Rod Stewart Pictures, Biography, Profile, Facts, Discography, Filmography, more.

Roderick David Stewart was born January 10, 1945 in Highgate, London. He is an English singer and songwriter of Scottish descent, most known for his uniquely raspy, gravelly voice and personable singing style, as exemplified in his signature song "Maggie May".

Stewart began his musical career after spending some time as an apprentice with the Brentford Football Club, touring Europe with folk singer Wizz Jones in the early '60s; during this time he was deported from Spain for vagrancy. When he returned to England in 1963, he joined the Birmingham-based R&B group Jimmy Powell & the Five Dimensions, as a vocalist and harmonica player. The band toured the U.K. and recorded one single for Pye Records, which featured Stewart on blues harp. After moving back to London, he joined Long John Baldry's band, the Hoochie Coochie Men. The group recorded a single in 1964, "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl," which failed to chart and soon afterward the group evolved into Steampacket.

During the summer of 1965, the group supported the Rolling Stones and the Walker Brothers on a U.K. tour, as well as recording an album that remained unreleased until 1970. Early in 1966, Steampacket disbanded and Stewart became a member of the blues-rock combo Shotgun Express, which released one single that fall before splitting. Rod Stewart then joined the Jeff Beck Group at the end of 1966.

The US band Cactus offered Stewart a job as lead singer but he decided to join The Faces with Ron Wood.

Stewart also signed a solo recording contract. An Old Raincoat Won't Let You Down became his first solo album in 1969; it was known as The Rod Stewart Album in the US.

The Faces released their debut album First Step in early 1970 with a rock and roll style similar to The Rolling Stones. While the album did better in the UK than the US, the Faces quickly earned a strong live following. Stewart would release his second album Gasoline Alley with Martin Quittenton as his lead guitarist.

Stewart's 1971 album Every Picture Tells a Story made him a household name when the B-side of his minor hit "Reason to Believe", "Maggie May", started receiving radio play. The album and the single hit number one in both the U.S. and the U.K. simultaneously, a chart first, in September. A loss of innocence tale set off by a striking mandolin part, "Maggie May" was also named in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll, which is one of three songs by him to appear on that list. The rest of the album was equally strong, with "Mandolin Wind" again showcasing that instrument, "(I Know) I'm Losing You" adding hard-edged soul to the mix, and "Tomorrow is a Long Time" being one of the best British Bob Dylan covers.

The second Faces album Long Player was released in early 1971 which enjoyed greater chart success than First Step. The Faces also got their only US top forty hit with "Stay With Me" from their third album A Nod is as Good as a Wink to a Blind Horse released in late 1971.

The Faces had an extensive tour in 1972 with growing tension in the band over Stewart's solo career enjoying more success than the band's. Stewart released Never A Dull Moment in the same year.

The Faces released their final album Ooh La La which reached number one in the UK and number 21 in 1973. The Faces went on their final tour in 1974 to support Ooh La La and the single "Pool Hall Richard". The band formally broke up in 1975 with Ron Wood joining The Rolling Stones as their guitar player and Stewart pursuing his solo career. Stewart would release the Smiler album in late 1974.

In 1975, Rod Stewart moved to the US, applying for citizenship due to his love affair with Britt Ekland and a fight with the UK tax authorities. He released the Atlantic Crossing album with producer Tom Dowd and a different sound, based on the Muscle Shoals rhythm section.

in 1976, Stewart topped the Billboard singles charts for eight weeks and the Australian singles charts with the glossy seduction ballad "Tonight's the Night" (an accompanying video featured Ekland). It came from the A Night on the Town album.

"The First Cut is the Deepest", a cover of a Cat Stevens song, went top 30 in the US in 1977 and number 1 in the UK.

Foot Loose & Fancy Free from 1978 continued Stewart's run of chart success, again reaching #2 and featuring much the same sound as from A Night on the Town.

Stewart scored another US #1 single with "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" which was a crossover hit reaching #5 on the Billboard black charts due to its disco sound. This was the lead single from 1979's Blondes Have More Fun.

In 1981, Stewart added elements of new wave and synth pop to his sound for the Tonight I'm Yours album. He only had three top ten singles between 1982 and 1988 and only 1983's Camouflage album went gold in the UK.

In 1988, he returned with Out Of Order produced by Duran Duran's Andy Taylor and by Bernard Edwards of Chic. "Forever Young" and "Lost in You" from that album were both significant hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and mainstream rock charts.

In 1993, Stewart recorded "All For Love" with Sting and Bryan Adams for the soundtrack to the movie The Three Musketeers,

reunited with Ron Wood and a talented backup group to record an MTV Unplugged special.

Stewart was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

In 1995, Stewart released "A Spanner in the Works"

When we Were the New Boys from 1998 contained versions of Britpop acts such as Oasis and Primal Scream. The Story So Far: the Very Best Of a greatest hits album compiled from his time at Warner Brothers went to the top ten in the UK and reached number 1 in places like Belgium and France in 2001.

