Rock vocals

 "WOODSTOCK" 1969 !!!! Anyone out there old enough to remember it ? Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin (sadly no longer with us )Joan Baez, The Who, Jefferson Airplane, Santana..........The list of big names seemed endless. 3 days of music, 500,000 young people in a field,.

         If you couldn't be there Britain had it's own version on a tiny island off the south coast called The Isle Of Wight. between 150,000 and 200,000 of us . No one minded not being at Woodstock because along with many other great artists of the era we had  BOB DYLAN at the top of the bill.      Late night under the stars sitting on the grass with my husband and friends all around watching and listening to Dylan.

 For me at 18 years of age it didn't get any better than that. Brilliant. Still is one of my favourite memories.

                     Meanwhil, back at the ranch as they say, lots of rock groups were gaining popularity..  Even though it is now 40 years on, who hasn't heard of .."alright now" by the band known as FREE, with Paul Rodgers on lead vocals.?

How appropriate for those heady, hippy days......FREE......Love and peace, man.

 Paul Rodgers was perfect to stand out at the front of the band , hair to his shoulders, so, so, sexy, girls couldn't resist him even when he was just standing still....then he'd open his mouth and  WOW!  One of the best voices for rock songs you'll ever hear. In fact a unique voice

         If you've never heard the amazing instrumental introduction to "Wishing Well" try to find a cd of Free greatest hits . check it out . Wishing well is sure to be on it... During the great intro Pauls' voice calmy almost quietly creeps in then rises and rocks to a crescendo like no other.     ........."take off your hat, take off your shoes, you know you ain't going anywhere.....

.............the only time that you're satisfied is when you're feet are in the wishing well..."

When the band sadly split , as so many do, Paul just seemed to pick up his guitar and wander off.. Till one day I heard a tune I didn't recognise comimg from the radio.....but there was no mistaking that voice. It captures your heart in a nano=second. Paul had formed a new band called Bad Company.

This man loves his work. Anyone who thinks the life of a rock star depends on over partying, over drinking, drugs, and any other vices you can think of,   should see the Paul Rodgers I saw only 2 years ago , singing his heart out while with one hand throwing into the air a heavy metal microphone stand, twirling it around, catching it, still singing with that incredible voice.This guy is health, fit, and obviously works hard. (that's an understatement)

                   After Bad Company, there was The Firm,  and The Law,  all with the unmistakeable gritty voice of Paul.   So many of the songs he's written himself are pure poetry.His talents didn't go unoticed in the music world, obviously, because the supergroup QUEEN were missing a lead singer after Feddie Mercury died.

We mustn't forget that Roger Taylor, Brian May and co., can sing the most beautiful harmonies, maybe they didn't need a 'front man' !!!! After all no one would ever BE Freddie Mercury again.     Brilliant musicians recognise eachother. Queen soon invited Paul Rodgers  to bring his song writing talents and his electrifying voice to the band.

        Their concerts worldwide have been sell=outs for the past 5 years.

To hear Roger Taylor begin singing in that beautiful falsetto......"say it ain't so, say it's not true" you can hear a pin fall to the ground , then you wonder why the drums get louder , harder, and , of course here comes Paul with the last verse of the song in his unmistakable  hard rock voice.  What a combination ! Awesome !

                   There are many other wonderful rock voices out there. I chose to focus on Paul Rodgers for his tenacity. He is such a good example of someone who WILL NOT give up. , when his circumstances change. He believes in himself.and who wouldn't with a voice like that!!??

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