Heart is an American
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
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 regio ...
,
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
Steve Fossen is an American bassist and a founding member of the band Heart. (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 th ...
(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
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...
.
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 hard ...
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 b ...
. 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
Mark Andes (born February 19, 1948) is an American musician, known for his work as a bassist with Canned Heat, Spirit, Jo Jo Gunne, Firefall, Heart, and Mirabal.
Early life
Andes was born in Philadelphia, but grew up in Los Angeles, one ...
(bass) and
Denny Carmassi
Denny Carmassi (born April 30, 1947) is an American drummer most notable for playing with many rock bands.
Biography
Carmassi was born into a family of drummers; his father, his uncle, and his brother each played the drums. Some of Denny's e ...
(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 was ...
" (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 wit ...
'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, 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 regio ...
. They frequently played
Bothell High School
Bothell High School is located in Bothell, Washington, United States, and is one of four high schools in the Northshore School District. Approximately 1,500 students in grades 9 through 12 attend the school, which is a member of the KingCo 4A ath ...
,
Inglemoor High School
Inglemoor High School is a public high school located in Kenmore, Washington, United States. It is one of the largest high schools in the state of Washington and has an average of 30 students per teacher. As of 2017, the student population was ap ...
, and
Shorecrest High School
Shorecrest High School is a public high school (grades 9 through 12) in Shoreline, Washington, United States, one of two high schools in the Shoreline School District. Shorecrest was founded in 1961. Its mascot is Otis the Fighting Scot and stude ...
, 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'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
Draft evasion is any successful attempt to elude a government-imposed obligation to serve in the military forces of one's nation. Sometimes draft evasion involves refusing to comply with the military draft laws of one's nation. Illegal draft ev ...
".
[Kelly, Maura]
"Interview with Nancy Wilson"
''The Believer'', August 2007. Retrieved October 1, 2008. One day in 1972 (or 1971
[Refer 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 List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
, 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
Mike Flicker (born 1950) is an American music producer in Los Angeles who has numerous credits on music and film projects. He is critically acclaimed for his work with Heart.Howard Leese
Howard M. Leese (born June 13, 1951, in Hollywood, California, United States) is an American guitarist, record producer, and musical director who played with Heart as guitarist and keyboardist for 23 years (1975 through 1998). He continues to rec ...
.
[
] 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 S ...
'', at Can-Base Studios in Vancouver (later known as
Mushroom Studios
Mushroom Studios was a music recording facility located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada with a long history in Canadian music. It has now been relocated to Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The studio hosted the recording of many classic albums ...
). 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
Mushroom Records was an Australian flagship record label, founded in 1972 in Melbourne. It published and distributed many successful Australian artists and expanded internationally, until it was merged with Festival Records in 1998. Festival Mu ...
, 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, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'', 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
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
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, 20 ...
''.[ 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 was ...
" (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
A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify either generation, an official position, or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may be inserted between the f ...
(number 34) and " Straight On" (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
''Greatest Hits/Live'' is a compilation album of greatest hits, live recordings and new tracks by American rock band Heart, released on November 29, 1980, by Epic Records. The album was issued in North America as a double LP. The first disc is ...
'' 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
"Unchained Melody" is a 1955 song with music by Alex North and lyrics by Hy Zaret. North wrote the music as a theme for the prison film '' Unchained'' (1955), hence the song title. Todd Duncan sang the vocals for the film soundtrack.Robert Rodri ...
", Led Zeppelin's "Rock and Roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from Africa ...
" and the Beatles' "I'm Down
"I'm Down" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was released on a non-album single as the B-side to "Help!" in July 1965. The song originated in McCartney's attempt ...
".
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 g ...
on May 29, 1982. Their next album, ''Private Audition
''Private Audition'' is the sixth studio album by American rock band Heart, released on May
20, 1982, by Epic Records. The album reached number 25 on the US ''Billboard'' 200, spending 14 weeks on the chart. It spawned the single " This Man ...
'' (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
James Iovine ( ; ; born March 11, 1953) is an American entrepreneur, record executive, and media proprietor best known as the co-founder of Interscope Records. In 2006, Iovine and rapper-producer Dr. Dre founded Beats Electronics, which produces ...
