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Heart is an American rock band formed in 1967 in
Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region o ...
,
Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
, as The Army. Two years later they changed their name to Hocus Pocus. The year following they changed their name to White Heart, and eventually changed the name a final time to Heart, in 1973. By the mid-1970s, original members Roger Fisher (guitar) and Steve Fossen (bass guitar) had been joined by sisters
Ann Wilson Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie. Anne is sometimes used as a male name in t ...
(lead vocals and flute) and Nancy Wilson (rhythm guitar, vocals), Michael Derosier (drums), and Howard Leese (guitar, keyboards and backing vocals) to form the lineup for the band's initial mid- to late-1970s success period. These core members were included in the band's 2013 induction into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and ...
. Heart rose to fame with music influenced by
hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest ha ...
and heavy metal, as well as
folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has ...
. The band underwent a major lineup change as the 1970s transitioned into the 1980s; by 1982 Fisher, Fossen, and Derosier had all left and were replaced by Mark Andes (bass) and Denny Carmassi (drums). Though the band's popularity fell off during the initial years with the new lineup, they staged a comeback in the mid 1980s, buoyed major radio hits that continued into the 1990s. Heart disbanded in 1998, though they have resumed touring and recording multiple times since then, with the Wilson sisters being the only consistent members. Heart's US Top 40 singles include "
Magic Man "Magic Man" is a song by the American rock band Heart released as a single off their debut album, '' Dreamboat Annie.'' Written and composed by Ann and Nancy Wilson, the song is sung from the viewpoint of a young girl who is being seduced by a ...
" (1975), "
Crazy on You "Crazy on You" is a song by American rock band Heart from their debut studio album, ''Dreamboat Annie'' (1975). It was released in March 1976 as the album's third single in Canada and the album's debut single in the United States. It reached the ...
" (1976), "
Barracuda A barracuda, or cuda for short, is a large, predatory, ray-finned fish known for its fearsome appearance and ferocious behaviour. The barracuda is a saltwater fish of the genus ''Sphyraena'', the only genus in the family Sphyraenidae, which ...
" (1977), "
What About Love "What About Love" is a song originally recorded by Canadian rock group Toronto, re-released in 1985 by the American rock group Heart. The song was Heart's "comeback" single. It was the first Heart track to reach the top 40 in three years, and ...
" (1985), " Never" (1985), and " All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You" (1990), along with no. 1 hits "
These Dreams "These Dreams" is a song by American rock band Heart from their 1985 self-titled eighth studio album ''Heart''. It was released on January 18, 1986, as the album's third single, becoming the band's first song to top the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. ...
" (1986) and " Alone" (1987). Heart has sold over 35 million records worldwide, including approximately 22.5 million albums in the United States. They have placed top 10 albums on the ''Billboard'' 200 in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990 and 2010s. Heart was ranked number 57 on VH1's " 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock" and ranked number 49 on
Ultimate Classic Rock Townsquare Media, Inc. (formerly Regent Communications until 2010) is an American radio network and media company based in Purchase, New York. The company started in radio and expanded into digital media toward the end of the 2000s, starting wi ...
's Top 100 Classic Rock Artists.


History


1967–1972: Formation

In 1967, bassist Steve Fossen formed the band as The Army, along with Roger Fisher on guitar, Don Wilhelm on guitar, keyboards and lead vocals, and Ray Schaefer on drums.Fossen, Steve They played for several years in and around the
Bothell, Washington Bothell () is a city in King County, Washington, King and Snohomish County, Washington, Snohomish counties in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. It is part of the Seattle metropolitan area, situated near the northeast end of Lake ...
, area, northeast of
Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region o ...
. They frequently played Bothell High School, Inglemoor High School, and Shorecrest High School, as well as many taverns and club venues. In 1969, the band went through line-up changes (Gary Ziegelman—former lead singer of Buffalo Clancy—on lead vocals, Roger on guitar, Steve on bass, James Cirrello on guitar, Ron Rudge on drums, and Ken Hansen on percussion) and took on a new name, Hocus Pocus. The name White Heart came from a discussion Roger Fisher's brother Mike Fisher had with Michael Munro, who had come up with the name White Hart (without the "e", a reference to
Arthur C. Clarke Sir Arthur Charles Clarke (16 December 191719 March 2008) was an English science-fiction writer, science writer, futurist, inventor, undersea explorer, and television series host. He co-wrote the screenplay for the 1968 film '' 2001: A Spac ...
's ''
Tales from the White Hart ''Tales from the White Hart'' is a collection of short stories by science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke, in the "club tales" style. Thirteen of the fifteen stories originally appeared across a number of different publications. "Moving Sp ...
'') for a band with Toby Cyr on lead guitar. Fisher asked and received permission to use the name for the Army, added the "e", and the Army became White Heart. For a brief time in 1970, this line-up shortened its name to Heart and dropped "White". The band subsequently went through more personnel changes. In 1971, White Heart consisted of Steve Fossen, Roger Fisher, David Belzer (keys), and Jeff Johnson (drums). The band eventually stuck to the name Heart, which has been their name since 1973. Mike Fisher, Roger's brother, was set to be drafted into the army. Nancy Wilson has stated that when he did not report for duty, his home was raided, he slipped out a rear window, escaped to Canada, and became a
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
" draft dodger".Kelly, Maura
"Interview with Nancy Wilson"
''The Believer'', August 2007. Retrieved October 1, 2008.
One day in 1972 (or 1971Refer to discussion on talk page.), Mike crossed the border to visit family, and by chance met Ann at a Hocus Pocus (or White Heart) show. According to Nancy, that meeting was "when she and Michael fell in love" and Ann decided to follow Mike back to Canada. Steve Fossen finished his college education before he also decided to move to Canada in late 1972, and Roger followed in late 1972 or early 1973. Along with Ann, Brian Johnstone (drums), and John Hannah (keyboards), the band Heart was officially formed. Ann's sister Nancy Wilson joined in 1974, and soon after became romantically involved with Roger.