The first album from the songbook series, It Had to Be You ... The Great American Songbook, reached #4 on the US album chart, #8 in the UK and #10 in Canada when released in late 2002. The second series album, As Time Goes By ...The Great American Songbook Volume II, reached #2 in the US, #4 in the UK and #1 in Canada.

A musical featuring many of Stewart's songs opened November 7, 2003 at London's Victoria Palace theatre.

In 2004, Stewart is reuniting with Ron Wood for concerts of The Faces material. A Rod Stewart and the Faces best of Changing Faces reached the top 20 of the UK album charts.

In late 2004, Stardust ... The Great American Songbook Volume III, the third album in the series, was released. It was his first US number 1 album in 25 years, selling over 200,000 albums in its first week. It also debuted at #1 in Canada, #3 in the UK and top ten in Australia.

Rod Stewart Trivia / Timeline:

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

Lead singer for 70s rock group The Faces.

Covered Elton John's hit song "Your Song".

Gave friend Elton John the nickname Sharon.

Underwent successful surgery for thyroid cancer in July 2000, and announced he was completely recovered in January 2001.

In 1998 he bought the Victorian mansion Stargroves in Hampshire, which had previously belonged to Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones.

Although he was born in England, he has Scottish blood and prefers to be considered a Scotsman.

He put on the first concert at SkyDome in Toronto, Canada in 1989.

Proposed to girlfriend Penny Lancaster at the top of the Eiffel Tower on March 9, 2005. The couple plan to marry once his divorce from Rachel Hunter is finalised.

Voted the sexiest male spectacles wearer in a 2004 poll by Specsavers opticians.

Played the harmonica on Millie Small's 1964 #2 hit "My Boy Lollipop."

Model/fiancée Penny Lancaster, is expecting their first child together, due in early winter 2005. This will be Rod's 6th child and her first.

Quotations by Rod Stewart:

On looking young: "The secret is to moisturise the face. I've been doing that since I was 17 years old."

Said of his former wife, Rachel Hunter, shortly after their break-up: "She was the first woman who left me".

Said of former wife Rachel Hunter shortly after their break-up: "She was the first woman who left me."

Rod Stewart Discography:

With the Jeff Beck Group:

Truth (1968)

Beck-Ola (Cosa Nostra) (1970)

The Best of Jeff Beck (1985)

With The Faces:

First Step (1970)

Long Player (1971)

A Nod Is as Good as a Wink...To a Blind Horse (1971)

Ooh La La (1973)

Coast to Coast: Overture and Beginners (Live album 1974)

Snakes And Ladders / The Best of Faces (1975)

The Best of The Faces (1977)

Rod Stewart's Solo albums:

An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down (released as The Rod Stewart Album in the United States) (1970)

Gasoline Alley (1970)

Every Picture Tells a Story (1971)

Never a Dull Moment (1972)

Smiler (1974)

Atlantic Crossing (1975)

A Night on the Town (1976)

Foot Loose & Fancy Free (1977)

Blondes Have More Fun (1978)

Foolish Behaviour (1980)

Tonight I'm Yours (1981)

Absolutely Live (1982, live)

Body Wishes (1983)

Camouflage (1984)

Every Beat of My Heart (1986)

Out of Order (1988)

Vagabond Heart (1991)

Lead Vocalist (1993)

Unplugged... and Seated (1993, live)

A Spanner in the Works (1995)

If We Fall in Love Tonight (1996)

When We Were the New Boys (1998)

Human (2001)

It Had to Be You: the Great American Songbook (2002)

As Time Goes By: the Great American Songbook 2 (2003)

Stardust: the Great American Songbook 3 (2004)

Compilations:

Sing It Again, Rod (1972)

The Vintage Years 69 - 70 (1976)

Best of Rod Stewart (1976)

Best of Rod Stewart, Volume II (1977)

Rod Stewart Greatest Hits Vol. 1(1979)

Hot Rods (1980)

The Best of Rod Stewart (1989)

The Rock Album (1989)

The Ballad Album (1989)

Storyteller - The Complete Anthology: 1964-1990 (1989)

Downtown Train (1991)

Handbags & Gladrags (1995)

The Very Best of Rod Stewart (2001)

The Story So Far: Very Best of Rod Stewart (2002)

Encore: The Very Best Of 2 (2003)

Rod Stewart Filmography:

As Composer:

About Schmidt (2002) (song "You Wear It Well")

Almost Famous (2000) (song "Every Picture Tells a Story") ... aka Untitled: Almost Famous the Bootleg Cut (USA: director's cut (DVD title))

A Night at the Roxbury (1998) (song "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?")

Torch Song Trilogy (1988) (song "Maggie May")

Mapantsula (1988)

Rod Stewart: Tonight He's Yours (1981) (TV) (songs)

The Music for UNICEF Concert: A Gift of Song (1979) (TV) (song "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?") ... aka A Gift of Song: The Music for UNICEF Concert (USA)

Walkabout (1971) (additional songs)