Rod Stewart

Roderick David Stewart (born January 10, 1945 in Highgate, London) is an English born 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".

"Rod the Mod" 1960-1969

Rod Stewart started as an apprentice footballer with Brentford F.C. based in West London. He soon switched to a career in music joining folk singer Wizz Jones in the early 1960s as a street singer travelling around Europe; this resulted in his being deported from Spain for vagrancy. Stewart also worked as a gravedigger during this period.

Related Topics:
Footballer - Brentford F.C. - West London - Wizz Jones - 1960s - Spain - Vagrancy - Gravedigger

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On his return to England, he went to Birmingham to join Jimmy Powell & the Five Dimensions as a vocalist and blues harp player. The band recorded a single for Pye Records with Stewart on blues harp. He is also commonly alleged to have played the instrument on Millie Small's "My Boy Lollipop", which became a huge hit in 1964, but this account has never been confirmed and remains disputed. http://www.brumbeat.net/jimmypow.htm

Related Topics:
Birmingham - Blues harp - Pye Records - Millie Small's - 1964

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Rod Stewart returned to London in 1964 to join Long John Baldry's Hoochie Coochie Men which recorded a single "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" which failed to chart. The Hoochie Coochie Men evolved into Steampacket featuring Stewart, Baldry, Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger, Mickey Waller and Rick Brown. Steampacket supported the Rolling Stones and the Walker Brothers in the northern summer of 1965 and would also record an album that would not be released until 1970 when Stewart had become well-known in musical circles. Stewart also earned the nickname "Rod the Mod" in that period after an appearance on a BBC documentary,1965, on the Mod movement.

Related Topics:
Long John Baldry's - Julie Driscoll - Brian Auger - Mickey Waller - Rick Brown - The Rolling Stones - Walker Brothers - 1965 - 1970 - Mod

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Steampacket broke up in early 1966 with Stewart joining Shotgun Express as lead vocalist with Beryl Marsden. Shotgun Express also contained Mick Fleetwood and Peter Green who would go on to form Fleetwood Mac and Peter Mardens. Shotgun Express released one single before breaking up.

Related Topics:
1966 - Beryl Marsden - Mick Fleetwood - Peter Green - Fleetwood Mac - Peter Mardens

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Stewart then joined the Jeff Beck Group as vocalist. In 1968, their first album Truth became a hit on both sides of the Atlantic and the group toured extensively. The second album Beck-ola also was a hit in the middle of 1969 but the group broke up by the end of the year. Much of Stewart's sense of phrasing was developed during his time with the Jeff Beck Group.

Related Topics:
Jeff Beck Group - 1968 - 1969

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