1975–1976: Commercial breakthrough

The group played numerous shows around their new home in
Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. ...
, and they recorded a
demo tape A demo (shortened from "demonstration") is a song or group of songs typically recorded for limited circulation or for reference use, rather than for general public release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas in a fixed for ...
with the assistance of producer Mike Flicker and session-guitarist and keyboard player, Howard Leese. Hannah and Johnstone had left by this time, and soon after Leese became a full-time member. Flicker produced the band's first five albums. This team recorded the debut album, ''
Dreamboat Annie ''Dreamboat Annie'' is the debut studio album by American rock band Heart. At the time, the band was based in Vancouver, British Columbia; the album was recorded in Vancouver and first released in Canada by the local label Mushroom Records in Se ...
'', at Can-Base Studios in Vancouver (later known as Mushroom Studios). Mike Derosier eventually joined Heart as full-time drummer. Some of the same Canadian investors who had backed the studio also backed a separate company called Mushroom Records, which was managed by Shelly Siegel. The album was picked up by Siegel and sold 30,000 copies in Canada within the first few months of its release in September 1975. Sales were assisted by the band opening a
Rod Stewart Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British rock and pop singer and songwriter. Born and raised in London, he is of Scottish and English ancestry. With his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the best-selling ...
concert at the Montreal Forum in October, a gig they were offered a day before the concert when the previously-scheduled opening act cancelled. The radio success of "Magic Man" led concert organizers to offer the spot to Heart. The band flew from the West Coast of Canada to Montreal overnight for the performance. Siegel soon released the album in the US. Helped by two hit singles in 1976 ("
Crazy on You "Crazy on You" is a song by American rock band Heart from their debut studio album, ''Dreamboat Annie'' (1975). It was released in March 1976 as the album's third single in Canada and the album's debut single in the United States. It reached the ...
" and "
Magic Man "Magic Man" is a song by the American rock band Heart released as a single off their debut album, '' Dreamboat Annie.'' Written and composed by Ann and Nancy Wilson, the song is sung from the viewpoint of a young girl who is being seduced by a ...
", which reached numbers 35 and nine, respectively, on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100), it reached number seven in the ''Billboard'' 200. It eventually sold over one million copies.


1977–1979: Mainstream success and band split

In 1977, Mushroom Records ran a full-page advertisement showing the bare-shouldered Wilson sisters (as on the ''Dreamboat Annie'' album cover) with the suggestive caption, "It was only our first time!" In an interview that appeared in the July 28, 1977 issue of ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'', the sisters cited this advertisement as a key reason for their decision to leave Mushroom Records. (Ann and Nancy appeared on the cover of that issue of ''Rolling Stone'' as well.) Heart broke its contract with Mushroom and signed a contract with CBS subsidiary Portrait Records, resulting in a prolonged legal battle with Siegel. Mushroom released the partly completed ''
Magazine A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combinatio ...
'' in early 1977, just before Portrait released ''
Little Queen ''Little Queen'' is the third studio album by American rock band Heart, released on May 14, 1977, by Portrait Records. The album was recorded and mixed at Kaye-Smith Studios in Seattle, Washington, from February to April 1977. On June 29, 2004 ...
''. Each company attempted to prevent the other from releasing any Heart music. A Seattle court forced Mushroom Records to recall the album so that Heart could remix tracks and add new vocals, and the album was re-released in 1978. It peaked at number 17 in the US, generating the single " Heartless", which reached number 24 in the charts. The album eventually achieved platinum status. ''Little Queen'' became Heart's second million-seller and featured the hit "
Barracuda A barracuda, or cuda for short, is a large, predatory, ray-finned fish known for its fearsome appearance and ferocious behaviour. The barracuda is a saltwater fish of the genus ''Sphyraena'', the only genus in the family Sphyraenidae, which ...
" (number 11). The song's lyrics were written by an infuriated Ann Wilson in her hotel room after a reporter had suggested that the sisters were lesbian lovers. In late 1978, the double-platinum '' Dog & Butterfly'' peaked at 17 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and produced hits with its title song (number 34) and "
Straight On "Straight On" is a song recorded by the rock band Heart. It was released as the first single from the band's 1978 album '' Dog & Butterfly''. In the U.S., "Straight On" became Heart's third single to crack the top twenty, peaking at number fiftee ...
" (number 15). In 1979, the Wilson-Fisher liaisons ended—Roger Fisher was voted out of the band by the other members, and his brother Mike left the orbit of the group within a month.


