The April 25 edition of Greasy Tracks featured vocalists from the United Kingdom with an emphasis on the career of Paul Rodgers. Mambo Sons guitarist Tom Guerra co-hosted the program.
f you missed it, here’s the archive, while a playlist is here.
U.K. rock and blues vocalists of the 1960s and 1970s were deeply shaped by American blues traditions, drawing inspiration from artists like Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon and Howlin’ Wolf, very similar to how such guitarists as the “Three Kings” — Albert King, Freddie King and B.B. King — influenced scores of guitarists across Europe, especially Great Britain.
Singers such as Eric Burdon, Mick Jagger, Robert Plant and Rod Stewart studied these styles closely, adopting the raw emotion, phrasing, and vocal grit that defined blues music and many U.K. bands covered material by U.S blues players. Then there were cases of outright thievery going on by outfits like Led Zeppelin who often didn’t give credit for the material they “made their own.”
Rodgers is a powerful blues-rock vocalist and songwriter, best known for his work in Free, Bad Company, solo projects and even a stint in Queen.
Often, U.K. groups blended these influences with British sensibilities, creating a distinct sound that fueled the British Invasion. This transatlantic exchange not only revived interest in American blues but also transformed it, as UK vocalists reinterpreted its themes for new audiences and helped popularize the genre worldwide.
Guerra is a blues-rock guitarist and writer whose work has appeared in Vintage Guitar magazine and other publications. He’s made numerous appearances on Greasy Tracks, the last one being on a program spotlighting Rory Gallagher in 2024.