Paul Rodgers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paul Rodgers
|
|
|---|---|
Rodgers performing with Queen in 2005
|
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Paul Bernard Rodgers |
| Born | 17 December 1949 Middlesbrough, England |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Instruments |
|
| Years active | 1968–present |
| Labels |
|
Paul Bernard Rodgers (born 17 December 1949) is an English-Canadian singer, songwriter, and musician. He is famous for being the lead singer of several successful rock bands. These include Free, Bad Company, the Firm, and the Law.
He has also performed as a solo artist. From 2004 to 2009, he worked with the band Queen as Queen + Paul Rodgers. Rolling Stone magazine once ranked him among the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time." In 2011, he won an Ivor Novello Award for his amazing contributions to British music.
Many rock singers say Paul Rodgers influenced them. For example, John Mellencamp called him "the best rock singer ever." Freddie Mercury also admired Rodgers' powerful singing style. Paul Rodgers became a Canadian citizen in 2011.
Contents
Early Music Career
Paul Bernard Rodgers was born in Middlesbrough, England. When he was young, he played bass guitar in a band called The Roadrunners. The band's singer, Colin Bradley, convinced Paul to become the lead singer.
Before moving to London, the band changed its name to The Wildflowers. Other members included Micky Moody (who later joined Whitesnake) and Bruce Thomas.
Free Band Years
In 1968, Paul Rodgers joined a blues-rock band called Free. He was their singer and songwriter. In 1970, Free became very famous with their song "All Right Now."
Paul Rodgers wrote this song with the band's bassist, Andy Fraser. It was a number one hit in over 20 countries. The song has been played on US radio over a million times.
For a while, Free was one of the biggest British bands, like Led Zeppelin. Free released four albums that were very popular in the UK. These albums mixed blues, ballads, and rock music.
After Free first broke up in 1971, Rodgers formed a short-lived band called Peace. He played guitar and sang lead vocals. Peace toured with Mott the Hoople but broke up when Free got back together in 1972.
1970s: Bad Company Success
After Free, Rodgers formed his next band, Bad Company. He teamed up with Mick Ralphs, who was the guitarist for Mott the Hoople. The band also included Simon Kirke, the drummer from Free, and Boz Burrell.
Bad Company was the first band to sign with Led Zeppelin's new record label, Swan Song. They toured from 1973 to 1982. They had many hit songs, such as "Feel Like Makin' Love" and "Can't Get Enough."
Other popular songs included "Shooting Star" and "Bad Company." Paul Rodgers played different instruments on some songs. He played piano on "Bad Company" and "Run With The Pack." He played guitar on "Rock and Roll Fantasy." He played all instruments on the ballad "Seagull."
Bad Company released six albums that sold millions of copies. Rodgers left the band in 1982 to spend more time with his family.
1980s: Solo Work and The Firm
In October 1983, Paul Rodgers released his first solo album, Cut Loose. He wrote all the songs and played all the instruments on the album.
Later, Rodgers joined forces with Jimmy Page, the famous guitarist from Led Zeppelin. Their first performance together was on a charity tour called ARMS. This tour raised money for research into Multiple Sclerosis.
This led to Rodgers and Page forming a new group called The Firm. They released two albums, The Firm and Mean Business. These albums had popular radio hits like "Radioactive" and "Satisfaction Guaranteed."
1990s: New Bands and Solo Albums
In 1991, Paul Rodgers started a band called The Law with drummer Kenney Jones. Their song "Laying Down the Law" became a number one hit on rock radio.
Rodgers also honored Jimi Hendrix by recording a song called "Bold As Love" for a tribute album. He then released a live CD called The Hendrix Set, where he sang Hendrix's songs.
His solo album Muddy Water Blues: A Tribute to Muddy Waters was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1993. On this album, Rodgers sang with many famous guitarists. These included Brian May, David Gilmour, Jeff Beck, and Slash.
For the 25th anniversary of Woodstock in 1994, Rodgers put together a special band. They performed as the Paul Rodgers Rock and Blues Revue.
In 1995, he formed The Paul Rodgers Band. They toured a lot and released three albums: Now, Now and Live, and Electric. His 1997 world tour took him to many countries, including Russia, Japan, and Brazil.
In 1999, Paul Rodgers and Bad Company had a number one hit with "Hey, Hey." This was one of four new songs on Bad Company's The 'Original' Bad Co. Anthology. The original members of Bad Company toured the US together for the first time in 20 years.
2000s: Solo, Queen, and Bad Company Reunions
In 2000, Rodgers released his sixth solo album, Electric. His song "Drifters" was very popular on US rock radio. He played many sold-out concerts in England, Australia, and North America.
He also met and jammed with the legendary blues musician B.B. King. That year, Rodgers performed a tribute concert for Muddy Waters in Cleveland.
In 2002, Rodgers and Bad Company released a live CD and DVD called In Concert: Merchants of Cool. It featured their hit songs and a new single, "Joe Fabulous," which became a number one hit on Classic Rock Radio.
