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Facts and figures about a rock hall of fame career
By John Benson
Earlier this year, Rod Stewart released the four-CD box set “Live 1976 to 1998: Tonight’s the Night,” which includes roughly 60 live recordings.
Now the classic-rock singer, who spent the better half of the last decade exploring the American Songbook, is back on the road playing his hits such as “Tonight’s The Night [Gonna Be Alright],” “Maggie May,” “Forever Young,” “Hot Legs” and “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?”
Earlier this summer, Stewart mounted a co-headlining tour with Santana.
Stewart will stop in Youngstown on Sunday for a solo show at Covelli Centre. With that in mind, here are 10 things that you might not have known about Stewart’s four-decade-plus career:
Early on, Stewart hoped to play professional soccer. When that dream ended, he ventured into music.
Despite urban legend, Stewart never worked as a gravedigger.
Stewart was part of the London music scene for the better part of the ’60s. His first big break came when he was named singer in the Jeff Beck Group.
In 1969, Stewart and Ronnie Wood joined Ronnie Lane, Ian McLagan and Kenney Jones to form Faces.
The 1971 Stewart solo debut album “Every Picture Tells a Story” included hit single “Maggie May,” which was actually released as a B-side.
Elton John and Rod Stewart are good friends. In fact, Stewart nicknamed John “Sharon.” Elton John, of course, played Covelli Centre on Feb. 1.
Rod Stewart was inducted as a solo artist into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, as well as with Faces in 2012.
The most recent album by Stewart is “Time,” which includes a cover of Tom Waits’ “Picture in a Frame.”
Stewart has sold more than 100 million albums around the world.
Proving blonds do have more fun, Stewart married model Penny Lancaster in 2007. It’s his third marriage.