, 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
Denny Carmassi (born April 30, 1947) is an American drummer most notable for playing with many rock bands.
Biography
Carmassi was born into a family of drummers; his father, his uncle, and his brother each played the drums. Some of Denny's e ...
on drums and Mark Andes
Mark Andes (born February 19, 1948) is an American musician, known for his work as a bassist with Canned Heat, Spirit, Jo Jo Gunne, Firefall, Heart, and Mirabal.
Early life
Andes was born in Philadelphia, but grew up in Los Angeles, one ...
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 featur ...
'' (1983), while at the record company's insistence, the band turned to established producer Keith Olsen
Keith Alan Olsen (May 12, 1945 – March 9, 2020) was an American record producer and sound engineer, who worked with Magnum, Rick Springfield, Fleetwood Mac, Ozzy Osbourne, the Grateful Dead, Whitesnake, Pat Benatar, Heart, Santana, Saga, ...
. 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 i ...
.[
]
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 note ...
, and their first album for the label was simply titled ''Heart
The heart is a muscular 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 carbon dioxide t ...
'' (1985). The move to Capitol coincided with a glam metal
Glam metal (also known as hair metal or pop metal) is a subgenre of heavy metal that features pop-influenced hooks and guitar riffs, upbeat rock anthems, and slow power ballads. It borrows heavily from the fashion and image of 1970s glam r ...
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 succ ...
'' (1987), continued the move away from the band's folk and acoustic leanings towards a glossier arena rock
Arena rock (also known as AOR, melodic rock, stadium rock, anthem rock, pomp rock, corporate rock and dad rock; ; ) is a style of rock music that originated in the mid-1970s. As hard rock bands and those playing a softer yet strident kind of po ...
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", 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 Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts ...
.
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.
Br ...
'' 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" 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" (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 i ...
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!'' 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
John Peter Farnham Officer of the Order of Australia, AO (born 1 July 1949) is a British born Australian singer. Farnham was a Teen idol, teen pop idol from 1967 until 1979, billed then as Johnny Farnham, but has since forged a career as an Adu ...
'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 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 comput ...
, ''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
John Paul Jones (born John Paul; July 6, 1747 July 18, 1792) was a Scottish-American naval captain who was the United States' first well-known naval commander in the American Revolutionary War. He made many friends among U.S political elites ( ...
.
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
''Behind the Music'' is a documentary television series on VH1. Each episode profiles and interviews a popular musical artist or group. The program examines the beginning of their career, their road to success, and the hardships they may have ...
''. 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
A whirligig is an object that spins or whirls, or has at least one part that spins or whirls. It can also be a pinwheel, spinning top, buzzer, comic weathervane, gee-haw, spinner, whirlygig, whirlijig, whirlyjig, whirlybird, or simply a whirly ...
'' 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
''Heart Presents a Lovemongers' Christmas'' is a Christmas album and the twelfth studio album by American rock band Heart. It was originally released under the title ''Here Is Christmas'' on October 20, 1998, by 2b Music, serving as the second a ...
''.
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
Alice in Chains (often abbreviated as AIC) is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1987 by guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney, who later recruited bassist Mike Starr and lead vocalist Layne ...
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''. Also in 2003, Gilby Clarke (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 McKa ...
) and Darian Sahanaja
Darian Sahanaja (born May 20, 1963) is an American singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, and arranger who is best known for co-founding Wondermints in 1992 and playing with Brian Wilson's supporting band since 1999. He has also performed alongsi ...
replaced Olson and Kellock for an American tour.
In 2004, with Clarke having been replaced by Craig Bartok, Heart released ''Jupiters Darling
''Jupiters Darling'' is the thirteenth studio album by American Rock music, rock band Heart (band), Heart, released on June 22, 2004, by Sovereign Artists. Sovereign Artist's marketing director, Paul Angles, simultaneously released their album ...
'', 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 p ...
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, while the ...
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 so ...
(no relation) and performed the Heart classic "Crazy on You" with her. Heart also performed with Gretchen Wilson on VH-1
VH1 (originally an initialism of Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network based in New York City and owned by Paramount Global. It was created by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, at the time a division of Warner Communi ...
