12 Greatest Classic Rock Singers Of All Time
9. Paul Rogers - Free/Bad Company
At the tail end of the 60's, every legitimate British rock act were taking the blues into uncharted territory. From the Yardbirds' more raucous take on the genre to the more jazz and classical elements of bands like Deep Purple, every rock act were making songs that unleashed the demons in their souls. Though many guitarists like Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page get mentioned from this era, Paul Rogers was probably the most accomplished singer out of the bunch.
Starting off in the band Free, Rogers' vocals were the perfect mix of youthful exuberance and bluesman grit. On songs like "Fire and Water" and "All Right Now," he was able to take the rock genre somewhere much more rootsy than the standard raveups you were getting on the other side of England.
Once Free was folded, Rogers found new life in Bad Company, where he created some of the most infectious melodies on 70's radio on tracks like "Shooting Star." Even with all the accolades, Rogers has gotten asked to fill in for the almighty Queen, whose vocals are the most demanding that rock has to offer. In terms of raw emotion, Paul Rogers is truly one of a kind whose influence can be heard in everyone from Ronnie James Dio to Eddie Vedder.