- In full:
- Roderick David Stewart
- Awards And Honors:
- Grammy Award (2004)
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum (1994)
Rod Stewart
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Who is Rod Stewart?
Rod Stewart (born January 10, 1945) is a British singer and songwriter known for his soulful, raspy voice, which has graced rock and pop hits since the late 1960s.
Stewart's career began with bands such as Steampacket, Shotgun Express, and the Jeff Beck Group before joining the Faces. His solo career took off in 1969, reaching international fame with Every Picture Tells a Story (1971), which featured the hit single "Maggie May".
Though his later work received mixed reviews, Stewart continued to produce hits, including "Da Ya Think Iâm Sexy" (1978). He has also released collections of traditional pop standards and rock and soul classics. Stewart was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 1994 and as a member of the Faces in 2012 and was made Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2007.
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Where is Rod Stewart from?
Rod Stewart, born on January 10, 1945, is a British singer and songwriter known for his soulful, raspy voice in rock and pop music.
Stewart's career began in the mid-1960s with London-based bands such as Steampacket and Shotgun Express. Later, he teamed up with guitarist Jeff Beck and future Rolling Stone Ron Wood in the Jeff Beck Group.
In 1969, Stewart joined the Faces, a bluesy rock band, while also pursuing a solo career. His solo album, Every Picture Tells a Story (1971), was a major hit, establishing him as an international star. Stewart was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 1994 and as a member of the Faces in 2012.
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What kind of music does Rod Stewart sing?
Rod Stewart is a British singer and songwriter known for his soulful, raspy voice in rock and pop music beginning in the late 1960s. He has had success as a solo artist and as a member of several popular groups.
Stewart was initially interested in folk music and rhythm and blues (R&B). His first solo album, An Old Raincoat Wonât Ever Let You Down, released in 1969, incorporated original and cover songs, a formula that would prove successful for Stewart.
His later hits included the disco-infused "Da Ya Think Iâm Sexy" (1978). In the early 2000s, he focused on interpreting traditional-pop standards, rock, and soul classics.
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What are some of Rod Stewart's most famous songs?
Rod Stewart, born on January 10, 1945, is a British singer and songwriter known for his soulful, raspy voice. His first solo album, An Old Raincoat Wonât Ever Let You Down, came out in 1969. In 1971, his album, Every Picture Tells a Story, and the single "Maggie May" achieved number one status in both Britain and the United States. Other hits include "You Wear It Well" (1972), "Tonightâs the Night (Gonna Be Alright)" and his version of Cat Stevensâs "The First Cut Is the Deepest" (both in 1976), and the disco song "Da Ya Think Iâm Sexy" (1978). In 1989, Stewart covered Tom Waitsâs "Downtown Train". He received his first Grammy Award for StardustâŠ: The Great American Songbook Volume III (2004).
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How did Rod Stewart's career develop over time?
Rod Stewart began in the mid-1960s with London-based bands before joining the Jeff Beck Group. After parting ways with Beck, he joined the Faces (1969â75), while also starting his solo career.
His first solo album was commercially unsuccessful, but his 1971 album, Every Picture Tells a Story, and the single "Maggie May" were major hits. Stewart's solo work then eclipsed his efforts with the Faces.
In the following decades, he continued to release hits, though some were considered uninspired. In the early 2000s, he shifted to interpreting traditional pop standards. Stewart returned to writing his own material in 2013. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 1994 and as a member of the Faces in 2012.
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How has Rod Stewart influenced music and popular culture?
Rod Stewart's soulful, raspy voice, showcased in rock and pop hits since the late 1960s, has left a significant mark on music and popular culture. His mix of original and cover songs proved successful, with Every Picture Tells a Story (1971) and "Maggie May" topping charts.
Stewart's later hits, such as "Da Ya Think Iâm Sexy," maintained his presence in popular culture, even as critics dismissed much of his output as uninspired. His ability to adapt and interpret music, demonstrated by his Grammy-winning album Stardust...The Great American Songbook Volume III (2004), highlights his lasting appeal.
Stewart was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, as a solo artist in 1994 and as a member of the Faces in 2012.
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Rod Stewart (born January 10, 1945, London, England) is a British singer and songwriter whose soulful, raspy voice graced rock and pop hits beginning in the late 1960s. Stewart became an international star following the extraordinary commercial success of his landmark album Every Picture Tells a Story (1971).
Career with the Jeff Beck Group and the Faces
Although best known as a solo artist, Stewart achieved his first exposure and success as a member of several popular groups. After taking an early interest in folk music and rhythm and blues (R&B), he was a member of two relatively obscure London-based bands (Steampacket and Shotgun Express) in the mid-1960s before teaming with the influential guitarist Jeff Beck and future Rolling Stone Ron Wood in the Jeff Beck Group.
Stewartâs collaboration with Beck ended in 1969 when, after two albums, he was persuaded by Wood (who had been fired by Beck) to join the Faces. Formerly the Small Faces, the bandâalso comprising Ronnie Lane, Ian McLagan, and Kenney Jonesâplayed bluesy rock that appealed to Stewartâs long-standing interest in R&B. During the early 1970s the raucous Faces were among Britainâs most popular live performers, and their album A Nodâs as Good as a WinkâŠto a Blind Horse (1971) remains highly regarded. Nonetheless, Stewart, determined not to be constrained by the group format, pursued a parallel solo career during his tenure with the Faces (1969â75).
Solo career
Released in 1969, his first solo album, An Old Raincoat Wonât Ever Let You Down (also released as The Rod Stewart Album), was commercially disappointing, but its mixture of original and cover songs would prove to be a successful formula for Stewart. Gasoline Alley (1970) sold better and was well received by critics, but it hardly suggested what would happen in 1971. Every Picture Tells a Story charted at number one in Britain and the United States simultaneously; the single âMaggie Mayâ repeated the feat; and Rolling Stone magazine named Stewart ârock star of the year.â
His next album, Never a Dull Moment (1972), and its single âYou Wear It Wellâ were also hits, as Stewartâs solo work eclipsed his efforts with the Faces. Among other subsequent hits were âTonightâs the Night (Gonna Be Alright)â and Stewartâs version of Cat Stevensâs âThe First Cut Is the Deepest,â both from the album A Night on the Town (1976); however, the critical success that Stewart had enjoyed was fast approaching an end.
For the next two decades, the hits continued to comeâthe disco-inflected âDa Ya Think Iâm Sexyâ (1978), for instance, topped charts in multiple countriesâbut much of Stewartâs output was dismissed as uninspired. His cover of the 1985 Tom Waits song âDowntown Trainâ (1989) was the high point of a midcareer period generally considered inconsistent. For a time in the early 21st century, Stewart abandoned songwriting and focused solely on interpreting othersâ work. Beginning in 2002 he released several collections of traditional-pop standards, as well as album-length takes on rock and soul classics, that received mixed reviews but found a wide audience. For StardustâŠ: The Great American Songbook Volume III (2004), Stewart received his first Grammy Award.
He returned to writing his own material for Time (2013), a smoothly diverse set of songs that found him in a nostalgic mood, and the appealing yet uneven Another Country (2015). His 30th studio album, Blood Red Roses (2018), yielded the minor hit song âDidnât I.â He later released Youâre in My Heart: Rod Stewart with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (2019). Subsequent albums include The Tears of Hercules (2021) and Swing Fever (2024; with composer Jools Holland).
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Honors
Stewart was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 1994 and as a member of the Faces in 2012. He was made Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2007. His autobiography, Rod, was published in 2012.