1980–1984: Commercial decline

Heart released '' Bebe le Strange'' in 1980. It became the band's third top-10 album, peaking at number five, and yielded the top-40 hit " Even It Up". The band embarked on a 77-city tour to promote the album. By the end of the year, the band scored its highest-charted single at the time, a version of the ballad " Tell It Like It Is", which peaked at number eight. In November 1980, the double album '' Greatest Hits/Live'' was released and reached number twelve on the US chart, eventually achieving double-platinum status. The two-disc set featured studio versions of most of Heart's singles to date, plus a few new studio tracks and six live tracks, among which were versions of " Unchained Melody", Led Zeppelin's "
Rock and Roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm ...
" and the Beatles' " I'm Down". Heart was the first band of the day to appear at the sold-out concert headlined by
Queen Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...
at
Elland Road Elland Road is a football stadium in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, which has been the home of Premier League club Leeds United since the club's formation in 1919. The stadium is the 14th largest football stadium in England. The ...
on May 29, 1982. Their next album, '' Private Audition'' (1982), provided the minor hit " This Man Is Mine" (number 33) and was the first not produced by Mike Flicker. Initially, the band turned to Jimmy Iovine, one of the leading producers of the time, who suggested that the material lacked potential hits, and eventually, the Wilson sisters produced the album themselves. The track "Perfect Stranger" foreshadowed the power ballads that would dominate the band's mid-1980s sound. At the end of recording, Derosier and Fossen were fired from the band. They were replaced by Denny Carmassi on drums and Mark Andes on bass for ''
Passionworks ''Passionworks'' is the seventh studio album by American rock band Heart, released on August 20, 1983, by Epic Records. The album marks a shift in musical direction from hard rock and folk to mainstream rock. It is the first Heart album to feature ...
'' (1983), while at the record company's insistence, the band turned to established producer Keith Olsen. Both ''Private Audition'' and ''Passionworks'' had relatively poor sales, failing to reach gold status. Despite the albums' sales, the single " How Can I Refuse" was a success, reaching number one on the ''Billboard''
Mainstream Rock Chart Mainstream Rock is a music chart in ''Billboard'' magazine that ranks the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations in the United States, a category that combines the formats of active rock and heritage rock. The chart was launched in ...
.


1985–1990: Comeback

The band moved to
Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of not ...
, and their first album for the label was simply titled ''
Heart The heart is a muscular Organ (biology), organ in most animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels of the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the body, while carrying metabolic waste such as ca ...
'' (1985). The move to Capitol coincided with a glam metal makeover that included minimizing the acoustic and folk sounds characteristic of their early work. The album reached number one, sold five million copies, and launched four top-10 hits: "
What About Love "What About Love" is a song originally recorded by Canadian rock group Toronto, re-released in 1985 by the American rock group Heart. The song was Heart's "comeback" single. It was the first Heart track to reach the top 40 in three years, and ...
" (number 10, 1985), " Never" (number four, 1985), the chart-topping "
These Dreams "These Dreams" is a song by American rock band Heart from their 1985 self-titled eighth studio album ''Heart''. It was released on January 18, 1986, as the album's third single, becoming the band's first song to top the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. ...
" (1986) and " Nothin' at All" (number 10, 1986). A fifth single, " If Looks Could Kill", also charted, giving the band five hit singles from the same album for the first time. Heart's next album, ''
Bad Animals ''Bad Animals'' is the ninth studio album by American rock band Heart, released on June 6, 1987, by Capitol Records. The album continues the mainstream hard rock style from the band's 1985 self-titled release, all while enjoying similar succes ...
'' (1987), continued the move away from the band's folk and acoustic leanings towards a glossier arena rock sound. The lead single, the power ballad " Alone", became Heart's most successful song, spending three weeks at number 1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, while also hitting number 2 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart and number 3 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks Chart. "Alone" placed as the number 2 song for the year on the Hot 100. It also peaked at number 1 in Canada and number 3 in the UK, made the Top 10 in Australia and several countries in northern Europe, and the Top 20 in Germany. It is often considered to be Heart's greatest pop song. The other two singles were the up-tempo rocker "
Who Will You Run To "Who Will You Run To" is a song recorded by American rock band Heart. It was composed by Diane Warren and released as a single from Heart's ninth studio album, '' Bad Animals''. "Who Will You Run To" is one of a long list of hit songs written by W ...
", which reached number 7 on the Hot 100 and number 2 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and " There's the Girl", with Nancy singing lead, which reached number 12 and 16 on the US same charts. They were not as successful in other markets aside from "Who Will You Run To" making the Top 20 in Canada and "There's the Girl" peaking in the Top 15 in Poland. ''Bad Animals'' was a Top 3 hit in the US and Canada, being certified 3x and 4x Platinum in those countries, respectively. The album also became Heart's first Top 10 album on the UK Album Chart. The success of UK Top 40 singles "Alone" (number 3), "Who Will You Run To (number 30), "There's the Girl (number 34) and the ''Bad Animals'' album (number 7) sparked renewed UK interest in the 1985 self-titled album, resulting in the re-release of several singles. When originally released in 1985, the singles "What About Love" and "Never" did not chart, while "These Dreams" and "Nothin' at All" only charted at 68 and 76 respectively. However, in 1988 after the success of ''Bad Animals'' a re-released double A single of "Never"/"These Dreams" hit number 8, "What About Love" hit number 14, and the re-release of "Nothin' At All" cracked the UK Top 40 at number 38. This success in the UK would continue with future albums and help Heart become a major concert attraction in the United Kingdom. In 1990, ''
Brigade A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. ...
'' became the band's sixth multi-platinum LP and added three more top-25 ''Billboard'' Hot 100 hits. " Stranded" reached number 13 and "
I Didn't Want to Need You "I Didn't Want to Need You" is a song by American rock music, rock band Heart (band), Heart. It was composed by veteran songwriter Diane Warren and released as the second single from the band's 10th studio album, ''Brigade (album), Brigade'' (1990 ...
" peaked at number 23. The lead single, " All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You", reached number two, and created controversy over whether the song encouraged women to endanger themselves by picking up hitchhikers. Two other album cuts, "Wild Child" (number 3) and "
Tall, Dark Handsome Stranger ''Brigade'' is the tenth studio album by American Rock music, rock band Heart (band), Heart, released on March 26, 1990, by Capitol Records. The album reached number three on both the US Billboard 200, ''Billboard'' 200 and the UK Albums Chart, ...
" (number 24), were ''Billboard''
Mainstream Rock Chart Mainstream Rock is a music chart in ''Billboard'' magazine that ranks the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations in the United States, a category that combines the formats of active rock and heritage rock. The chart was launched in ...
hits. ''Brigade'' was the band's highest-charting album in the UK, reaching number three.


