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Paul Rodgers

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Paul Rodgers

Paul Rodgers is an English rock singer best known for being a member of Free and Bad Company. Both bands experienced major international success in the 1970’s. Before establishing a career as a solo artist, he was also a member of The Firm and The Law. He has recently toured and recorded with Queen.

1960s: Free

Rodgers was born December 17, 1949 in the northern English town of Middlesbrough. He played in local band 'The Roadrunners', which just prior to leaving Middlesbrough to break into the London music scene changed its name to The Wildflowers. Other members of this band were Micky Moody (later of Whitesnake) and Bruce Thomas (later of Elvis Costello and The Attractions). Rodgers first premiered onto the British music scene in 1968 as singer/songwriter for bluesy rockers Free. In 1970, they shot up the international radio charts with the Rodgers/Fraser rock classic "All Right Now". A #1 hit in over 20 territories and recognised by ASCAP in 1990 for garnering over 1,000,000 radio plays in the US alone. The song played a pivotal role in introducing Rodgers' stylistic metier, while helping to establish the sound of the British blues/rock invasion. At the time, Free and Led Zeppelin were the biggest grossing British acts. Free released four top five albums with a combination of blues, ballads and rock. The Multi Million Award was given to Paul Rodgers in 2000 by the British Music Industry when "All Right Now" passed 2,000,000 plus radio plays in the UK.

1970s: Bad Company

Rodgers then formed his next band, Bad Company, one of rock's first supergroups, 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 instrument talents on several tracks: "Bad Company" and "Run with the Pack" featured Rodgers on piano; "Rock and Roll Fantasy" featured Rodgers on guitar; on the ballad "Seagull", Rodgers played all of the instruments. Bad Company earned six platinum albums until founding member Rodgers left in 1982 at the height of their fame to spend time with his young family. In 1973, after singer Ian Gillan had left Deep Purple, the band unsuccessfully tried to hire Rodgers, but he declined.

1980s

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In the early 1980s, it was rumoured that Rodgers would sing with The Rossington-Collins Band (made of up the survivors of Lynyrd Skynyrd), but the pairing never came off.

Early in 1984, Rodgers released his much anticipated first solo CD Cut Loose. It showcased his talents as a singer, songwriter and multi-faceted musician. He composed all of the music and played all of the instruments. The album peaked at a disappointing #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 Firm" was born. Their first outing was on the US ARMS Tour (rock music's first major charity fundraiser) including Jeff Beck, Joe Cocker and others. Rodgers agreed to two albums and two tours. Both "Firm" world tours were top grossing. The Firm's two albums, The Firm and Mean Business, enjoyed international success producing the radio hits Rodgers' "Radioactive" on which he played the guitar solo, "Satisfaction Guaranteed", and, in the UK, "All The King's Horses".

1990s

File:Paul rodgers tour1999.jpg

The Law, Rodgers' 1991 musical venture with former Who drummer Kenney Jones, produced Billboard's #1 AOR Chart hit "Laying Down the Law" written by Rodgers, but the album peaked at a disappointing #126 on the Billboard's Pop Albums chart. A recorded-and-never-released second album can be found on the bootleg market. The album is often referred to as The Law II


Rodgers acknowledged the influence of Jimi Hendrix by collaborating with Slash, Hendrix's "Band Of Gypsies" (Buddy Miles and Billy Cox) and recorded the track "I Don't Live Today", on the CD "In From The Storm" a tribute to Hendrix. Then Rodgers teamed with Journey guitarist Neal Schon and released "The Hendrix Set /Paul Rodgers" a live CD, released in 1993 with's 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 1994. Rodgers wrote the title track and was backed by guitarists Brian May, David Gilmour, Jeff Beck, Steve Miller, Buddy Guy, Richie Sambora, Brian Setzer, Slash & Trevor Rabin to name a few. "Muddy Water Blues: A Tribute to Muddy Waters" celebrated Rodgers' blues roots and respect for Waters.

For Woodstock's 25th anniversary in 1994, Rodgers pulled together drummer Jason Bonham, bassist Andy Fraser (Free), guitarists Slash and Neal Schon at the last moment to perform. They were billed as the "Paul Rodgers Rock and Blues Revue".

