Rod Stewart

Who Is Rod Stewart?

Rod Stewart, the iconic British singer-songwriter, is renowned for his distinctively raspy voice and dynamic stage presence. He began his musical journey in the 1960s, performing with several bands in the U.K. Before embarking on a successful solo career, he achieved his first major hit with the single “Maggie May” in 1971. After relocating to the United States in 1975, Stewart solidified his status as a music legend with chart-topping songs such as “Tonight’s the Night” (1976) and “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?” (1978). Despite experiencing a career lull in the 1980s and limited success in the 1990s, he made a triumphant return in the 2000s, earning a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album in 2004.

Early Life and Career

Roderick David Stewart was born on January 10, 1945, in London, England. Raised in a working-class family, he showed early promise as a soccer player and took on various odd jobs, including working as a grave digger, before fully pursuing his passion for music. In the 1960s, Stewart’s career began to take shape as he joined several bands. In 1966, he became a member of the blues-influenced Jeff Beck Group, where he experienced his first significant success. The group toured extensively in both the United Kingdom and the United States, releasing two acclaimed albums. In 1969, Stewart joined the band that would become known as the Faces, featuring fellow musician Ron Wood, who later joined the Rolling Stones. Simultaneously, Stewart began establishing his solo career, achieving notable success with his album Every Picture Tells a Story, which included the hit single “Maggie May” in 1971. That same year, the Faces also celebrated a hit with “Stay With Me.”

Career Highlights

Rod Stewart moved to the United States in 1975, and by the following year, he had achieved significant success with his hit single “Tonight’s the Night” from the album A Night on the Town. As the 1970s progressed, Stewart’s musical style evolved toward a slicker, more pop-oriented sound, coinciding with his growing reputation for a vibrant nightlife and high-profile relationships with numerous actresses and models. In 1978, his album Blondes Have More Fun produced another major hit, “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?”

The 1980s presented more challenges for Stewart. Although his 1981 album Tonight I’m Yours achieved platinum status, subsequent releases did not perform as well commercially. Nevertheless, he concluded the decade positively with a successful cover of Tom Waits’ “Downtown Train” in 1989, which received significant radio airplay. A few years later, Stewart showcased his talents in a different format with Unplugged… and Seated (1993), recorded during an MTV Unplugged concert, featuring the popular track “Have I Told You Lately.”

Stewart’s distinctive, throaty voice inspired him to reinterpret classic songs with It Had to Be You: The Great American Songbook (2002). He went on to release four volumes in this series and won his first Grammy Award for Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Volume III in 2004, which was recognized as the best traditional pop vocal album.

Later Years and Family Life

At the age of 60, Stewart welcomed his seventh child, Alastair Wallace Stewart, born on November 27, 2005, with his then-fiancée Penny Lancaster. The couple married in 2007 and later had a second son, Aiden, in 2011. Stewart also has a daughter, Kimberly, and a son, Sean, from his first marriage to Alana Stewart, and a daughter named Ruby from a previous relationship with Kelly Emberg. Additionally, he shares two children, Renee and Liam, with his ex-wife, model Rachel Hunter. In 2013, Stewart publicly acknowledged his oldest daughter, Sarah Streeter, who was born when he was just 18. Stewart and Streeter met for the first time in 2008 after she was adopted by another family.

In 2006, Stewart made a notable return to rock music with Still the Same: Great Rock Classics of Our Time, which topped the pop charts in October of that year. He later transitioned from performing to writing, releasing his memoir, Rod: The Autobiography, in 2012. The following year, Stewart made a triumphant return to songwriting with the album Time, co-writing many of the songs and serving as a co-producer for the project.