Story by Shawn Perry
Photos by Ron Lyon
In February 2014, iconic Bad Company and Free vocalist Paul Rodgers released The Royal Sessions, a collection of classic R&B and soul songs recorded at the famed Royal Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. Produced by Perry Margouleff, The Royal Sessions features Rodgers accompanied by such Memphis musicians as the Reverend Charles Hodges on the Hammond B3 organ, Michael Toles on guitar, LeRoy Hodges Jr. on bass, “Hubby” Archie Turner on the Wurlitzer, and Steve Potts and James Robertson Sr. on drums, plus the Royal Horns and the Royal Singers.
On October 15, an audience of 200 was lucky enough to be hand at the Clive Davis Theater inside the Grammy Museum where Rodgers and Margouleff sat down with Scott Goldman, Vice President of the Grammy Foundation and MusiCares, for a 45-minute chat about The Royal Sessions. Rodgers was then joined by Margouleff and many of the players from The Royal Sessions for a four-song set.
Introduced as the founding member of three major bands — Free, Bad Company and the Firm — Rodgers spoke affectionately about recording at Royal. “You couldn’t recreate it,” he told Goldman, “it has its atmosphere.” Margouleff added that when he first walked into Royal, one of the oldest operating studios in the world, it was like stepping into a time capsule.
Both Rodgers and Margouleff talked about the influence of such Memphis legends as Otis Redding and Booker T & the MGs. “I heard Otis Redding and was blown away,” Rodgers remarked, “I got the idea of what a band should be from Booker T and The MGs.” To illustrate the point, Margouleff pulled out a 45 of Booker T and The MGs’ “Red Beans And Rice” (a B-side to “Be My Lady), placed it on a small turntable, and proceeded to stun the room with the warmth and allure of the 1965 analog recording. “Only the best music ever!” Goldman exclaimed at the song’s conclusion.
When Goldman asked about the difference between analog and digital, Rodgers said he was listening to more vinyl these days. ‘I am not against progress, digital is here to stay. I bought CDs, but I was becoming tired of music.” In explaining the differences between the two, Margouleff said that digital is “like watching ballet with a strobe light on.” The analogy rang true with most people in the room.
As for the making of The Royal Sessions itself, both Rodgers and Margouleff agreed everything fell together easily and organically. When it came to hiring musicians, they left it all to Lawrence “Boo” Mitchell, who owns and operates Royal. “We trusted Boo,” Margouleff explained.
However, choosing the music was something they became a little more involved with. They listened to numerous CDs and records to decide which ones would work.
“I wanted to respect the original versions,” Rodgers said, “but I wanted to expand on them, too. Every time we play, it gets better.”
Truer words have rarely been spoken. On the sparse stage, Rodgers was joined by Reverend Charles Hodges, Michael Toles, LeRoy Hodges Jr., “Hubby” Archie Turner and James Robertson Sr., for a brief set that included “That’s How Strong My Love Is,” “I Can’t Stand The Rain” (with Margouleff on electric bongos), “Born Under A Bad Sign” (with Margouleff on guitar), and an encore of “Stormy Monday.”
To hear and see Paul Rodgers in such an intimate setting made everyone realize what an incredibly gifted vocalist the man is. When he sang the classic songs he grew up on, it was almost as if he had come full circle — and every one of the 200 people in the room was invited for an exclusive close up.
