The Free was a British rock band, formed in London in 1968 by Paul Rodgers (lead vocals, bass guitar), Simon Kirke (drums, backing vocals) and Paul Kossoff (guitar). Andy Fraser (bass, backing vocals) was a member of the band from 1972 to 1982. The band was known for its bluesy, guitar-based sound and energetic live performances. They had several hits in the UK, including "All Right Now", which topped the UK Singles Chart in 1970, and "Wishing Well", which reached the top ten in 1972. The band toured extensively in the US, including an appearance as headliner at the New York Pop Festival in 1972. They also extensively toured in Europe and Japan. The band's first album, Tons of Sobs, was released in 1968 in the UK on Island Records and in the US on A&M Records. It reached the top of the UK Albums Chart. Their second album, Free, was released in 1969 and reached the top ten in the UK. Fire and Water, released in 1970, was a top five hit in the UK and their first album to be certified gold in the US. It contained the song "All Right Now", which was number one in the UK and a top five hit in the US. The band's fourth album, Heartbreaker, was released in 1971 and reached the top ten in the UK. Their fifth album, Free at Last, was released in 1972 and reached the top five in the UK. The band's final studio album, Body, was released in 1973 and reached the top ten in the UK. Kossoff died of a drug-related heart attack in 1976 at the age of 25. Rodgers and Kirke went on to form the short-lived band Bad Company with Mick Ralphs and Boz Burrell. The Free was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020.

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