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Steven Victor Tallarico (born March 26, 1948), known professionally as Steven Tyler, is an American singer and songwriter. Tyler is best known as the lead singer of the
Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
-based rock band
Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of lead vocalist Steven Tyler, bassist Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarists Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry and B ...
, in which he also plays the keyboards, harmonica and percussion. He has been called the "Demon of Screamin'" due to his high screams and his wide vocal range. He is also known for his on-stage acrobatics. During live performances, Tyler is known for dressing in colorful, sometimes
androgynous Androgyny is the possession of both masculine and feminine characteristics. Androgyny may be expressed with regard to biological sex or gender expression. When ''androgyny'' refers to mixed biological sex characteristics in humans, it often r ...
outfits and makeup with his trademark scarves hanging from his microphone stand. In the 1970s, Tyler rose to prominence as the lead singer of Aerosmith, which released such hard rock albums as '' Toys in the Attic'' and '' Rocks'' as well as a string of hit singles, including " Dream On", " Sweet Emotion" and "
Walk This Way "Walk This Way" is a song by the American rock band Aerosmith. Written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, the song was originally released as the second single from the album '' Toys in the Attic'' (1975). It peaked at number 10 on the ''Billboa ...
". By the late 1970s and early 1980s, Tyler had become addicted to drugs and alcohol, and the band's popularity waned. In 1986, Tyler completed drug rehabilitation and Aerosmith rose to prominence again when Tyler and Joe Perry joined
Run-DMC Run-DMC (also formatted Run-D.M.C., RUN DMC, or some combination thereof) was an American hip-hop group formed in Hollis, Queens, New York City in 1983 by Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jason Mizell. Run-DMC is regarded as one of the mos ...
for a re-make of "Walk This Way", which became a Top 5 hit. Aerosmith subsequently launched a comeback, and its multi-platinum albums '' Permanent Vacation'', ''
Pump A pump is a device that moves fluids (liquids or gases), or sometimes Slurry, slurries, by mechanical action, typically converted from electrical energy into hydraulic or pneumatic energy. Mechanical pumps serve in a wide range of application ...
'', ''
Get a Grip ''Get a Grip'' is the eleventh studio album by American rock band Aerosmith, released in April 1993 by Geffen Records. ''Get a Grip'' was the band's last studio album to be released by Geffen before they returned to Columbia Records. ''Get a ...
'' and '' Nine Lives'' produced a combined thirteen Top 40 singles and won the band numerous awards. In 2016, Tylre released his debut solo album, '' We're All Somebody from Somewhere'', a
country rock Country rock is a music genre that fuses rock and country. It was developed by rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s. These musicians recorded rock records using country themes, vocal sty ...
album that included the single " Love Is Your Name". Tyler is included in ''
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. The magazine was first known fo ...
''s list of the 100 greatest singers of all time. In 2001, he was inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), also 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 the ...
with Aerosmith, In 2013, Tyler and his songwriting partner Joe Perry received the
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, broadc ...
Founders Award and were inducted into the
Songwriters Hall of Fame The Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF) is an American institution founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer, music publisher/songwriter Abe Olman, and publisher/executive Howie Richmond to honor those whose work represent and maintain the heri ...
.


Early life and education

Steven Victor Tallarico was born on March 26, 1948, at the Stuyvesant Polyclinic in
Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...
, New York, and moved to
the Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...
when he was three years old. The family relocated to 100 Pembrook Drive in Northeast Yonkers in 1957 when he was about nine years old. Tallarico is the son of Susan Ray (; June 2, 1925July 4, 2008), a secretary, and Victor A. Tallarico (May 14, 1916September 10, 2011), a classical musician and pianist who taught music at Cardinal Spellman High School in the Bronx. Tyler's father was of Italian and German descent, while his mother was of Polish, English and African-American ancestry. He has claimed on a number of occasions that his maternal grandfather was Ukrainian, and changed his surname from "Czarnyszewicz" (from ) to "Blancha" (possibly from ). Genealogist Megan Smolenyak established that Steven Tyler's grandfather was Polish, born Felix Czarnyszewicz in 1892 in Klichaw, in today's
Belarus Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Belarus spans an a ...
. In 1914 he emigrated to the US and changed his surname to Blancha. There he married Bessie Elliott, with whom he had four children, including Steven's mother Susan. Felix's brother was Florian Czarnyszewicz, a well-known Polish writer who emigrated to
Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
. Florian Czarnyszewicz is best known for his novel ''Nadberezeńcy'' which describes the fate of Poles living in the lands between the Berezina and
Dnieper The Dnieper or Dnepr ( ), also called Dnipro ( ), is one of the major transboundary rivers of Europe, rising in the Valdai Hills near Smolensk, Russia, before flowing through Belarus and Ukraine to the Black Sea. Approximately long, with ...
rivers between 1911 and 1920. His paternal grandfather, Giovanni Tallarico, was from Cotronei, Calabria, Italy. Tyler learned on the genealogy show '' Who Do You Think You Are?'' that his maternal great-great-great-grandfather Robert Elliot was part African-American and part European-American. Steven has one older sister named Lynda. Tyler attended Roosevelt High School on Tuckahoe Road in
Yonkers, New York Yonkers () is the List of municipalities in New York, third-most populous city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and the most-populous City (New York), city in Westchester County, New York, Westchester County. A centrally locate ...
which was about a mile from his house, but was expelled from the school just before graduation due to marijuana use. He later graduated from Quintano School for Young Professionals. At 17, Tyler spent time in
Greenwich Village Greenwich Village, or simply the Village, is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street (Manhattan), 14th Street to the north, Broadway (Manhattan), Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the s ...
, New York, the highlight of which was seeing a
Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...
concert. Tyler states that he and his friends "hung around for a while, buzzing like crazy just because we got to touch them." He added, "Everybody told me that I looked just like
Mick Jagger Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English musician. He is known as the lead singer and one of the founder members of The Rolling Stones. Jagger has co-written most of the band's songs with lead guitarist Keith Richards; Jagge ...
with my big lips and
Keith Richards Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943) is an English musician, songwriter, singer and record producer who is an original member, guitarist, secondary vocalist, and co-principal songwriter of the Rolling Stones. His songwriting partnership wi ...
basically was the music I used to love more than anything." A photo in the band's autobiography ''
Walk This Way "Walk This Way" is a song by the American rock band Aerosmith. Written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, the song was originally released as the second single from the album '' Toys in the Attic'' (1975). It peaked at number 10 on the ''Billboa ...
'' shows Tyler standing behind Mick Jagger outside a hotel. During this period, Tyler sang backing vocals on '' The Left Banke Too'', the second album by baroque pop group
the Left Banke The Left Banke was an American baroque pop band, formed in New York City in 1965. They are best remembered for their two U.S. hit singles, "Walk Away Renée" and "Pretty Ballerina". The band often used what the Music journalism, music press refer ...
.


