Rod Stewart

Rod Stewart

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Sir Roderick David Stewart was born on 10 January 1945 in Highgate, North London, the youngest of five children. His father was a Scottish master builder, while his mother was English. Growing up in a working-class family focused on football, Stewart initially pursued athletics, becoming captain of his school football team and playing for Middlesex Schoolboys as centre-half. However, after trials with Brentford Football Club proved unsuccessful, he pivoted to music. His father purchased him a guitar in January 1959, and Stewart was heavily influenced by Al Jolson's performing style, Little Richard's rock and roll, and folk artists like Bob Dylan and Ewan MacColl. By 1962, he had begun busking with harmonica player Wizz Jones in London, Brighton, and Paris before joining the Dimensions as a harmonica player and vocalist in 1963.

Rise to Prominence (1964-1971)

Stewart's breakthrough came through his collaborations with established artists. In 1964, he joined Long John Baldry and the All Stars, earning the nickname "Rod the Mod" for his distinctive style. He subsequently played in Steampacket (1965-1966), Shotgun Express (1966), and most significantly, the Jeff Beck Group (1967-1969), where he met Ronnie Wood and developed his characteristic raspy vocal style. The Jeff Beck Group's 1968 album Truth reached number 15 on the US charts, with critics praising Stewart's "hoarse and insistent shouting" against Beck's visionary guitar work. His solo career launched in 1969 with An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down, establishing his template of folk, rock, and country blues with working-class sensibility. In October 1969, Stewart joined the Small Faces, renamed Faces, while simultaneously pursuing solo work. His 1971 album Every Picture Tells a Story became his breakthrough, with the single "Maggie May" reaching number one simultaneously on UK and US charts—an unprecedented achievement. The album topped charts in UK, US, Canada, and Australia.

Peak Commercial Success (1972-1978)

Throughout the early 1970s, Stewart maintained extraordinary commercial momentum with both the Faces and as a solo artist. Never a Dull Moment (1972) reached number one in the UK and number two in the US, while "You Wear It Well" topped the UK charts. After the Faces disbanded in 1975, Stewart's solo career reached new heights. Atlantic Crossing (1975) featured "Sailing," which became his biggest-selling UK single and number one in the Netherlands. A Night on the Town (1976) produced "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)," which dominated the US and Canadian charts for nearly two months. Blondes Have More Fun (1978) and its controversial disco single "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" reached number one across multiple territories, though the track drew criticism for departing from his earlier acoustic-folk style. Despite critical reservations, Stewart maintained commercial viability, regularly achieving top-ten placements globally.

Later Career and Legacy (1980-Present)

Following the disco era, Stewart transitioned to new wave and synthpop in the early 1980s with albums like Foolish Behaviour (1980) and Tonight I'm Yours (1981). The 1990s saw renewed critical appreciation, particularly with the 1991 album Vagabond Heart, which reached number two in the UK and number ten in the US—his highest-charting album in a decade. In 1993, Stewart collaborated with Bryan Adams and Sting on "All For Love," which reached number one globally. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 and received the prestigious 1993 Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music. From 2002 onwards, Stewart achieved remarkable success interpreting the Great American Songbook, with albums like Stardust (2004) reaching number one in the US—his first in 25 years—and winning his first Grammy Award. He has maintained an active recording and touring career into the 2020s, cementing his status as one of music's best-selling artists with over 120 million records sold worldwide. Stewart was knighted in 2016 for services to music and charity.