His first double solo CD, Now and Live, charted internationally in the top 30. The single "Soul of Love" remained in rotation on more than 86 US radio stations for six months. His 1997 world tour included Russia, Japan, Canada, US, UK, Germany, France, Romania, Bulgaria, Israel, Brazil, Greece and Argentina.

Rodgers and Bad Company hit Billboard's US BDS charts with the #1 single "Hey, Hey" in 1999, one of four new tracks off Bad Company's The Original Bad Company Anthology. The second single release, Rodgers' "Hammer of Love", reached #2. For the first time in 20 years, all the original members of Bad Company toured the US.

2000-2003

Rodgers focused on his solo career in 2000 and released Electric, his 6th solo CD. In its debut week, the single "Drifters" was US rock radios #1 Most Added FMQB Hot Trax, #2 Most Added R&R Rock and #3 Most Added Album Net Power Cuts. "Drifters" remained Top Ten for eight weeks on Billboard's Rock Charts M.H. 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. Says Rodgers, "The thrill was definitely not gone... for me. B.B. is a blues giant." That same year, Paul Rodgers, Jimmie Vaughan, Levon Helm, blues men 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 Merchants of Cool in 2002. It included all the hits and a new single "Joe Fabulous" penned by Rodgers which hit #1 at Classic Rock Radio and Top 20 on mainstream rock radio in the US. In its debut week, the DVD sales sound scanned at #3 Canada, #4 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 popular TV show Top of the Pops 2.

In 2003, Rodgers toured as a solo artist for the first time in two years playing 25 exclusive US dates. In his solo band are guitarist Howard Leese (Heart), bassist Lynn Sorenson and drummer Jeff Kathan. BBC TV/Radio host (pianist and songwriter) Jools Holland invited Rodgers to record "I Told The Truth". An original song for Holland's third CD, 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.

2004-present

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In autumn 2004, Rodgers participated 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 fiftieth birthday of the Fender Stratocaster guitar. In 2005, he participated in the fiftieth anniversary celebration of the Four Tops, wherein he was credited with assisting that band's popularity in the UK.

Early in 2004, Rodgers joined Mitch Mitchell and Billy Cox (Hendrix's Band of Gypsies), 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 Water) 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 along side Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, Sam Moore, Mary Wilson, Ashford and Simpson and The Four Tops. "The call from THE TOPS' Duke Fakir just about knocked me out. I've been a fan since I was a boy and had no idea that they even knew I existed!" exclaimed Rodgers. For years the media and fellow musicians have referred to Rodgers as "The Voice"'. But The Four Tops' Duke Fakir says, "Paul Rodgers is the soul of Rock!"

In late 2004, Paul Rodgers was asked by British rock group Queen to sing lead vocals on their European tour. Rodgers has joined Brian May and Roger Taylor on stage, and the group is billed as Queen + Paul Rodgers. Paul Rodgers toured with Queen in 2005 and 2006 as "Queen + Paul Rodgers". It was 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", and they 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.

Queen + Paul Rodgers have also released a single featuring "Reaching Out", "Tie Your Mother Down" and "Fat Bottomed Girls". There are many bootlegs from nearly every show of the 2005/2006 tour in audio, as well as a few in video form of the 2005 European tour, and in October 2005 in the US (two concerts) and Japan; then the US and Canada in March/April 2006 playing 23 venues, including Chicago, Detroit, Toronto, Seattle, Vancouver and Portland. From the show in Japan, they released a DVD in 2006 Called Super Live in Japan, with Paul Rodgers and Queen version of "All Right Now" being a fan favorite.

The summer of 2006 saw Rodgers, now 56, again focused on his solo career with a world tour. The tour started in Austin Texas, USA in June, then to Japan, and finished in Glasgow, Scotland, in October of 2006.

On August 15, 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 a heretofore "secret location".[1]

In April 2007 Rodgers released a live album of his 2006 tour, recorded in Glasgow,Scotland October 13,2006 a DVD of the same show is also scheduled to be released in May 2007.

Discography

Solo

Free

Bad Company

The Firm with Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin

  • The Firm (1985)
  • Mean Business (1986)
  • The Firm Live at Hammersmith 1984 (DVD, 1984, limited release video)
  • Five From the Firm (DVD, 1986)

The Law with Kenny Jones of The Who

  • The Law
  • The Law II (Unreleased)

Queen + Paul Rodgers

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