Career


The Strangeurs

In 1964, Tyler formed a band called the Strangeurs—later Chain Reaction—in
Yonkers, New York Yonkers () is the List of municipalities in New York, third-most populous city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and the most-populous City (New York), city in Westchester County, New York, Westchester County. A centrally locate ...
.


Formation and success of Aerosmith (1970–1978)

Before forming Aerosmith, Tyler wrote what would become one of Aerosmith's signature songs, " Dream On". In 1969, Tyler attended a local rock show in Sunapee, New Hampshire. While there, he saw future bandmates Joe Perry (guitars) and Tom Hamilton (bass) playing in a band called the Jam Band. Tyler later stated he was struck by their raw power and attitude. Around 1970, Tyler, Perry and Hamilton decided to form a band. Tyler, who had played drums in many of his previous bands while in school, insisted that he would be the frontman and lead singer. Joey Kramer, an old acquaintance of Tyler's from New York, was recruited to play the drums. Driven by a collective ambition to launch their careers as full-time musicians and hopeful recording artists, the band moved to the
Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
area. The band moved into a home together at 1325 Commonwealth Avenue in Boston, where they wrote and rehearsed music together and relaxed in between shows.Davis, p. 104 The members of the band reportedly spent afternoons getting high and watching '' Three Stooges'' reruns. One day, they met to try to come up with a name. Kramer said that, when he was in school, he would write the word "aerosmith" all over his notebooks. The name had popped into his head after listening to
Harry Nilsson Harry Edward Nilsson III (June 15, 1941 – January 15, 1994), sometimes credited as Nilsson, was an American singer-songwriter who reached the peak of his success in the early 1970s. His work is characterized by pioneering vocal overdub experi ...
's album '' Aerial Ballet'', which featured jacket art of a circus performer jumping out of a biplane. Initially, Kramer's bandmates were unimpressed; they all thought he was referring to the Sinclair Lewis novel they were required to read in high school English class. "No, not Arrowsmith," Kramer explained. "A-E-R-O...Aerosmith." The band settled upon this name after also considering "the Hookers" and "Spike Jones".Davis, pp. 106–107 At some point prior to the weekend of December 25, 1971, they were known as "Fox Chase". Soon, the band hired Ray Tabano, a childhood friend of Tyler, as rhythm guitarist and began playing local shows. Aerosmith played their first gig in
Mendon, Massachusetts Mendon is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,228 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Mendon is part of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, ...
at Nipmuc Regional High School (now Miscoe Hill Middle School) on November 6, 1970. In 1971, Tabano was replaced by
Brad Whitford Bradley Ernest Whitford (born February 23, 1952)Putterford, Mark (1991) ''The Fall and Rise of Aerosmith'', Omnibus Press, Strong, Martin C. (2001) ''The Great Metal Discography'' (2nd edn.), MOJO Books, , p. 11-13 is an American musician who ...
, who also attended the Berklee School of Music, and was formerly a member of the band Earth Inc. Whitford, from
Reading, Massachusetts Reading ( ) is a New England town, town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, north of central Boston. The population was 25,518 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. History Settlement Many of the Massachusetts Bay Colony ...
, had played at Reading's AW Coolidge Middle School. Other than a period from July 1979 to April 1984, the line-up of Tyler, Perry, Hamilton, Kramer, and Whitford has stayed the same. Aerosmith signed with Columbia in mid-1972 for a reported $125,000 and recorded their debut album, ''
Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of lead vocalist Steven Tyler, bassist Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarists Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry and B ...
''. Released in January 1973, the album peaked at number 166. The album was straightforward rock and roll with well-defined blues influences, laying the groundwork for Aerosmith's signature
blues rock Blues rock is a fusion music genre, genre and form of rock music, rock and blues music that relies on the chords/scales and instrumental improvisation of blues. It is mostly an electric ensemble-style music with instrumentation similar to electri ...
sound. Although the highest-charting single from the album was " Dream On" at number 59, several tracks, such as " Mama Kin" and " Walkin' the Dog", would become staples of the band's live shows, and received airplay on rock radio. The album reached gold status initially, eventually went on to sell two million copies, and was certified double platinum after the band reached mainstream success over a decade later. After constant touring, the band released their second album, ''
Get Your Wings ''Get Your Wings'' is the second studio album by American rock band Aerosmith, released on March 15, 1974. The album was their first to be produced by Jack Douglas, who also was responsible for the band's next three albums. Three singles were ...
'' in 1974, the first of a string of multi-platinum albums produced by Jack Douglas. This album included the rock radio hits " Same Old Song and Dance" and " Train Kept A-Rollin'", a cover done previously by
the Yardbirds The Yardbirds are an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1963. The band started the careers of three of rock's most famous guitarists: Eric Clapton (1963–1965), Jeff Beck (1965–1966) and Jimmy Page (1966–1968), all of whom ...
. In 1975, Aerosmith released their third album, '' Toys in the Attic''. Originally derided as Rolling Stones knockoffs in part due to the physical resemblance between Tyler and
Mick Jagger Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English musician. He is known as the lead singer and one of the founder members of The Rolling Stones. Jagger has co-written most of the band's songs with lead guitarist Keith Richards; Jagge ...
, ''Toys in the Attic'' showed that Aerosmith was a unique and talented band in their own right. ''Toys in the Attic'' was an immediate success, starting with the single " Sweet Emotion", which became the band's first
Top 40 In the music industry, the Top 40 is a list of the 40 currently most popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "To ...
hit. This was followed by a successful re-release of " Dream On" which hit No. 6, becoming their best charting single of the 1970s. "
Walk This Way "Walk This Way" is a song by the American rock band Aerosmith. Written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, the song was originally released as the second single from the album '' Toys in the Attic'' (1975). It peaked at number 10 on the ''Billboa ...
", re-released in 1976, reached the Top 10 in early 1977. In 1976, Aerosmith's fourth album, '' Rocks,'' was released. Music historian Greg Prato described it as "captur ngAerosmith at their most raw and rocking". It went
platinum Platinum is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a density, dense, malleable, ductility, ductile, highly unreactive, precious metal, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name origina ...
swiftly and featured two Top 40 hits, " Last Child" and " Back in the Saddle", as well as the ballad " Home Tonight", which also charted. In 1977, Aerosmith released their fifth album, '' Draw the Line''. Its recording was affected by the band's excesses, but the record still had memorable moments. The
title track A title track is a song that has the same name as the album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-t ...
charted just shy of the Top 40 and remains a live staple, and " Kings and Queens" also charted.


