With just days to go before this year’s induction ceremony, one of the 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees has sent his regrets. Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers posted a note on the band’s socials on Monday (Nov. 3) revealing that his ill health will prevent him from participating.
Bad Company are slated to be inducted into the Rock Hall this weekend at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles alongside Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, OutKast, Soundgarden and The White Stripes in the Performer category and Salt-N-Pepa and Warren Zevon for Musical Influence.
But, just days after the other surviving original member of the English rock supergroup – fellow former Free member drummer Simon Kirke — revealed that the two planned to reunite to play two songs on Saturday, Rodgers said he cannot participate.
“My hope was to be at the Rock & Rock Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and to perform for the fans, but at this time I have to prioritize my health,” Rodgers, 75, said in a statement without providing any additional information on his condition. “I have no problem singing, it’s the stress of everything else. Thanks for understanding. Simon along with some outstanding musicians will be stepping in for me – guaranteed to rock.”
Rodgers, Kirke, late guitarist Mick Ralphs and late bassist Boz Burrell will be inducted this weekend for their roles in the 1970s rock juggernaut whose biggest hits include “Bad Company” and “Can’t Get Enough” (1974), “Feel Like Makin’ Love” and “Shooting Star” (1975) and “Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy” (1979) among others.
The group originally split in 1982 and have reunited several times over the years in a variety of configurations to tour and record albums, last performing together in 2019. But in 2023, Kirke said the band was likely done due to a variety of health issues suffered by Rodgers over the past few years, with the singer revealing to CBS Mornings that year that he’d suffered two major strokes — one in 2016 and another in 2019 — as well as 11 minor strokes.
This year’s RRHOF induction ceremony will stream live coast-to-coast on Disney+ Saturday (Nov. 8), at 8 p.m. ET, and will be available to stream following the ceremony. ABC will also air a primetime special with performance highlights and standout moments on Jan. 1, at 8 p.m. ET, available the next day on Hulu.
This year’s event will feature an impressive list of performers and presenters, including: Beck, Brandi Carlile, David Letterman, Doja Cat, Elton John, Flea, Iggy Pop, J.I.D, Killer Mike, Maxwell, Missy Elliott, Olivia Rodrigo, Questlove, RAYE, Sleepy Brown, Taylor Momsen, Teddy Swims and Twenty One Pilots.