In 2003, Rodgers toured as a solo artist. He also recorded "I Told The Truth" for Jools Holland's album. This led to Rodgers performing with Holland's orchestra at London's Royal Albert Hall.
In 2004, Rodgers performed at Wembley Stadium for the 50th anniversary of the Fender Stratocaster guitar. He sang and played alongside famous guitarists like David Gilmour and Brian May.
Later in 2004, Paul Rodgers joined two members of the famous British rock band Queen. These were Brian May and Roger Taylor. They formed a group called Queen + Paul Rodgers. They toured worldwide in 2005 and 2006.
The group made it clear that Rodgers was "featured with" Queen, not replacing their late singer Freddie Mercury. They released a live album and DVD called Return of the Champions. This included songs from Queen, Bad Company, and Free.
In 2006, Rodgers went on a solo world tour. In April 2007, he released a live album from this tour called Live in Glasgow.
On 27 June 2008, Rodgers and Queen performed at a concert celebrating Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday.
On 8 August 2008, the original members of Bad Company—Paul Rodgers, Mick Ralphs, and Simon Kirke—reunited for a special concert. This performance was later released as a live album and video.
On 14 May 2009, Rodgers announced that his five-year collaboration with Queen was ending. However, he said they might work together again in the future. In November 2009, he rejoined Bad Company for a UK tour.
2010s: Continued Music and Tours
In June 2010, Paul Rodgers began a short tour in California. He performed at festivals and casino shows.
In April 2011, he went on a solo UK tour. The concert in Birmingham was filmed for a future live DVD. In May 2011, he received another Ivor Novello Award for his "Outstanding contribution to British music."
Rodgers also contributed to a tribute album for Paul McCartney. He covered the song "Let Me Roll It" by McCartney's band Wings. The album was released in 2014.
In 2014, Rodgers was touring with Bad Company again. He also performed with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra on New Year's Eve, singing "Can't Get Enough" and "All Right Now."
In May 2017, Rodgers started a 'Free Spirit' UK Tour. He celebrated the music of Free by performing only songs from their albums. He said he wanted to honor the 50 years since he met Paul Kossoff and formed Free. A CD/DVD of the final show at the Royal Albert Hall was released in 2018.
In the summer of 2018, Rodgers toured with the famous guitarist Jeff Beck.
Personal Life
Paul Rodgers became a Canadian citizen on 21 October 2011. He lives in British Columbia, Canada.
Family
Paul Rodgers has a daughter named Natalie from an earlier relationship. She lives in his hometown of Middlesbrough.
He married Machiko Shimizu in 1971. They had two children, Steve and Jasmine, who are musicians in the rock band Bôa. Paul and Machiko divorced in 1996.
In 2007, Rodgers married Cynthia Kereluk, a former Miss Canada. They had been together since 1997.
Health Challenges
Paul Rodgers has faced some health challenges. He has since made a full recovery.
Discography
Solo Albums
Studio albums
- Cut Loose (1983)
- Muddy Water Blues: A Tribute to Muddy Waters (1993)
- Now (1997)
- Electric (1999)
- The Royal Sessions (2014)
- Free Spirit (2018)
- Midnight Rose (2023)
Live albums
- The Hendrix Set (live EP, 1993)
- Paul Rodgers and Friends: Live at Montreux (1994, edited 2011)
- Live: The Loreley Tapes (live album, 1996)
- Now and Live (2CD compilation, 1997)
- Extended Versions (live album, 2006)
- Live in Glasgow (2007)
- Live at Hammersmith Apollo 2009 (2010)
Albums with Free
Studio Albums
- Tons of Sobs (1969)
- Free (1969)
- Fire and Water (1970)
- Highway (1970)
- Free at Last (1972)
- Heartbreaker (1973)
Live Albums
- Free Live! (live album, 1971)
Albums with Bad Company
Studio Albums
- Bad Company (1974)
- Straight Shooter (1975)
- Run With the Pack (1976)
- Burnin' Sky (1977)
- Desolation Angels (1979)
- Rough Diamonds (1982)
Live Albums
- In Concert: Merchants of Cool (2002)
- Hard Rock Live (2010)
- Live at Wembley (2011)
- Live in Concert 1977 & 1979 (2016)
- Live at Red Rocks (2017)
Albums with The Firm
Studio Albums
- The Firm (1985)
- Mean Business (1986)
Live Albums
- The Firm Live at Hammersmith 1984 (DVD, 1984, limited release video)
- Five From the Firm (DVD, 1986)
Albums with The Law
- The Law (1991)
Albums with Queen
Studio Albums
- The Cosmos Rocks (CD, 2008)
Live Albums
- Return of the Champions (CD/LP/DVD, 2005)
- Super Live in Japan (DVD, 2006; Japan only)
- Live in Ukraine (CD/DVD, 2009)
Images for kids
-
Rodgers performing with Queen in 2005
-
Paul Rodgers and Queen at the NEC, Birmingham, 6 May 2005.
See also
In Spanish: Paul Rodgers para niños