Decline of Aerosmith (1979–1983)

As the decade wore on, the fast-paced life of touring, recording, living together and using drugs began to take its toll on the band. Tyler and Perry often were called the Toxic Twins for their legendary intake of
stimulant Stimulants (also known as central nervous system stimulants, or psychostimulants, or colloquially as uppers) are a class of drugs that increase alertness. They are used for various purposes, such as enhancing attention, motivation, cognition, ...
s and heroin. ''Night in the Ruts'' was released in November 1979, but managed to sell only enough records to be certified gold at the time, although it would eventually sell enough copies to be certified platinum by 1994. The only single the album spawned, a cover of " Remember (Walking in the Sand)" by the Shangri-Las, peaked at number 67 on the Billboard Hot 100. The tour for ''Night in the Ruts'' commenced shortly thereafter, but the band found themselves playing in smaller and smaller venues than before because their popularity was beginning to wane. Tyler's drug issues were starting to affect his performance and songwriting, and he reached rock bottom in 1980 when he collapsed on stage during a show in
Portland, Maine Portland is the List of municipalities in Maine, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine and the county seat, seat of Cumberland County, Maine, Cumberland County. Portland's population was 68,408 at the 2020 census. The Portland metropolit ...
and did not get up for the remainder of the set.Davis, p. 371 Also in 1980, Aerosmith released their first compilation album, ''
Greatest Hits A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be creat ...
''. While the compilation didn't chart very high initially, it gained popularity later, and went on to become the band's best selling album in the United States, with sales of 12 million copies. In the fall of 1980, Tyler was injured in a serious motorcycle accident, which left him hospitalized for two months and unable to tour or record well into 1981.Davis, pp. 373–374 ''Rock in a Hard Place'' was released on August 27, 1982. The album reached number 32 on the Billboard 200 album chart. Only one single charted, the aforementioned "Lightning Strikes", which peaked at number 21 on the ''Billboard''
Mainstream Rock Mainstream rock (also known as heritage rock) is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations in the United States and Canada. Format background Mainstream rock stations represent a cross between classic rock, active rock and alternativ ...
chart. As with the tour for ''Night in the Ruts'', Aerosmith was unable to book larger venues, and instead had to rely on filling clubs and theaters. At a homecoming arena show in
Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Massachusetts, second-most populous city in the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the list of United States cities by population, 113th most populous city in the United States. Named after Worcester ...
, Tyler and Perry got high backstage before the show. Tyler was so intoxicated that he collapsed onstage again.Davis, p. 400 In 1984, Aerosmith embarked on a reunion tour called the Back in the Saddle Tour, which led to the live album '' Classics Live II''. While concerts on the tour were well-attended, it was plagued with several incidents, mostly attributed to drug abuse by band members. With their drug problems still not behind them, the group was signed to
Geffen Records Geffen Records (formerly The David Geffen Company from 1980 to 1992 and Geffen Records Inc. from 1993 to 2004) is an American record label, founded in late 1980 by David Geffen. Originally a music subsidiary of the company known as Geffen Pi ...
and began working on a comeback. In 1985, the band released the album '' Done with Mirrors''. While the album did receive some positive reviews, it only went gold and failed to produce a hit single or generate any widespread interest. Nevertheless, the band became a popular concert attraction once again, touring in support of ''Done with Mirrors'', well into 1986. In 1986, in an unprecedented crossover collaboration, Aerosmith (largely the additional contributions of leaders Tyler and Perry) appeared on Run–D.M.C.'s cover of "
Walk This Way "Walk This Way" is a song by the American rock band Aerosmith. Written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, the song was originally released as the second single from the album '' Toys in the Attic'' (1975). It peaked at number 10 on the ''Billboa ...
", a track blending rock and roll with hip hop. In reaching number 4 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, the song and its frequently-aired video resurrected Aerosmith's career by introducing the band's music to a new generation. In 1986, Tyler completed a successful
drug rehabilitation Drug rehabilitation is the process of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs, and street drugs such as cannabis, cocaine, heroin, and amphetamines. The general int ...
program after an intervention by his fellow band members, a doctor, and manager Tim Collins. The rest of the band members also completed drug rehab programs over the course of the next couple of years.Davis, pp. 1–15


