Biography
Steven Tyler of Aerosmith ranks among rock's most magnetic and dynamic lead vocalists. He came into the world as Steven Victor Tallarico on March 26, 1948, in Yonkers, a suburb just north of New York City. Early on he took up drumming, yet later gravitated toward singing after absorbing the Beatles along with the rawer blues-rock edge of the Rolling Stones and the Yardbirds. Relocating to Boston toward the close of the 1960s, Tallarico connected with guitarist Joe Perry and bassist Tom Hamilton from the rising Jam Band; once drummer Joey Kramer and second guitarist Ray Tabano (later succeeded by Brad Whitford) joined, the group adopted the name Aerosmith. The quintet quickly built a fervent local audience by fusing the gritty blues inflection of the Stones and Yardbirds with the force of hard-rock outfits such as Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple. Tyler, having adopted his stage surname, cultivated a flamboyant persona that included gypsy-inspired stage attire and long scarves trailing from his microphone stand.
Columbia Records signed Aerosmith in 1973, and the self-titled debut album that followed immediately drew relentless comparisons to the Rolling Stones, especially the musical and visual parallels between Tyler and Perry and Jagger and Richards. Although the first release generated limited initial impact, sustained touring and grassroots enthusiasm cultivated a devoted fan base. Subsequent releases—1974's Get Your Wings, 1975's Toys in the Attic, and 1976's Rocks—established the band as major arena attractions, delivering enduring hard-rock staples that included the early power ballad “Dream On” and the funk-inflected “Walk This Way.” Success, however, brought severe substance issues that fueled ongoing friction between Tyler and Perry. As the rock lifestyle eroded focus and cohesion, Perry departed for a solo path in 1979, followed by Whitford a year later.
Tyler persisted with substitute musicians, his existence revolving around obtaining the next fix, as detailed in the band's 1999 autobiography Walk This Way. The group neared insolvency and shifted from stadium headliners to theater bookings until Tyler and Perry reconciled in 1983, prompting a full original-lineup reunion in 1984. Recovery progressed gradually, yet by 1987 all members had achieved sobriety and restored Aerosmith's stature through sold-out arena runs and blockbuster albums Permanent Vacation and Pump. Tyler emerged as a defining frontman whose 1976-era look and vocal style influenced numerous 1980s hard-rock singers, among them Guns N' Roses' Axl Rose, Cinderella's Tom Keifer, Mötley Crüe's Vince Neil, and the Black Crowes' Chris Robinson. In the 1990s the band pivoted toward MTV-friendly pop material, highlighted by the chart-topping ballad “I Don't Want to Miss a Thing” from the film Armageddon, while Tyler's daughter Liv pursued modeling and acting careers.
Tyler maintained visibility into the early 2000s with Aerosmith's 2001 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, a headline slot at the Super Bowl XXXV halftime show, and consecutive number-one albums Just Push Play (2001) and Honkin' on Bobo (2004). Later in the decade he collaborated with Santana, Keith Anderson, and Chris Botti while continuing Aerosmith tours, despite health setbacks that included a stage fall in North Dakota in 2009. He joined the tenth season of American Idol in 2011 as a judge replacing Simon Cowell and published the autobiography Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?, which reached number two on the New York Times bestseller list. After two seasons he exited the show to concentrate on Aerosmith, resulting in the band's fifteenth studio album, Music from Another Dimension!, released in 2012. A surprise 2015 appearance at the Grand Ole Opry unveiled plans for his debut solo country album; the lead single “Love Is Your Name” followed that May, and the full-length We're All Somebody from Somewhere arrived more than a year later.
Columbia Records signed Aerosmith in 1973, and the self-titled debut album that followed immediately drew relentless comparisons to the Rolling Stones, especially the musical and visual parallels between Tyler and Perry and Jagger and Richards. Although the first release generated limited initial impact, sustained touring and grassroots enthusiasm cultivated a devoted fan base. Subsequent releases—1974's Get Your Wings, 1975's Toys in the Attic, and 1976's Rocks—established the band as major arena attractions, delivering enduring hard-rock staples that included the early power ballad “Dream On” and the funk-inflected “Walk This Way.” Success, however, brought severe substance issues that fueled ongoing friction between Tyler and Perry. As the rock lifestyle eroded focus and cohesion, Perry departed for a solo path in 1979, followed by Whitford a year later.
Tyler persisted with substitute musicians, his existence revolving around obtaining the next fix, as detailed in the band's 1999 autobiography Walk This Way. The group neared insolvency and shifted from stadium headliners to theater bookings until Tyler and Perry reconciled in 1983, prompting a full original-lineup reunion in 1984. Recovery progressed gradually, yet by 1987 all members had achieved sobriety and restored Aerosmith's stature through sold-out arena runs and blockbuster albums Permanent Vacation and Pump. Tyler emerged as a defining frontman whose 1976-era look and vocal style influenced numerous 1980s hard-rock singers, among them Guns N' Roses' Axl Rose, Cinderella's Tom Keifer, Mötley Crüe's Vince Neil, and the Black Crowes' Chris Robinson. In the 1990s the band pivoted toward MTV-friendly pop material, highlighted by the chart-topping ballad “I Don't Want to Miss a Thing” from the film Armageddon, while Tyler's daughter Liv pursued modeling and acting careers.
Tyler maintained visibility into the early 2000s with Aerosmith's 2001 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, a headline slot at the Super Bowl XXXV halftime show, and consecutive number-one albums Just Push Play (2001) and Honkin' on Bobo (2004). Later in the decade he collaborated with Santana, Keith Anderson, and Chris Botti while continuing Aerosmith tours, despite health setbacks that included a stage fall in North Dakota in 2009. He joined the tenth season of American Idol in 2011 as a judge replacing Simon Cowell and published the autobiography Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?, which reached number two on the New York Times bestseller list. After two seasons he exited the show to concentrate on Aerosmith, resulting in the band's fifteenth studio album, Music from Another Dimension!, released in 2012. A surprise 2015 appearance at the Grand Ole Opry unveiled plans for his debut solo country album; the lead single “Love Is Your Name” followed that May, and the full-length We're All Somebody from Somewhere arrived more than a year later.
Albums
Singles