1991–2001: The Lovemongers, ''Desire Walks On'', and Nancy Wilson hiatus

Heart released its first complete live album in the autumn of 1991. ''
Rock the House Live! ''Rock the House Live!'' is a live album released by the American hard rock band Heart in 1991. It was recorded at The Centrum, Worcester, MA, USA on November 28, 1990. The band performed a set of 22 songs (including "The Way Back Machine" guitar ...
'' largely featured tracks from ''Brigade'' rather than more familiar hits in an effort to capture the harder rock side of the band. The album's single, a version of John Farnham's "You're the Voice", received moderate airplay on rock stations and hit number 20 on the Mainstream Rock chart. The Wilson sisters then put together an informal acoustic group called Lovemongers with longtime Heart songwriting collaborator
Sue Ennis Sue Ennis is a songwriter from Seattle, Washington. She has co-written over 80 songs with Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson of the band Heart. Career Ennis' songwriting with Heart includes " Straight On", " Even It Up" and " Dog & Butterfly", and she ...
and Frank Cox. Heart returned in 1993 with ''
Desire Walks On ''Desire Walks On'' is the eleventh studio album by American rock band Heart, released on November 16, 1993, by Capitol Records. The majority of the album was co-written by lead members Ann and Nancy Wilson. It is Heart's final studio album to ...
'', on which drummer Carmassi was replaced with Denny Fongheiser and bass player Andes was replaced with Fernando Saunders. The album peaked at number 48 on the ''Billboard'' 200, eventually being certified gold. The lead track, " Black on Black II", was an AOR hit peaking at number four on'' Billboard's'' Mainstream Rock chart, while the single " Will You Be There (In the Morning)" was a moderate pop hit, reaching number 39 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. A third single, "The Woman In Me", hit number 24 on the Adult Contemporary chart, but missed the Hot 100. ''Desire Walks On" marked the first time that Heart's singles fared better in other countries than the US. Aside from the metallic hard rock radio cut "Black on Black II" which reached the Top 10 on US Rock / Hard Rock charts, "Will You Be There (In the Morning)" hit number 19 in the UK and number 8 in Canada. (vs. Number 39 in the US) and "The Woman in Me" reached number 13 in Canada after just missing the US Billboard Hot 100. An interactive
CD-ROM A CD-ROM (, compact disc read-only memory) is a type of read-only memory consisting of a pre-pressed optical compact disc that contains data. Computers can read—but not write or erase—CD-ROMs. Some CDs, called enhanced CDs, hold both com ...
, ''Heart: 20 Years of Rock & Roll'', with five hours of audio footage, was released in 1994. The next album, '' The Road Home'' (1995), offered live acoustic versions of the group's best-known songs and was produced by Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones. In 1995, Nancy Wilson decided to take a break from music to concentrate on raising a family. In 1998, the band maintained its profile by being the subject of an episode of VH1's '' Behind the Music''. The band released a ''Greatest Hits'' boxed set covering their early work (a second volume focusing on the later part of their career followed in 2000). Lovemongers released a live EP of cover songs titled ''Battle of Evermore'' in 1992, a full-length album titled '' Whirlygig'' in 1997, and a collection of mostly self-penned Christmas songs titled ''Here is Christmas'' in 1998. In 2001, ''Here is Christmas'' was re-released as a Heart album with the title '' Heart Presents a Lovemongers' Christmas''.