Comeback and superstardom (1986–1999)

'' Permanent Vacation'' was released in August 1987, becoming a major hit and the band's bestselling album in over a decade (selling 5 million copies in the US), with all three of its singles ("
Dude (Looks Like a Lady) "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" is a song by American rock band Aerosmith. It was released as the lead single from the band's ninth studio album '' Permanent Vacation'' in 1987. The song was written by lead singer Steven Tyler, lead guitarist Joe P ...
", "
Angel An angel is a spiritual (without a physical body), heavenly, or supernatural being, usually humanoid with bird-like wings, often depicted as a messenger or intermediary between God (the transcendent) and humanity (the profane) in variou ...
", and "
Rag Doll A rag doll is a doll made from scraps of fabric. They are one of the oldest children's toys in existence. Today, many rag dolls are commercially produced to mimic aspects of the original home-made dolls, such as simple features, soft cloth bodies, ...
") reaching the Top 20 of the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Tyler revealed in his autobiography that the album was "...the first one we ever did sober." The group went on a subsequent tour with labelmates
Guns N' Roses Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985 as a merger of local bands L.A. Guns and Hollywood Rose. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band's "classic" line-up consisted of vocalist Axl R ...
(who have cited Aerosmith as a major influence), which was intense at times because of Aerosmith's new struggle to stay clean amidst Guns N' Roses' well-publicized, rampant drug use. Aerosmith's next album was even more successful. ''
Pump A pump is a device that moves fluids (liquids or gases), or sometimes Slurry, slurries, by mechanical action, typically converted from electrical energy into hydraulic or pneumatic energy. Mechanical pumps serve in a wide range of application ...
'', released in September 1989, featured three Top Ten singles: " Love in an Elevator", " Janie's Got a Gun", and " What It Takes", as well as the Top 30 " The Other Side", re-establishing the band as a serious musical force. ''Pump'' was a critical and commercial success, eventually selling 7 million copies, spawning several music videos that were in regular rotation on MTV, and achieving four-star ratings from major music magazines. ''Pump'' ranked as the fourth-bestselling album of 1990. The band also won its first
Grammy The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...
in the category of Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, for "Janie's Got a Gun". In addition, the video for "Janie's Got a Gun" won two Video Music Awards and was ranked as one of the 100 greatest videos of all time by ''Rolling Stone'', MTV, and VH1. In support of ''Pump'', the band embarked on the 12-month Pump Tour, which lasted for most of 1990. On February 21, 1990, the band appeared in a "
Wayne's World "Wayne's World" was originally a recurring sketch from the NBC television series ''Saturday Night Live''. The first "Wayne's World" sketch appeared in the 13th ''Saturday Night Live'' episode of the Saturday Night Live season 14, 1988–1989 seas ...
" sketch on ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
'' debating the fall of communism and the Soviet Union; they also performed their recent hits " Janie's Got a Gun" and " Monkey on My Back". The appearance of the band in the "Wayne's World" sketch was later ranked by E! as the number-one moment in the history of the program. On August 11, 1990, the band's performance on MTV's ''
Unplugged Unplugged may refer to: *Acoustic music, music not produced through electronic means * "Unplugged" (B.A.P song), 2014 * "Unplugged" (''Modern Family''), a 2010 episode of ''Modern Family'' Albums and EPs * ''Unplugged'' (5'nizza album), 2002 * '' ...
'' aired. In October 1990, the Pump Tour ended, with the band's first ever performances in Australia. That same year, the band was also inducted to the Hollywood Rock Walk. The band took a brief break before recording their follow-up to ''Pump'' in 1992. Despite significant shifts in mainstream music at the beginning of the 1990s, 1993's ''
Get a Grip ''Get a Grip'' is the eleventh studio album by American rock band Aerosmith, released in April 1993 by Geffen Records. ''Get a Grip'' was the band's last studio album to be released by Geffen before they returned to Columbia Records. ''Get a ...
'' was just as successful commercially, becoming their first album to debut at number 1 and racking up sales of 7 million copies in a two-and-a-half-year timespan and over 20 million copies worldwide. The first singles were the hard rocking " Livin' on the Edge" and " Eat the Rich". Though many critics were unimpressed by the focus on the subsequent interchangeable power-ballads in promoting the album, all three (" Cryin'", " Amazing", and " Crazy") proved to be huge successes on radio and MTV. Tyler's daughter, Liv Tyler, was featured in the "Crazy" video. The band won two
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
s for songs from this album in the category of Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: for "Livin' on the Edge" in 1994 and "Crazy" in 1995. ''Nine Lives'' was released in March 1997. Reviews were mixed, and ''Nine Lives'' initially fell down the charts, although it had a long chart life and sold double platinum in the United States alone, fueled by its singles, " Falling in Love (Is Hard on the Knees)", the ballad " Hole in My Soul", and the crossover-pop smash "
Pink Pink is a pale tint of red, the color of the Dianthus plumarius, pink flower. It was first used as a color name in the late 17th century. According to surveys in Europe and the United States, pink is the color most often associated with charm, p ...
" (which won the band their fourth
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
in 1999 in the Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal category). It was followed by the over two-year-long Nine Lives Tour, which was plagued by problems including Tyler injuring his leg at a concert. In 1998, in the midst of setbacks during the Nine Lives Tour, the band released the single "
I Don't Want to Miss a Thing "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith as the theme song for the 1998 science fiction disaster film '' Armageddon'', in which lead singer Steven Tyler's daughter Liv starred. It is one of four songs perfor ...
". The song is a love song written by
Diane Warren Diane Eve Warren (born September 7, 1956) is an American songwriter. She has won an Academy Honorary Award, Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, two Golden Globe Awards and three consecutive ''Billboard'' Music Awards for Songwriter of the Year from 19 ...
for the 1998 film ''
Armageddon Armageddon ( ; ; ; from ) is the prophesied gathering of armies for a battle during the end times, according to the Book of Revelation in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. Armageddon is variously interpreted as either a literal or a ...
'', which starred Liv Tyler. The song became Aerosmith's first and only number 1 single when it debuted at the top position on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and stayed on top of the charts for four weeks. The song was nominated for an
Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
in 1999.