's March 10, 2006, tribute to the band, " Decades Rock Live!". The special also featured Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains (often abbreviated as AIC) is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1987 by guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney, who later recruited bassist Mike Starr and lead vocalist Layne ...
, Phil Anselmo
Philip Hansen Anselmo (born June 30, 1968) is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal vocalist best known as the lead singer for Pantera, Down (band), Down, and Superjoint, amongst other musical projects. He is the owner of Housecore Records ...
, Dave Navarro, Rufus Wainwright
Rufus McGarrigle Wainwright (born July 22, 1973) is a Canadian-American singer, songwriter, and composer. He has recorded 10 studio albums and numerous tracks on compilations and film soundtracks. He has also written two classical operas and set ...
, 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 ''Bill ...
. The concert was released on LP, CD, DVD, and Blu-ray on January 25, 2019, with the title ''Live in Atlantic City
Live may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* ''Live!'' (2007 film), 2007 American film
* ''Live'' (2014 film), a 2014 Japanese film
*'' ''Live'' (Apocalyptica DVD)
Music
*Live (band), American alternative rock band
* List of albums ...
''. 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 The VH1 Rock Honors were an annual ceremony paying homage to bands who influenced the sound of rock music. The events began in 2006, and the final event took place in 2008. The general format of each show is for modern bands to "pay tribute" to clas ...
(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
ZZ Top is an American rock band formed in 1969 in Houston, Texas. For 51 years, they comprised vocalist-guitarist Billy Gibbons, drummer Frank Beard and vocalist-bassist Dusty Hill, until Hill's death in 2021. ZZ Top developed a signature sound ...
. 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 was ...
". 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 with ...
, k.d. lang
Kathryn Dawn Lang (born November 2, 1961), known by her stage name k.d. lang, is a Canadian pop and country singer-songwriter and occasional actress. Lang has won Juno Awards and Grammy Awards for her musical performances. Hits include the s ...
, Wynonna Judd
Wynonna Ellen Judd or simply Wynonna ( ; born Christina Claire Ciminella; May 30, 1964) is an American country music singer. She is one of the most widely recognized and awarded female country singers. In all, she has had 19 No. 1 singles, incl ...
, Gretchen Wilson, Rufus Wainwright, Shawn Colvin
Shawn Colvin (born Shawna Lee Colvin, January 10, 1956) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. While Colvin has been a solo recording artist for decades, she is best known for her 1998 Grammy Award-winning song "Sunny Came Home".
Early ...
, 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
''Idol Gives Back'' was the name of a charitable campaign that spanned two episodes of ''American Idol'' during its sixth season. A second ''Idol Gives Back'' concert and fundraiser occurred on April 9, 2008, during the seventh season of the s ...
'' with Stacy "Fergie" Ferguson, who sang "Barracuda" in harmony with Ann. In mid-2008, Heart undertook a US tour with Journey
Journey or journeying may refer to:
* Travel, the movement of people between distant geographical locations
** Day's journey, a measurement of distance
** Road trip, a long-distance journey on the road
Animals
* Journey (horse), a thoroughbred ra ...
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 and ...
. In 2008, the band performed in a benefit for music education in public schools, appearing live with Jackson Browne
Clyde Jackson Browne (born October 9, 1948) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and political activist who has sold over 18 million albums in the United States.
Emerging as a precocious teenage songwriter in mid-1960s Los Angeles, he h ...
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
"Bohemian Rhapsody" is a song by the British rock band Queen, released as the lead single from their fourth album, '' A Night at the Opera'' (1975). Written by lead singer Freddie Mercury, the song is a six-minute suite, notable for its lack ...
." In 2009, the band was featured on an updated and remastered episode of VH1's ''Behind the Music
''Behind the Music'' is a documentary television series on VH1. Each episode profiles and interviews a popular musical artist or group. The program examines the beginning of their career, their road to success, and the hardships they may have ...
.''
2010–2012: ''Red Velvet Car'' to Kennedy Center Honors
A new studio album, ''Red Velvet Car
''Red Velvet Car'' is the fourteenth studio album by American Rock music, rock band Heart (band), Heart, released on August 31, 2010, by Legacy Recordings. The album debuted at number 10 on the US Billboard 200, ''Billboard'' 200 with 27,000 cop ...