2002–2006: Resumption

In 2002, Ann and Nancy returned to the road with a brand-new Heart lineup that included Scott Olson, Ben Smith, Alice in Chains bassist Mike Inez, and keyboardist Tom Kellock. In 2003, Heart released a DVD of the band's last stop in the tour as ''
Alive in Seattle ''Alive in Seattle'' is a live DVD and album released in 2003 by the American rock band Heart. It is a recording of their final concert in Seattle, during their "Summer of Love Tour" in summer 2002. The show included many of their greatest hit ...
''. Also in 2003,
Gilby Clarke Gilbert J. "Gilby" Clarke (born August 17, 1962) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. He had a 3-year tenure as the rhythm guitarist of Guns N' Roses, replacing Izzy Stradlin in 1991 during the Use Your Illusion To ...
(ex-
Guns N' Roses Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1985. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band comprised vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff ...
) and Darian Sahanaja replaced Olson and Kellock for an American tour. In 2004, with Clarke having been replaced by Craig Bartok, Heart released '' Jupiters Darling'', the first studio album since 1993. It featured a variety of songs that included a return to Heart's original hard-rock sound, as well as a blend of vintage pop and new textures. In 2005, the Wilsons appeared on the
CMT Music Awards The CMT Music Awards is a fan-voted awards show for country music videos and television performances. The awards ceremony is held every year in Nashville, Tennessee, and broadcast live on the CMT (Country Music Television) channel. Voting takes ...
as a special guest of
country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, whi ...
singer
Gretchen Wilson Gretchen Frances Wilson (born June 26, 1973) is an American country music singer and songwriter. She made her debut in March 2004 with the Grammy Award-winning single " Redneck Woman", a number-one hit on the '' Billboard'' country charts. The ...
(no relation) and performed the Heart classic "Crazy on You" with her. Heart also performed with Gretchen Wilson on VH-1's March 10, 2006, tribute to the band, " Decades Rock Live!". The special also featured Alice in Chains,
Phil Anselmo Philip Hansen Anselmo (born June 30, 1968) is an American heavy metal vocalist best known as the lead singer for Pantera, Down, and Superjoint, amongst other musical projects. He is the owner of Housecore Records. Anselmo is regarded as o ...
,
Dave Navarro David Michael Navarro (born June 7, 1967) is an American guitarist. He is best known as a member of the rock band Jane's Addiction, with whom he has recorded four studio albums. Between 1993 and 1998, Navarro was the guitarist of the Red Hot C ...
, Rufus Wainwright, and
Carrie Underwood Carrie Marie Underwood (born March 10, 1983) is an American singer. She rose to prominence after winning the fourth season of ''American Idol'' in 2005. Her single " Inside Your Heaven" made her the only country artist to debut atop the ''Bil ...
. The concert was released on LP, CD, DVD, and Blu-ray on January 25, 2019, with the title '' Live in Atlantic City''. Later in the year, bass player Inez left Heart to rejoin the reformed Alice in Chains.


2007–2009: VH1 Rock Honors to touring with Journey

Heart was honored at the second annual VH1 Rock Honors (May 24, 2007) and also performed along with
Ozzy Osbourne John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which period he adop ...
,
Genesis Genesis may refer to: Bible * Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of mankind * Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Book of ...
, and ZZ Top. Gretchen Wilson and Alice in Chains honored the group by performing "
Barracuda A barracuda, or cuda for short, is a large, predatory, ray-finned fish known for its fearsome appearance and ferocious behaviour. The barracuda is a saltwater fish of the genus ''Sphyraena'', the only genus in the family Sphyraenidae, which ...
". In September 2007, Ann Wilson released her first solo album, '' Hope & Glory'', which featured sister Nancy,
Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
,
Alison Krauss Alison Maria Krauss (born July 23, 1971) is an American bluegrass- country singer and musician. She entered the music industry at an early age, competing in local contests by the age of 8 and recording for the first time at 14. She signed wit ...
, k.d. lang, Wynonna Judd, Gretchen Wilson, Rufus Wainwright, Shawn Colvin, and
Deana Carter Deana Kay Carter (born January 4, 1966) is an American country music singer-songwriter who broke through in 1996 with the release of her debut album '' Did I Shave My Legs for This?'', which was certified 5× Multi-Platinum in the United States ...
. On April 9, 2008, the band appeared on '' Idol Gives Back'' with Stacy "Fergie" Ferguson, who sang "Barracuda" in harmony with Ann. In mid-2008, Heart undertook a US tour with Journey and
Cheap Trick Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973 by guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson, lead vocalist Robin Zander and drummer Bun E. Carlos. The current lineup of the band consists of Zander, Nielsen a ...
. In 2008, the band performed in a benefit for music education in public schools, appearing live with Jackson Browne on "Something Fine," with
Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400  ...
on "Crazy on You," and with over 70 members of the Santa Monica High School orchestra and girls' choir on " Bohemian Rhapsody." In 2009, the band was featured on an updated and remastered episode of VH1's '' Behind the Music.''