Continued success and touring (2000–2008)

The band entered their next decade by co-headlining with NSYNC the Super Bowl XXXV halftime show, titled "The Kings of Rock and Pop", with appearances from Britney Spears,
Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, actress, and entrepreneur. Often referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Qu ...
and
Nelly Cornell Iral Haynes Jr. (born November 2, 1974), better known by his stage name Nelly, is an American rapper, singer, and actor. He grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and embarked on his musical career in 1993 as a member of the Midwest hip hop g ...
. In March 2001, the band released their 13th studio album '' Just Push Play'', which quickly went platinum, fueled by the Top 10 single " Jaded" and the appearance of the
title track A title track is a song that has the same name as the album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-t ...
in
Dodge Dodge is an American brand of automobiles and a division of Stellantis, based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Dodge vehicles have historically included performance cars, and for much of its existence, Dodge was Chrysler's mid-priced brand above P ...
commercials. They were inducted to the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), also 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 the ...
soon after their album was released, in late March 2001. Later that year, the band performed as part of the United We Stand: What More Can I Give
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 h ...
in Washington D.C. for 9/11 victims and their families. The band started 2002 by ending the Just Push Play tour, and simultaneously recording segments for their '' Behind the Music'' special on
VH1 VH1 (originally an initialism for Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network that launched on January 1, 1985, and is currently owned by the MTV Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global's networks division based in New Y ...
, which not only chronicled the band's history but also the band's current activities and touring. The special was one of the few ''Behind the Music''s to run two hours in length. MTV honored Aerosmith with their mtvICON award in 2002. Aerosmith's long-promised blues album '' Honkin' on Bobo'' was released in 2004. This was a return to the band's roots, including recording the album in live sessions, working with former producer Jack Douglas, and laying down their blues rock grit. In October 2005, Aerosmith released a CD/DVD '' Rockin' the Joint''. The band hit the road for the Rockin' the Joint Tour on October 30 with
Lenny Kravitz Leonard Albert Kravitz (born May 26, 1964) is an American singer, musician, songwriter, record producer, and actor. His debut album ''Let Love Rule (Lenny Kravitz album), Let Love Rule'' (1989) was characterized by a blend of Rock music, rock ...
for a fall/winter tour of arenas in the largest US markets. The band planned to tour with
Cheap Trick Cheap Trick is an American rock band formed in Rockford, Illinois in 1970 by guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson, lead vocalist Robin Zander and drummer Bun E. Carlos. Their work bridged elements of '60s pop rock, guitar pop, '70s har ...
in the spring, hitting secondary markets in the US. Almost all of this leg of the tour was canceled, however. Dates were initially canceled one by one until March 22, 2006, when it was announced that Tyler needed throat surgery, and the remaining dates on the tour were subsequently canceled. Tyler and Perry performed with the
Boston Pops Orchestra The Boston Pops is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts, specializing in light classical and popular music. The orchestra's current music director is Keith Lockhart. Founded in 1885 as an offshoot of the Boston Symphony Orc ...
for their annual concert of July 4 on the Esplanade in 2006, a milestone as it was the first major event or performance since Steven Tyler's throat surgery. Around this time, the band also announced that they would embark on the Route of All Evil Tour with
Mötley Crüe Mötley Crüe is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Hollywood, California, in 1981 by bassist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, with guitarist Mick Mars and lead vocalist Vince Neil joining right after. The band has sol ...
in late 2006. In early 2007, the band announced a new World Tour, their first for nearly a decade to include dates outside North America or Japan. On July 18, 2008, Tyler appeared with
Billy Joel William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Piano Man" after his Signature song, signature 1973 song Piano Man (song), of the same name, Joel has ha ...
at the last concert to be played at
Shea Stadium William A. Shea Municipal Stadium ( ), typically shortened to Shea Stadium, was a multi-purpose stadium in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, New York City.HarperCollins HarperCollins Publishers LLC is a British–American publishing company that is considered to be one of the "Big Five (publishers), Big Five" English-language publishers, along with Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group USA, Hachette, Macmi ...
won an auction to publish Tyler's autobiography. That same month, Tyler performed with trumpeter
Chris Botti Christopher Stephen Botti ( ; born October 12, 1962) is an American trumpeter and composer. In 2013, Botti won the Grammy Award in the Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album, Best Pop Instrumental Album category, for the album Impressions ...
in Boston. The concert was released as a CD/DVD, '' Chris Botti In Boston'' in March 2009. In December 2008, Tyler made a surprise appearance at the
Trans-Siberian Orchestra Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) is an American rock band founded in 1996 by producer, composer, and lyricist Paul O'Neill (producer), Paul O'Neill, who brought together Jon Oliva and Al Pitrelli (both members of Savatage) and keyboardist and co-pr ...
concerts at
Nassau Coliseum Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum (or simply the Nassau Coliseum) is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Uniondale, New York, on Long Island. The venue is situated approximately east of the eastern limits of the Borough (New York City), borough of Q ...
(December 12, 2008) and the
Izod Center Meadowlands Arena (formerly Brendan Byrne Arena, Continental Airlines Arena and Izod Center) is a closed indoor sports and concert venue located in the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States. Since closing, ...
(December 13, 2008). At the Izod Center, he collaborated with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra on " Dream On" and "Sweet Emotion".


