Singer Paul Rodgers Calls ‘Royal Sessions’ Recorded in Memphis as ‘Music with Feeling’

Paul Rodgers, a longtime singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist with Bad Company and the founder of Free, debuted a solo effort at No. 1 this month on the Billboard Blues albums chart with his "The Royal Sessions."

The collection of classic R&B and soul songs re-imagined by the iconic rock singer was recorded at Memphis' Royal Studios, the historic home of Willie Mitchell and Hi Records, with many of the musicians who played on the original tracks. The album celebrates the impact of the Memphis Sound.

Rodgers pays homage to the legendary hits he collected on 45s released on Stax/Volt, Goldwax and Hi Records in recordings by Otis Redding, Albert King and Ann Peebles. "The Royal Sessions" is available on 429 Records.

Produced by Perry Margouleff, "The Royal Sessions" captures the music of those who played on the original hits dating back to the '60s.

Margouleff had just discovered that Royal Studios was still up and running under the auspices of Mitchell's son, Lawrence "Boo" Mitchell; and convinced Rodgers to record there.

Rodgers said: "We seem to have touched a nerve in the world of music lovers. This is music with feeling."