2010–2012: ''Red Velvet Car'' to Kennedy Center Honors

A new studio album, '' Red Velvet Car'', was released in 2010. It marked a stylistic return to Heart's melodic hard rock and folk sound of their early albums. The album peaked at number 10 on the ''Billboard'' 200, becoming the group's first top-10 album in 20 years. It also reached number three on ''Billboard'''s
Rock Albums Chart The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, pr ...
. ''Red Velvet Car'' spawned two singles. The folky "Hey You" peaked at number 26 on ''Billboard's'' AC chart, while the hard rocker "WTF" peaked at number 19 on ''Billboard'''s
Hot Rock Songs Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (formerly known as Rock Songs and Hot Rock Songs) is a record chart published by ''Billboard'' magazine. From its debut on June 20, 2009, through October 13, 2012, the chart ranked the airplay of songs across alternat ...
chart. On November 4, 2010, Heart announced it would do its first cross-Canada tour in 30 years, beginning on January 28, 2011, in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. A live DVD and Blu-ray disc, ''A Night at Sky Church'', recorded before the tour at the Experience Music Project in Seattle, was released in 2011. Ann and Nancy Wilson played as part of the 2010 ''VH1 Divas Support the Troops'', along with acts including
Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Known for her influence on modern pop music and her campy style, she has been referred to ...
and Paramore; they performed "Crazy on You" with Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. In May 2010, a reunion of former male members of the band, including Roger Fisher and Steve Fossen, performed at the Synergia Northwest concert in Tacoma, Washington. Heart embarked on a 2011 summer tour co-headlining with
Def Leppard Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1976 in Sheffield. Since 1992, the band has consisted of Rick Savage (bass, backing vocals), Joe Elliott (lead vocals), Rick Allen (drums, backing vocals), Phil Collen (guitar, backing vocals), ...
. A career-spanning box-set titled ''
Strange Euphoria ''Strange Euphoria'' is a career-spanning box set album by Heart. The three-CD compilation features several of their hit songs as well as songs by The Lovemongers, solo songs by Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson, a recording by the pre-Heart group Ann ...
'' was released in June 2012, containing many of the band's biggest hits, unreleased demos and rare live cuts. On September 18, 2012, the Wilson sisters released their autobiography, ''Kicking and Dreaming: A Story of Heart, Soul, and Rock and Roll'', which was co-written with
Charles R. Cross Charles R. Cross is a Seattle-based music journalist, author and editor. He is primarily known for his coverage of Bruce Springsteen, Kurt Cobain and Jimi Hendrix. Career He was the Editor of '' The Rocket'' in Seattle for fifteen years ( ...
(''Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain''). On September 25, 2012, Ann and Nancy received a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Calif ...
for their contributions to music. The band released its 14th studio album, '' Fanatic'', on October 2, 2012, which became the group's 12th top-25 album (number 24, 2012) and was supported by a tour of the US and Canada. On December 26, 2012, Ann and Nancy performed at the CBS-televised
Kennedy Center Honors The Kennedy Center Honors are annual honors given to those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to American culture. They have been presented annually since 1978, culminating each December in a gala celebrating five hono ...
in a tribute to
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ...
. Along with an orchestra, two choirs and Jason Bonham (son of late Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham), they performed a version of Led Zeppelin's signature song " Stairway to Heaven". Their rendition of "Stairway" earned a standing ovation from the crowd and tears of joy from
Robert Plant Robert Anthony Plant (born 20 August 1948) is an English singer and songwriter, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the English rock band Led Zeppelin for all of its existence from 1968 until 1980, when the band broke up following th ...
. The video went viral on YouTube, with over four million views in the first five days after the show, and prompted the Kennedy Center to issue a limited-edition iTunes single of the performance. Although the single was available for only two weeks, it immediately went to number one on the iTunes Rock Singles chart and reached number 20 on ''Billboard's'' Hot Rock Songs chart.


2013–2016: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and ''Beautiful Broken''

At the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and ...
induction ceremony on April 18, 2013, the original members of Heart (the Wilson sisters, Howard Leese, Michael Derosier, Steve Fossen, and Roger Fisher) reunited for the first time in 34 years to play "Crazy on You". The band was inducted by Chris Cornell, who emotionally talked about what heroes and role models Ann and Nancy Wilson had been to him and other musicians in Seattle, saying, "For me, and for countless other men and women, they have earned, at long last, their rightful place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame." In 2014, the band released another live album, ''Fanatic Live from Caesar's Colosseum'', which peaked at number 13 on ''Billboard's'' Top Hard Rock Albums Chart. Heart released the album '' Beautiful Broken'' on July 8, 2016. The hard-rocking title cut featuring
Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
s
James Hetfield James Alan Hetfield (born August 3, 1963) is an American musician. He is the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, co-founder and a main songwriter of heavy metal band Metallica. He is mainly known for his intricate rhythm playing, but occasionall ...
trading vocals with Ann Wilson was the first single. '' Beautiful Broken'' reached number 9 on Billboard's Rock Album Chart and number 30 on Billboard's Top Selling Albums Chart. Immediately following the new album's release, the band embarked on the Rock Hall Three for All, a 30-date headlining tour of the US with Joan Jett and
Cheap Trick Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973 by guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson, lead vocalist Robin Zander and drummer Bun E. Carlos. The current lineup of the band consists of Zander, Nielsen a ...
supporting.