Touring, ''American Idol'' and albums (2009–2014)

On August 5, 2009, while on the Guitar Hero Aerosmith Tour, Tyler fell off a stage near Sturgis, South DakotaSteven Tyler Damage Report: Broken Shoulder, Stitches ... Canceled Tour?
. Eonline.com (August 7, 2009); retrieved on March 25, 2012.
and was hospitalized. (August 8, 2009; published by the
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...
); retrieved August 11, 2009.
On November 9, 2009, the media reported that Tyler had no contact with the other members of Aerosmith and that they were unsure if he was still in the band. On November 10, 2009, Joe Perry confirmed Tyler had quit Aerosmith to pursue a solo career and was unsure whether the move was indefinite. No replacement was announced. Despite rumors of leaving the band, and notwithstanding Perry's comment as reported earlier the same day, Tyler joined the Joe Perry Project onstage November 10, 2009, at the Fillmore New York at
Irving Plaza Irving Plaza (known through sponsorship as Irving Plaza, powered by Verizon 5G and formerly known as the Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza) is a ballroom-style music venue located within the Union Square neighborhood of Manhattan in New York ...
and performed "Walk This Way". According to sources at the event, Tyler assured the crowd that despite rumors to the contrary, he is "not quitting Aerosmith." In 2010, Tyler embarked on the Cocked, Locked, Ready to Rock Tour with Aerosmith, which had them perform over 40 concerts in 18 countries. On September 16, 2010, it was reported he would have his first solo project. He wrote "Love Lives", a theme song for the Japanese sci-fi movie ''Space Battleship Yamato''. The song was based on the English translated script, as well as on some clips of the film itself. The single was released on November 24, a week before the movie was released. On September 22, 2010, Fox confirmed that Tyler would replace
Simon Cowell Simon Phillip Cowell (; born 7 October 1959) is an English television personality and businessman. He has judged on the British television talent competition shows ''Pop Idol'' (2001–2003), ''The X Factor (British TV series), The X Factor UK ...
as a judge for the tenth season of ''
American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American Music competition, singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle (company), Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It a ...
'' alongside
Randy Jackson Randall Darius Jackson (born June 23, 1956) is an American record executive, television presenter and musician, best known as a judge on ''American Idol'' from 2002 to 2013. Jackson began his career in the 1980s as a session musician playing b ...
and fellow new judge
Jennifer Lopez Jennifer Lynn Lopez (born July 24, 1969), also known by her nickname J.Lo, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer and businesswoman. Lopez is regarded as one of the most influential entertainers of her time, credited with breaking ...
(who replaced Kara DioGuardi and
Ellen DeGeneres Ellen Lee DeGeneres ( ; born January 26, 1958) is an American former comedian, actress, television host, writer, and producer. She began her career in stand-up comedy in the early 1980s, gaining national attention with a 1986 appearance on '' ...
). On January 19, 2011, Tyler made his debut appearance as a judge on ''American Idol'' during the premiere of the show's 10th season, which aired through the end of May. On April 2, 2011, Tyler presented an award at the 2011 Kids' Choice Awards. The following day, he performed with Carrie Underwood at the
Academy of Country Music The Academy of Country Music (ACM) was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Among the founders were Eddie Miller (songwriter), Eddie Miller, Tommy Wiggins, and Mickey and Chris ...
Awards. Underwood and Tyler performed Underwood's song " Undo It" and completed their segment with an energetic version of the Aerosmith classic "Walk This Way". On May 3, 2011, he released his autobiography ''Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?'', which reached number two on ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' Best Seller List in the category Hardcover Non-fiction. On October 22, 2011, Tyler set off for an 18-date Aerosmith tour across Latin America and Japan. On October 25, it was reported by TMZ that Tyler slipped in his hotel shower in
Paraguay Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...
and injured his face. The band's scheduled show was postponed for the following night. When he did finally perform after the opening song, he proudly displayed his broken tooth which he had on a string around his neck. He then removed his sunglasses to reveal a nasty black eye. On January 22, 2012, Tyler sang the National Anthem at the
AFC Championship Game The AFC Championship Game is the annual championship game of the American Football Conference (AFC) and one of the two semifinal NFL playoffs, playoff games of the National Football League (NFL), the largest professional American football lea ...
. On March 11, 2012, a special about Aerosmith aired on ''
60 Minutes ''60 Minutes'' is an American television news magazine broadcast on the CBS television network. Debuting in 1968, the program was created by Don Hewitt and Bill Leonard, who distinguished it from other news programs by using a unique style o ...
