Bad Company frontman Paul Rodgers has confirmed he will not attend the band’s long-awaited Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction on 8 November in Los Angeles, citing health concerns.
In a message shared via the band’s official social media, Rodgers wrote, “My hope was to be at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and to perform for the fans, but at this time I have to prioritise my health. I have no problem singing, it’s the stress of everything else. Thanks for understanding. Simon (Kirke), along with some outstanding musicians, will be stepping in for me – guaranteed to rock.”
The news marks a bittersweet moment for fans. The induction celebrates the legacy of one of rock’s great supergroups, formed in 1973 by Rodgers, Simon Kirke, Mick Ralphs, and Boz Burrell. While the surviving members will represent Bad Company on stage, Rodgers’ absence is understandable. The 74-year-old singer has endured 11 minor strokes and two major strokes over the past decade, the most serious in 2019. His recovery has been remarkable, but as he told fans, “it’s the stress of everything else” that has forced him to take a step back.
Born in Middlesbrough in 1949, Paul Rodgers first came to prominence with Free, the British blues-rock band behind the 1970 anthem All Right Now. Written with bassist Andy Fraser, the song made Rodgers’ soulful rasp instantly recognisable across the world. Free’s fusion of heavy riffs and emotive ballads influenced generations of rock vocalists. By the time Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke moved on to form Bad Company with Mick Ralphs of Mott the Hoople and Boz Burrell of King Crimson, the stage was set for another classic era.
Signed to Led Zeppelin’s Swan Song label, Bad Company became one of the defining hard rock acts of the 1970s, producing a run of albums that remain staples of classic rock radio – Bad Company (1974), Straight Shooter (1975), Run With The Pack (1976), Burnin’ Sky (1977), Desolation Angels (1979), and Rough Diamonds (1982). Their hits – Can’t Get Enough, Feel Like Makin’ Love, Shooting Star, Rock and Roll Fantasy, and the haunting title track Bad Company – captured both grit and grandeur in equal measure.
Following his departure from Bad Company in 1982, Rodgers maintained a prolific career that saw him front the Jimmy Page collaboration The Firm in the mid-1980s and later team with Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor under the banner Queen + Paul Rodgers from 2004 to 2009. The collaboration produced a studio album, The Cosmos Rocks, and global tours that brought his voice to a new generation of fans.
Rodgers’ solo catalogue includes the acclaimed Muddy Water Blues: A Tribute To Muddy Waters (1993) and, most recently, Midnight Rose (2023), his first album of original material in nearly a quarter century. In 2011, the Ivor Novello Awards honoured him for his outstanding contribution to British music.
Over the years, artists including Freddie Mercury, John Mellencamp, and Brian May have cited Rodgers as one of the greatest rock singers of all time. Rolling Stone ranked him among the top 100 singers ever. His powerful phrasing and blues-rooted delivery helped shape rock’s golden era.
Bad Company’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is long overdue recognition for one of Britain’s most enduring rock exports. Drummer Simon Kirke will represent the band and perform alongside guest musicians. Speaking recently, Kirke said, “We’re going to play, and whatever Paul chooses is fine by me! Just to play with him again is going to be a real thrill for me. I missed him.”
Rodgers had hinted at possibly performing when he said, “Well, we may well. We’ll see how we go.” But ultimately, his health had to come first.
The ceremony at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles will also honour Joe Cocker, Soundgarden, the White Stripes, Chubby Checker, Carol Kaye, OutKast, Cyndi Lauper, Salt-N-Pepa, and Warren Zevon, with appearances by Iggy Pop, Elton John, Olivia Rodrigo, Beck, and David Letterman.
For Rodgers, the honour caps a career spanning more than five decades. Whether fronting Free, Bad Company, The Firm, or Queen + Paul Rodgers, his voice remains one of the genre’s benchmarks. Even in his absence from the stage, his influence and legacy will loom large on rock’s biggest night.
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