About Paul Rodgers
This spectacular, never to be repeated show at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Monday November 3rd will see the genius that is Paul Rodgers’ present The Royal Sessions live, with all the players from the record.
In the mid ‘60s, before this singer/songwriter founded Free, Bad Company or The Firm with Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, Rodgers was a teen band singer in Middlesbrough, England besotted with vinyl 45s from America: hot new R&B sides from Memphis labels like Stax/Volt, Goldwax and later Hi Records. Spinning the records over and over, Rodgers would imagine how the artists and singers created such momentous sounds and wonder about the places they came from.
Flash forward to 2013: Paul Rodgers is at South Memphis’ Royal Studios, recording those familiar old songs with many of the same players who had graced the original tracks.
The session almost seemed fated. Rodgers had been working on a solo album of original rock material with his friend and musical collaborator Perry A. Margouleff. In late 2012, Margouleff was visiting Memphis where he was tipped to Royal Studios, the historic home of late producer Willie Mitchell and Hi Records. For over 40 years, Royal has remained a thriving recording hub where artists come take advantage of the vintage gear, old-school wisdom, and sheer magic of the room. They’ve also utilized the talents of the native players, foremost among them the stalwarts of the famed Hi Rhythm Section, built around the Hodges Brothers. Still turning out remarkable records and performances today, Royal Studios has become the last great resource for those truly seeking the real thing.
The result of Paul Rodgers’ pilgrimage to this musical Mecca is a deeply felt, powerfully sung and expertly played collection. Featuring a cross-section of material handpicked by Rodgers, it surveys a wide landscape of American R&B, offering fresh takes on the fatback blues of Albert King, the gutbucket balladry of Otis Redding, the sophisticated stirrings of Issac Hayes and a host of other classics from the Southern soul canon.
Working in the real-school style, everything was recorded on analogue tape, with the basic tracks including Rodgers’ vocals all cut live on the floor with the band. Unaware of Rodgers’ history or reputation, the veteran session men were surprised when he chose to kick off the session with a pass at Redding’s iconic “That’s How Strong My Love Is.” After Rodgers nailed the song in a single scintillating take, organist Charles Hodges took him aside and said admiringly, “Man, you’ve really got this in you. You can really do this.”
Moved by their experiences working in Memphis, Rodgers and Margouleff decided to donate proceeds from the album to the Stax Music Academy in Memphis for children’s education programs, as thanks to a city and musical community that’s meant so much to them.
The Royal Sessions represents the culmination of a long, profound journey for Paul Rodgers. Five decades after first discovering these songs on those old 45s, he has created a record direct from the heart.
This is the sound of his R&B fantasy his soul dream finally come true and now will see it on the stage of the Royal Albert Hall in London.
The Players:
Reverend Charles Hodges Sr. Hammond B3
A man of the cloth for over 25 years, Charles Hodges has ministered to music fans for far longer than that. Possessed of a singular organ style, Charles’ elaborate swells, emotional stabs, and unusual chord voicings would color the great hits of O.V. Wright, Al Green, Ann Peebles, and Syl Johnson, and add new melodic dimensions to soul music.
Leroy Hodges Jr. Bass Guitar
The rock of Royal Studios, the man who put the rhythm in Hi Rhythm, Leroy “Flick” Hodges holds a transformative power in his very hands. His languid bass lines and liquid melodies were among the key elements that marked the shift in the sound and feel of soul as it entered the "Me Decade,” moving the music off the dance floor and into the bedroom.
Archie “Hubby” Turner Wurlitzer
A keyboard wiz, Turner began his career playing in a dance band called The Impalas with Charles Hodges. Upon joining the Hi Rhythm section, during the latter half of the house band’s glorious run, he would bring another facet to the group’s sound. Adding his swirling Wurlitzer to the mix, he created a synergistic interplay with Hodges' Hammond that lent a further dreamy quality to the music. He currently tours internationally with Cyndi Lauper.
Michael Toles Guitar
Over the course of a nearly five-decade career, guitarist Michael Toles has worked with many of the giants of American roots music, from the Kings (B.B. and Albert), to the Thomas family (Rufus and Carla). He’s played with “Black Moses” Isaac Hayes, aided gospel patriarch Pops Staples, and added his
signature six-string styling to hundreds of essential recordings and continues to be a go-to session player.
Steve Potts Drums
Part of a lineage of great Memphis trapsmen, Steve Potts is blood kin to the late lamented lynchpin of both Stax and Hi Records, Al Jackson, Jr. A cousin to Jackson, Potts was tapped to replace him in the revived version of Booker T. and the MGs. He’s also brought his laidback funky feel the essential heartbeat of the Memphis sound to records and tours for artists running the gamut from Neil Young to Cat Power.
The Royal Singers:
Shontelle Norman
Sharisse Norman
Soothing, pleading, or scolding, the female voices on classic Hi Records were an essential part of the sonic formula that captivated the record buying public. Today, the smoldering backing, complex chorales, and emotive harmonies are provided by a tight knit group of gospel-rooted singers.
The Royal Horns:
Marc Franklin Trumpet
James L. Spake Baritone Sax
Gary Topper Tenor Sax
Lannie “The Party” McMillan Jr. Tenor Sax
One of the great trumpeters in R&B history, the late Willie Mitchell created the template for the Hi Records horn sound. Instantly identifiable, his brass arrangements were about creating a vibe that transcended the notes on the page, elevating the music in the process. The current day edition of the Royal Horns a multigenerational mix of Memphis’ best blowers continues that tradition admirably.
Book your tickets for Paul Rodgers The Royal Sessions with Gigantic below.
