like its predecessor, Desolation Angels, was recorded at Ridge Farm Studio in Surrey, England in March and April of 1981 and engineered by Max Norman .It was the last album by Bad Company's original...
(1982) - The Original Bad Company AnthologyThe Original Bad Company AnthologyThe Original Bad Co. Anthology is a compilation album released by Bad Company in 1999 on Elektra Records. This album marks Bad Company's first new songs since 1982 to feature original lead singer Paul Rodgers. In addition to the classic hits, it also features six B-sides and outtakes. Technical...
(compilation CD, 1999, produced by Paul Rodgers for Bad Company) - In Concert: Merchants of Cool (2002)
- Hard Rock Live (2010)
- Live at Wembley (2011)
with The Firm
- The FirmThe Firm (album)-Accolades:-Album:-Singles:-Album:-Band:*Paul Rodgers - Vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, producer*Jimmy Page - Acoustic and electric guitars, producer*Tony Franklin - Bass guitar, keyboards, synthesizer...
(1985) - Mean BusinessMean Business1986 Compact disc editionSame track listing and order as the vinyl release.- Album :- Singles :- Band :* Paul Rodgers - Vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, producer* Jimmy Page - Acoustic and electric guitars, producer...
(1986) - The Firm Live at Hammersmith 1984 (DVD, 1984, limited release video)
- Five From the Firm (DVD, 1986)
with Queen + Paul Rodgers
Live albums- Return of the ChampionsReturn of the ChampionsReturn of the Champions is a double live album by English rock band Queen + Paul Rodgers. It was recorded in May 2005 during the Queen + Paul Rodgers Tour at the Hallam FM Arena in Sheffield, England and released on 19 September 2005...
(CD/LP/DVDDVDA DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, 2005) - Super Live in JapanSuper Live in JapanSuper Live in Japan is a DVD by Queen + Paul Rodgers, capturing the performances in Saitama Super Arena in Japan on 27 October 2005 from their world tour, featuring songs from both Queen and Rodgers' catalogues. 15 of these songs will become available on DVD to the rest of the world as a Bonus DVD...
(DVDDVDA DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, 2006; Japan only) - Live in UkraineLive in UkraineLive in Ukraine is a double live album and also last release by British rock band Queen + Paul Rodgers. It was recorded in September 2008 during the Rock the Cosmos Tour at Freedom Square in Kharkiv, Ukraine and was released on June 15, 2009...
(CD/DVD, 2009)
Studio albums
- The Cosmos RocksThe Cosmos RocksThe Cosmos Rocks is the debut studio album by Queen + Paul Rodgers released on 15 September 2008 in Europe and 28 October 2008 in North America. It contains 14 new tracks written by Brian May, Paul Rodgers and Roger Taylor...
(CD, 2008)
Singles
- "Reachin' Out" / "Tie Your Mother Down" (CD single, 2005, Europe only)
- "Say It's Not TrueSay It's Not True"Say It's Not True" is the first studio single by Queen + Paul Rodgers, It was released on World AIDS Day 1 December 2007. The song was available as a free download from QueenOnline.com. The track is written by drummer Roger Taylor and features all 3 members on vocal...
" (Download/CD single, 2007) - "C-lebrityC-lebrity"C-lebrity" is the second single from The Cosmos Rocks album by Queen + Paul Rodgers. It received its live debut on the series finale of ITV's Al Murray's Happy Hour. The song tells the story from the point of view of an aspiring celebrity, who does not let their apparent lack of talent hold them...
" (Download/CD single, 2008)
Other albums
- The A-Z of Queen, Volume 1The A-Z of Queen, Volume 1The A–Z of Queen, Volume 1 is a compilation album by the English rock band Queen, released in 2007.The album is a 2-disc set available only from Wal-Mart and Amazon.com that features an audio CD and video DVD with music videos and live performances. Some of the video performances feature Paul...
(Two DVD tracks only)