'', where some of the comments made by the band members highlighted the still-contentious relationships in the band. On March 22, Perry surprised Tyler with a performance of " Happy Birthday" on ''American Idol'' in advance of Tyler's 64th birthday. On March 26, 2012, Aerosmith announced their " Global Warming Tour" with dates in many major North American cities from June 16 to August 8, preceded by a performance on May 30 for
Walmart Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores in the United States and 23 other ...
shareholders. In April, a
Burger King Burger King Corporation (BK, stylized in all caps) is an American multinational chain store, chain of hamburger fast food restaurants. Headquartered in Miami-Dade County, Florida, the company was founded in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacks ...
television commercial featuring Tyler debuted. Aerosmith's new album, ''
Music from Another Dimension! Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all human societies. Definitions o ...
'' was set for release on November 6, 2012 and the band debuted their new single " Legendary Child" with a performance of the song on the season finale of ''American Idol'' on May 23. On July 12, 2012, Tyler announced that he would be leaving ''American Idol'' after two seasons. Tyler has since indicated that his troubles with his bandmates were the primary reason he signed up to do ''American Idol''. He was replaced by
Keith Urban Keith Lionel Urban ( né Urbahn; 26 October 1967) is an Australian and American country singer, songwriter and guitarist. Recognised with four Grammy Awards, he has also received 15 Academy of Country Music Awards, including the Jim Reeves Int ...
. On August 12, Aerosmith wrapped up the first leg of their Global Warming Tour with a rescheduled performance in Bristow, Virginia, and on August 28, the band released two singles simultaneously, the rocker " Lover Alot" and the ballad " What Could Have Been Love", both of which were coproduced and cowritten by Tyler. On September 22, Aerosmith performed at the
iHeartRadio iHeartRadio (often shortened to just "iHeart") is an American freemium broadcast, podcast, radio streaming and Music Streaming platform owned by iHeartMedia. Founded in August 2008, iHeartRadio serves as the national umbrella brand for iHeart ...
music festival in Las Vegas. On November 6, the new Aerosmith album ''
Music from Another Dimension! Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all human societies. Definitions o ...
'' was released, and on November 8, the band began the second leg of their Global Warming Tour, which took the band to 14 North American cities through December 13. On January 21, 2013, Aerosmith released " Can't Stop Lovin' You" (featuring Carrie Underwood) as the fourth single from ''Music from Another Dimension!''. On February 20, it was announced that Tyler and his songwriting partner Joe Perry would be recipients of the
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, broadc ...
Founders Award at the society's 30th Annual Pop Music Awards on April 17. Two days later, it was announced that the duo would be inducted into the
Songwriters Hall of Fame The Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF) is an American institution founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer, music publisher/songwriter Abe Olman, and publisher/executive Howie Richmond to honor those whose work represent and maintain the heri ...
at a ceremony to be held on June 13. In late April and early May 2013, Aerosmith extended their Global Warming Tour to Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines and Singapore. This marked the band's first performances in Australia in 23 years, and the band's first-ever performances in the latter three countries. On May 30, Aerosmith performed as part of the "
Boston Strong "Boston Strong" is a slogan that was created as part of the reaction to the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013. It is a variation on the term Livestrong, which was created in 2004. Since the phrase became popular it has been frequently placed on va ...
" charity concert for victims of the
Boston Marathon bombing The Boston Marathon bombing, sometimes referred to as simply the Boston bombing, was an Islamist domestic terrorist attack that took place during the 117th annual Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013. Brothers Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarna ...
. The band also performed at a handful of shows in the U.S. and Japan in July and August In the fall of 2013, Aerosmith extended their tour to Central and South America, including their first-ever performances in Guatemala, El Salvador and Uruguay. From May 17 to June 28, 2014, Tyler performed 15 shows with Aerosmith on the European leg of the Global Warming Tour. This was followed by the Let Rock Rule Tour (featuring
Slash Slash may refer to: * Slash (punctuation), the "/" character Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Slash (Marvel Comics) * Slash (''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'') Music * Harry Slash & The Slashtones, an American rock band * Nash th ...
with
Myles Kennedy Myles Richard Bass (born November 27, 1969), known professionally as Myles Kennedy, is an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. He is the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the rock band Alter Bridge and of List of Slash band members, S ...
and the Conspirators as the opening act), which sent Aerosmith to 19 locations across North America from July 10 to September 12.