2016–present: Hiatus, side projects, and reunion

On the morning of August 27, 2016, Ann's husband Dean Wetter was arrested and subsequently pleaded guilty to assaulting Nancy's 16-year-old twin sons after the boys had left the door to his RV open. The incident took place during a Heart performance at the White River Amphitheater in Auburn, Washington, the previous night. Although the band played the remaining 2016 tour dates that were already booked, the Wilson sisters only spoke to one another through third parties for the remainder of the tour. The pair's relationship was strained by the incident; an April 2017 article in ''Rolling Stone'' reported that although they remained on amicable terms, they had not spoken to one another since the 2016 tour ended, and only sporadically contacted one another through text messaging. Following the end of the tour in October 2016, the sisters opted to tour with their own side-project bands. In April 2017, both sisters said the band had not permanently disbanded with Ann saying they were simply on hiatus. In February 2019, Heart announced their hiatus had ended and they would embark on the Love Alive tour in the summer. In March 2019, both sisters reunited on stage for the first time since the band went on hiatus, at the Love Rock NYC benefit concert. Although Ann and Nancy were reuniting, the former Heart members who had joined Nancy's solo effort were not invited back, and the new lineup consisted of Ann's touring band, replacing Ben Smith on drums, Dan Rothchild on bass, and Chris Joyner on keyboards. In June 2019, the band announced the Love Alive tour had been extended through October 2019.


Legacy

Heart is generally considered a hard rock band, but its diversity has crossed multiple genres from folk to pop to hard rock, and even at times heavy metal. As a result, the band has charted singles on ''Billboard'''s Hot 100, Mainstream Rock Tracks, Hard Rock Tracks, and Adult Contemporary charts. Their 2016 live recording at Royal Albert Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra even charted in the Top 10 of Billboard's Classical Albums Chart and Classical Crossover Albums Chart. Heart has sold over 35 million records worldwide, had 20 top-forty singles and seven top-ten albums, and earned four Grammy nominations. The band charted singles and top ten albums on the ''Billboard'' charts in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2010s: a four-decade span of top ten albums that is a record for a female-fronted band. Heart was ranked in 2008 on VH1's " 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock", and Ann and Nancy Wilson ranked number 40 (in 1999) on VH1's "100 Greatest women in rock and roll". Ann Wilson was ranked in ''Hit Parader's'' 2006 "Greatest Heavy Metal Vocalists of All Time". In 2009, the Wilson sisters were awarded ASCAP's Founders Award in recognition of their songwriting careers. In 2011, Heart earned its first nomination for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the 2012 class. After being passed over, the band was nominated again the following year announced as inductees to the 2013 class on December 11, 2012. Their Hall of Fame page describes the Wilson sisters as the first women to front a hard-rock band, and "pioneers ... inspir ngwomen to pick up an electric guitar or start a band". In his book ''Heart: In the Studio'', Jake Brown described the band as beginning "a revolution for women in music ... breaking genre barriers and garnering critical acclaim". "Heart were the first female-fronted band I heard and was influenced by," recalled Lzzy Hale of Halestorm. "I heard Heart and was like, 'Oh, singing like that as a girl is actually a thing!'" The Wilson sisters have been active in the Seattle music scene for decades and influenced many musicians from the region, including bands of the grunge era. Artists that have used their Bad Animals Studio include
Neil Young Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian-American singer and songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, joining Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills, Richie Fu ...
, R.E.M.,
Pearl Jam Pearl Jam is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. The band's lineup consists of founding members Jeff Ament (bass guitar), Stone Gossard (rhythm guitar), Mike McCready (lead guitar), and Eddie Vedder (lead vocals, g ...
, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains.


Members


Current members

*
Ann Wilson Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie. Anne is sometimes used as a male name in t ...
(1971–1998, 2002–2016, 2019–present) – lead and backing vocals, flute, autoharp, acoustic guitar * Nancy Wilson (1973–1995, 1998, 2002–2016, 2019–present) – rhythm and lead and acoustic guitar, backing and lead vocals, harmonica, mandolin, keyboards * Denny Fongheiser (1993–1995, 2019–present) – drums, percussion *Craig Bartock (2003–2016, 2019–present) – lead and rhythm guitar * Ryan Waters (2019–present) – lead and rhythm guitar * Andy Stoller (2019–present) – bass guitar * Dan Walker (2019–present) – keyboards