'', 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, p ...
.[ ''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 alternati ...
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 Camp (style), campy style, she has been ...
and Paramore
Paramore is an American rock band from Franklin, Tennessee, formed in 2004. The band currently consists of lead vocalist Hayley Williams, guitarist Taylor York and drummer Zac Farro. Williams and Farro are founding members of the group, whil ...
; they performed "Crazy on You" with Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals are an American rock band from Vermont, formed in 2002 in Waitsfield by drummer Matt Burr, guitarist Scott Tournet, and singer Grace Potter. They began their career as an indie band, self-producing their albums a ...
.
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 ...
.[ A career-spanning box-set titled '' Strange Euphoria'' 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 (1 ...
(''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, Californ ...
for their contributions to music.
The band released its 14th studio album, ''Fanatic
FANatic is an American TV show created by Ed Connolly and produced by Executive Producers Deborah Norton and Ed Connolly of Norton Connolly Productions, that was shown on the MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an Am ...
'', 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 ci ...
. Along with an orchestra, two choirs and Jason Bonham
Jason John Bonham (born 15 July 1966) is an English drummer. He is the son of late Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham. Since his father's death in September 1980, he has performed with the surviving three members of Led Zeppelin on several occasi ...
(son of late Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham
John Henry Bonham (31 May 1948 – 25 September 1980) was an English musician, best known as the drummer for the rock band Led Zeppelin. Esteemed for his speed, power, fast single-footed kick drumming, distinctive sound, and feel for groove,J ...
), they performed a version of Led Zeppelin's signature song "Stairway to Heaven
"Stairway to Heaven" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin, released in late 1971. It was composed by the band's guitarist Jimmy Page and lead singer Robert Plant for their untitled fourth studio album (often titled ''Led Zeppelin IV'') ...
". 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 the ...
. 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
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...
induction ceremony on April 18, 2013, the original members of Heart (the Wilson sisters, Howard Leese
Howard M. Leese (born June 13, 1951, in Hollywood, California, United States) is an American guitarist, record producer, and musical director who played with Heart as guitarist and keyboardist for 23 years (1975 through 1998). He continues to rec ...
, Michael Derosier, Steve Fossen
Steve Fossen is an American bassist and a founding member of the band Heart. , and Roger Fisher) reunited for the first time in 34 years to play "Crazy on You". The band was inducted by Chris Cornell
Christopher John Cornell (né Boyle; July 20, 1964 – May 18, 2017) was an American singer and musician best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and primary lyricist and songwriter for the rock bands Soundgarden and Audioslave. H ...
, 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
Joan Jett (born Joan Marie Larkin, September 22, 1958) is an American singer, guitarist, record producer, and actress. Jett is best known for her work as the frontwoman of her band Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and for earlier founding and per ...
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 and ...
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
White River Amphitheatre is a Live Nation managed concert venue, located 8 miles (13 km) east of Auburn, Washington and 7 miles (11 km) west of Enumclaw, Washington on the Muckleshoot Indian Reservation. It is 22 miles (35 km) north ...
in Auburn, Washington
Auburn is a city in King County, Washington, United States (with a small portion crossing into neighboring Pierce County). The population was 87,256 at the 2020 Census. Auburn is a suburb in the Seattle metropolitan area, and is currently rank ...
, 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
A benefit concert or charity concert is a type of musical benefit performance (e.g., concert, show, or gala) featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate hu ...
. 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
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...
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
The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadca ...
'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
Elizabeth Mae "Lzzy" Hale (born October 10, 1983) is an American musician, best known as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of hard rock band Halestorm, which she co-founded with her brother Arejay Hale in 1997.
Career
Hale began writing and ...
of Halestorm
Halestorm is an American rock band from Red Lion, Pennsylvania, consisting of lead vocalist and guitarist Lzzy Hale, her drummer brother Arejay Hale, guitarist Joe Hottinger, and bassist Josh Smith.
The group's self-titled debut album was re ...
