Rod Stewart Biography

London native Rod Stewart has a discography packed with hits. To date, the crooner continues to make the ladies swoon.

Rod Stewart: Early Years
Born the youngest of five children, Roderick David Stewart grew up in London, England. Rod Stewart worked an assortment of odd jobs, including a silk screen printer, grave digger, and sign writer, before venturing into a music career. The Ray Davies Quartet (later known as The Kinks), Jimmy Powell & the Five Dimensions, The Hoochie Coochie Men (later becoming Steampacket), and Shotgun Express were all bands that Rod Stewart joined during the 1960s, a decade where the raspy-voiced singer earned the nickname “Rod the Mod.” It wasn’t until joining the Jeff Beck Group that Rod Stewart would enjoy success on both sides of the Pond.

Rod Stewart: Faces & Going Solo
Rod Stewart went on to front the band Faces and released his first solo album An Old Raincoat Won’t Ever Let You Down to bookend the decade. The album, hailed as “The Rod Stewart Album” in the U.S., would establish Rod Stewart’s now-signature sound – a blend of Folk, Rock, and Country Blues. Faces’ debut album First Step dropped in 1970 fared well in the UK and quickly earned the group a strong fan base.

Solo albums Gasoline Alley and Every Picture Tells A Story helped make Rod Stewart a household name, especially with his songs “Reason to Believe” and “Maggie May” enjoying plenty of radio airplay. Faces released a second album Long Player in 1971 and toured heavily in 1972. With Rod Stewart releasing solo albums and tensions rising within the band, Faces would part ways in late 1975.

Rod Stewart: Fresh Start
Making the leap across the Pond to the United States, Rod Stewart soon would be an instant hit with American audiences. While Atlantic Crossing’s single “Sailing” enjoyed moderate success, “Tonight’s the Night” from A Night on the Town would be Rod Stewart’s breakout hit. The 1977 album Foot Loose & Fancy Free spawned a string of radio hits, including “You’re In My Heart,” “Hot Legs,” and “I Was Only Joking.”

As the decade progressed, Rod Stewart veered toward a slicker, more Pop sound, evident on the 1978 hit single “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?” from the No. 1 album Blondes Have More Fun. Moving toward a New Wave direction in 1980, Rod Stewart released the album Foolish Behaviour, featuring the single “Passion.” Platinum album Tonight I’m Yours followed in the same vain and produced the hit title track and “Young Turks.”

Rod Stewart: Highs & Lows
For much of the 1980s, Rod Stewart would only chart a few hit songs, including “Baby Jane,” “Some Guys Have All the Luck,” and “Forever Young.” By 1989, Rod Stewart was back in full swing on tour, playing to sold-out audiences in South America. In 1990, Rod Stewart covered “Downtown Train” and peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard singles chart, and he teamed up with Bryan Adams and Sting for the 1993 song “All For Love,” which snagged the top spot.

Rod Stewart: Great American Songbook
Rod Stewart would lend his signature raspy voice to 1930s and 1940s Pop standards for the wildly successful The Great American Songbook series, which included It Had to Be You…The Great American Songbook, As Time Goes By: The Great American Songbook 2, Grammy-winning Stardust … The Great American Songbook 3, and the final volume Thanks for the memory: The Great American Songbook 4. The four-part series sold a ton of albums and kept Rod Stewart tickets flying out of the box office from 2002-05.

Rod Stewart: Still the Same
In his return to Rock, Rod Stewart released the 2006 album Still the Same: Great Rock Classics of Our Time, which featured the single “Have You Ever Seen the Rain.” In 2007, Rod Stewart would tour in support of the album and watched tickets sell out in upward of 90 venues around the world. In Summer 2008, Rod Stewart launched a North American jaunt that had fans flocking to buy Rod Stewart tickets.

Rod Stewart: 2009 Tour Schedule
Fans won’t want to miss the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer during his 2009 Summer Tour, which will showcase songs from The Definitive Rod Stewart and beyond. Brush up on the lyrics for classic Rod Stewart songs “Have I Told You Lately,” “Downtown Train,” “Passion,” “Young Turks,” “Tonight’s the Night,” “Maggie May,” “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy,” and “Sailing” among others. Order your premium Rod Stewart tickets securely from OnlineTickets.com today!