Former members

* Steve Fossen (1967–1982; one-off in 2013) – bass, backing vocals, occasional percussion * Roger Fisher (1967–1980; one-off in 2013) – lead and rhythm guitar, lap steel guitar, mandolin *Gary Ziegelman (1967–1971) – lead vocals *James Cirrello (1967–1971) – rhythm guitar *Ron Rudge (1967–1971) – drums *Ken Hansen (1967–1971) – percussion *David Belzer (1971) – keyboards *Jeff Johnson (1971) – drums *Gary Humphries (1971–1972) – lead vocals *Don Wilhelm (1971–1972) – keyboards *Chris Blane (1971–1972) – drums *John Hannah (1972–1975) – keyboards *Brian Johnstone (1972–1975) – drums * Howard Leese (1975–1998; one-off in 2013) – keyboards, lead and rhythm guitars, mandolin, percussion, accordion, backing vocals, bass (1992) *Michael Derosier (1975–1982; one-off in 2013) – drums, percussion * Denny Carmassi (1982–1993) – drums, percussion * Mark Andes (1982–1992) – bass, backing vocals, occasional acoustic guitar *Shawn lemp (1992-1993) - keyboards *
Fernando Saunders Fernando Saunders is an American musician, singer and record producer from Detroit, Michigan. He is perhaps best known for his longtime partnership with musician Lou Reed, from 1982 to 1987 and again from 1996 to 2008. Biography Fernando Saun ...
(1993–1995) – bass, backing vocals *Frank Cox (1995–1998) – lead guitar, backing vocals * Scott Olson (1995–1998, 2002–2003) – guitar (lead 2002–2003, rhythm 1995–1998), lap steel guitar, backing vocals *Ben Smith (1995–1998, 2002–2019), drums, percussion *Jon Bayless (1995–1998) – bass * Mike Inez (2002–2005) – bass, occasional percussion *Tom Kellock (2002–2003) – keyboards * Darian Sahanaja (2003–2004, 2007) – keyboards, percussion, backing vocals *
Gilby Clarke Gilbert J. "Gilby" Clarke (born August 17, 1962) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. He had a 3-year tenure as the rhythm guitarist of Guns N' Roses, replacing Izzy Stradlin in 1991 during the Use Your Illusion To ...
(2003) – lead and rhythm guitars *Debbie Shair (2004–2014) – keyboards, percussion, accordion, backing vocals *Ric Markmann (2005–2009) – bass *Kristian Attard (2009–2012) – bass *Dan Rothchild (2012–2019) – bass, backing vocals *Chris Joyner (2014–2019) – keyboards, rhythm guitar


Discography

* ''
Dreamboat Annie ''Dreamboat Annie'' is the debut studio album by American rock band Heart. At the time, the band was based in Vancouver, British Columbia; the album was recorded in Vancouver and first released in Canada by the local label Mushroom Records in Se ...
'' (1975) * ''
Magazine A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combinatio ...
'' (1977) * ''
Little Queen ''Little Queen'' is the third studio album by American rock band Heart, released on May 14, 1977, by Portrait Records. The album was recorded and mixed at Kaye-Smith Studios in Seattle, Washington, from February to April 1977. On June 29, 2004 ...
'' (1977) * '' Dog and Butterfly'' (1978) * '' Bébé le Strange'' (1980) * '' Private Audition'' (1982) * ''
Passionworks ''Passionworks'' is the seventh studio album by American rock band Heart, released on August 20, 1983, by Epic Records. The album marks a shift in musical direction from hard rock and folk to mainstream rock. It is the first Heart album to feature ...
'' (1983) * ''
Heart The heart is a muscular Organ (biology), organ in most animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels of the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the body, while carrying metabolic waste such as ca ...
'' (1985) * ''
Bad Animals ''Bad Animals'' is the ninth studio album by American rock band Heart, released on June 6, 1987, by Capitol Records. The album continues the mainstream hard rock style from the band's 1985 self-titled release, all while enjoying similar succes ...
'' (1987) * ''
Brigade A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. ...
'' (1990) * ''
Desire Walks On ''Desire Walks On'' is the eleventh studio album by American rock band Heart, released on November 16, 1993, by Capitol Records. The majority of the album was co-written by lead members Ann and Nancy Wilson. It is Heart's final studio album to ...
'' (1993) * '' Heart Presents a Lovemongers' Christmas'' (2001) * '' Jupiters Darling'' (2004) * '' Red Velvet Car'' (2010) * '' Fanatic'' (2012) * '' Beautiful Broken'' (2016)


References


Further reading

* Dickerson, James L. (2005). ''Go, Girl, Go! The Women's Revolution in Music''. Schirmer Trade Books. .


External links

*
Interview with Howard Leese
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Heart (Band) 1967 establishments in Washington (state) American folk rock groups Articles which contain graphical timelines Canadian folk rock groups Canadian hard rock musical groups Capitol Records artists Columbia Records artists Family musical groups Female-fronted musical groups Female musical duos Hard rock musical groups from Washington (state) Juno Award for Group of the Year winners Musical groups established in 1967 Musical groups from Seattle Sibling musical groups