. "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
Grunge (sometimes referred to as the Seattle sound) is an alternative rock genre and subculture that emerged during the in the American Pacific Northwest state of Washington, particularly in Seattle and nearby towns. Grunge fuses elements of p ...
era. Artists that have used their Bad Animals Studio
Studio X (formerly known as Bad Animals Studio and Kaye-Smith Studios.) is a music and media recording studio on 4th Avenue in downtown Seattle, Washington, United States. Originally part of thKaye-Smith Enterprisesmedia conglomerate founded by ...
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 Furay ...
, R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe, who were students at the University of Georgia. One of the first alternati ...
, 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, guita ...
, Soundgarden
Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil (both of whom are the only members to appear in every incarnation of the band), and bassist Hiro Yamamo ...
, and Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains (often abbreviated as AIC) is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1987 by guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney, who later recruited bassist Mike Starr and lead vocalist Layne ...
.
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 th ...
(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
Steve Fossen is an American bassist and a founding member of the band Heart. (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
Howard M. Leese (born June 13, 1951, in Hollywood, California, United States) is an American guitarist, record producer, and musical director who played with Heart as guitarist and keyboardist for 23 years (1975 through 1998). He continues to rec ...
(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
Denny Carmassi (born April 30, 1947) is an American drummer most notable for playing with many rock bands.
Biography
Carmassi was born into a family of drummers; his father, his uncle, and his brother each played the drums. Some of Denny's e ...
(1982–1993) – drums, percussion
*Mark Andes
Mark Andes (born February 19, 1948) is an American musician, known for his work as a bassist with Canned Heat, Spirit, Jo Jo Gunne, Firefall, Heart, and Mirabal.
Early life
Andes was born in Philadelphia, but grew up in Los Angeles, one ...
(1982–1992) – bass, backing vocals, occasional acoustic guitar
*Shawn lemp (1992-1993) - keyboards
* Fernando Saunders (1993–1995) – bass, backing vocals
*Frank Cox (1995–1998) – lead guitar, backing vocals
*Scott Olson
Scott Olson is an American guitarist, bassist, music producer and recording engineer. He played guitar with Heart between 1995–1998 and 2002–2003, and in 1996 he performed with Alice In Chains on their ''MTV Unplugged'' concert. Olson was ...
(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
Darian Sahanaja (born May 20, 1963) is an American singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, and arranger who is best known for co-founding Wondermints in 1992 and playing with Brian Wilson's supporting band since 1999. He has also performed alongsi ...
(2003–2004, 2007) – keyboards, percussion, backing vocals
* Gilby Clarke (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 S ...
'' (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, 20 ...
'' (1977)
* '' Dog and Butterfly'' (1978)
* ''Bébé le Strange
''Bébé le Strange'' is the fifth studio album by American rock band Heart, released on February 14, 1980, by Epic Records. It was the first album without founding member Roger Fisher on lead guitar, who had left the band months prior along ...
'' (1980)
* ''Private Audition
''Private Audition'' is the sixth studio album by American rock band Heart, released on May
20, 1982, by Epic Records. The album reached number 25 on the US ''Billboard'' 200, spending 14 weeks on the chart. It spawned the single " This Man ...
'' (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 featur ...
'' (1983)
* ''Heart
The heart is a muscular 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 carbon dioxide t ...
'' (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 succ ...
'' (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.
Br ...
'' (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
''Heart Presents a Lovemongers' Christmas'' is a Christmas album and the twelfth studio album by American rock band Heart. It was originally released under the title ''Here Is Christmas'' on October 20, 1998, by 2b Music, serving as the second a ...
'' (2001)
* ''Jupiters Darling
''Jupiters Darling'' is the thirteenth studio album by American Rock music, rock band Heart (band), Heart, released on June 22, 2004, by Sovereign Artists. Sovereign Artist's marketing director, Paul Angles, simultaneously released their album ...
'' (2004)
* ''Red Velvet Car
''Red Velvet Car'' is the fourteenth studio album by American Rock music, rock band Heart (band), Heart, released on August 31, 2010, by Legacy Recordings. The album debuted at number 10 on the US Billboard 200, ''Billboard'' 200 with 27,000 cop ...
'' (2010)
* ''Fanatic
FANatic is an American TV show created by Ed Connolly and produced by Executive Producers Deborah Norton and Ed Connolly of Norton Connolly Productions, that was shown on the MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an Am ...
'' (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