Roderick David "Rod" Stewart CBE (born January 10, 1945) is a British singer and songwriter of Scottish and English descent and one of the greatest artists of all time, having sold over 100 million records worldwide. Born and raised in London, Stewart currently resides in California and Epping. Throughout his career, he has had 62 hit singles, 31 of which reached the top 10, including six that reached number one in the UK. In the United States, he had 16 top-ten singles, with four reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
In terms of musical influences, Rod Stewart listened to popular British and American artists of the time, such as Ewan MacColl, Alex Campbell, Woody Guthrie, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, and especially Derroll Adams, all of whom inspired him. He began performing for the first time in various clubs across London, where he made a strong impression. In 1968, he met guitarist Jeff Beck, who proposed a collaboration. This partnership brought Stewart to the forefront with the release of the two albums by the group, Truth and Beck-Ola.
However, his true musical career began when he joined forces with the legendary rock band The Faces, one of the greatest rock bands in history. Over the years, Stewart recorded and toured with The Faces, releasing albums and demonstrating his growth as a top songwriter.
By 1971, Rod Stewart decided to pursue a solo career, which brought him continued success. Some of his most famous hits, dating back to the 1960s, include "Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?", "Sailing", "Maggie May", "All For Love", "Have You Ever Seen the Rain", "Baby Jane", and "All For Love", recorded in 1993 alongside Bryan Adams and Sting for the soundtrack of The Three Musketeers.
From the cheeky rocker performing in clubs to the sophisticated ballad artist, from folk troubadour to loud rock & roll performer, Rod Stewart has continually reinvented his style. Yet one thing has never changed: his powerful voice. Even after four decades, he remains as strong as ever. Over his career, Rod Stewart has sold approximately 200 million records worldwide.
Selected Discography:
2008: The Definitive Rod Stewart
2008: The Early Rod Stewart
2007: The Complete Great American Songbook
2007: The Day Will Come
2006: So Much To Say
2006: Still The Same… Great Rock Classics Of Our Time
2005: Thanks For The Memory — The Great American Songbook Vol. IV
2005: The Early Years
2005: Rhino Hi-Five: Rod Stewart
2005: Gold
2005: Chronicles
2005: Ain’t That Loving You Baby
2004: Stardust…The Great American Songbook III
2004: Stardust – The Great American Songbook Volume III
2004: Blue Moon
2003: As Time Goes By
2003: Encore: The Very Best Of Rod Stewart Vol. 2
