This is going to be ace :
The British-born singer, who lives in White Rock, says he's in the midst of doing a Stax-style soul album with guitarist Steve Cropper. Recording such a disc is a long-held ambition, Rodgers said.
Cropper became legendary as lead guitarist for Booker T and the MGs. They were house band for Stax Records, the storied Memphis label that produced such artists as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam and Dave, and Eddie Floyd. Recently, through a mutual friend, Cropper asked Rodgers if he would sing on a demo song.
That led to the pair cowriting five original tunes, said Cynthia Kereluk, Rodgers's wife and business manager.
Rodgers, interviewed from White Rock, says he and Cropper hope do a CD tribute to Stax Records, with recording starting as early as May. He'd like to cut it using vintage recording equipment at Royal Studios in Memphis, home to historic soul sessions by Al Green, Chuck Berry and Solomon Burke.
"Those [soul singers] will never know what they did to me. When I was 13 and 14, I heard Respect and A Change is Gonna Come and You Don't Miss Your Water," Rodgers said.
He plans to assemble a core band with Cropper and invite "as many as possible" of the people affiliated with Stax to perform as guest artists.
"Right now it's wide open," Rodgers said. "We're just collecting the songs together."
Kenny