Solo album and touring with Aerosmith (2015–present)

On March 31, 2015, Tyler stated that he was working on his first solo country album. On April 6, it was announced that he signed a record deal with
Scott Borchetta Scott Borchetta (born July 3, 1962) is an American record executive and founder of the Big Machine Records#Imprints, Big Machine Label Group. He started the label in 2005 with Taylor Swift as its first signed artist and 13 employees, he served ...
's
Dot Records Dot Records was an American record label founded by Randy Wood (record producer), Randy Wood and Gene Nobles that was active between 1950 and 1978. The original headquarters of Dot Records were in Gallatin, Tennessee. In its early years, Dot sp ...
(a division of the
Big Machine Label Group Big Machine Records is an American record label, distributed by Universal Music Group. Big Machine is based on Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee. The label was founded in September 2005 by former DreamWorks Records executiv ...
). On May 13, Tyler released the lead single, " Love Is Your Name", from his forthcoming debut album. He promoted the song on '' the Bobby Bones Show'',
iHeartMedia iHeartMedia, Inc., or CC Media Holdings, Inc., is an American mass media corporation headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It is the holding company of iHeartCommunications, Inc., formerly Clear Channel Communications, Inc., a company founded by ...
, ''
CBS This Morning ''CBS This Morning'' (''CTM'') is an American morning television program that aired on CBS from November 30, 1987 to October 29, 1999, and again from January 9, 2012 to September 6, 2021. On November 1, 1999, the original incarnation was repla ...
'', ''
Entertainment Tonight ''Entertainment Tonight'' (or simply ''ET'') is an American Broadcast syndication, first-run syndicated news broadcasting news magazine, newsmagazine program that is distributed by CBS Media Ventures throughout the United States and owned by Par ...
'' and the ''American Idol'' season-14 finale. To increase his exposure to the country audience, Tyler appeared as himself in an episode of the musical drama series ''
Nashville Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
'', performing a cover of " Crazy" with Juliette Barnes (portrayed by
Hayden Panettiere Hayden Lesley Panettiere ( ; born August 21, 1989) is an American actress and singer. She has starred as Claire Bennet on the NBC superhero series ''Heroes (American TV series), Heroes'' (2006–2010), Kirby Reed in the slasher film, slasher Ho ...
). On June 13, Tyler rejoined his Aerosmith bandmates for the Blue Army Tour, which sent the band to 17 North American locations through August 7; this was followed by a one-off performance in Moscow on September 5. From the fall of 2015 through the spring of 2016, Tyler completed work on his solo album, '' We're All Somebody from Somewhere'', which was released on July 15, 2016. A second single, "Red, White & You", was released in January 2016, followed by the third single (the title track) in June 2016. Since December 2015, in various interviews, Tyler and fellow Aerosmith bandmates Brad Whitford and Joe Perry all began discussing the possibility of an Aerosmith farewell tour or "wind-down tour", potentially slated to start in 2017. Perry has suggested that such a tour could last for two years while Tyler said it could potentially last "forever"; Tyler and Whitford also discussed the potential of doing a final studio album. From September through October 2016, Tyler rejoined Aerosmith for a nine-date tour of Latin America, called the Rock 'N' Roll Rumble Tour, preceded by a performance at the Kaaboo Festival in
San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...
. In April 2017, Tyler performed with Aerosmith in
Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona. With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, it is the ...
for the NCAA Final Four men's basketball tournament and also performed two solo shows with Loving Mary in Japan. Tyler rejoined Aerosmith for a "farewell" tour of Europe in the spring and summer of 2017, titled the Aero-Vederci Baby! Tour. After the European leg concluded in July, the band played in South America in September and October 2017. On August 15, Tyler appeared with Aerosmith on NBC's ''
Today Today (archaically to-day) may refer to: * The current day and calendar date ** Today is between and , subject to the local time zone * Now, the time that is perceived directly, present * The current, present era Arts, entertainment and m ...
'' show to announce a residency in Las Vegas called " Deuces Are Wild", a reference to both Las Vegas
casino A casino is a facility for gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos also host live entertainment, such as stand-up comedy, conce ...
gambling and their 1994 single of the same name. The band was booked to play 50 shows from April 2019 thru June 2020 at the Park Theater. In July and August 2019, it performed at a festival in Minnesota and played nine shows at three MGM venues in Maryland, New Jersey and Massachusetts. In March 2022, Aerosmith announced the return of the Deuces Are Wild residency, which was set to begin in June. On May 24, 2022, the band announced that the June and July dates would be canceled due to Tyler checking himself into a rehab facility. The band shared that Tyler relapsed after having foot surgery to prepare for the upcoming shows. In August 2024, Aerosmith announced the band's retirement from touring due to Tyler being unable to fully recover from vocal cord injures and a fractured
larynx The larynx (), commonly called the voice box, is an organ (anatomy), organ in the top of the neck involved in breathing, producing sound and protecting the trachea against food aspiration. The opening of larynx into pharynx known as the laryngeal ...
sustained during a September 2023 concert.


Dirico Motorcycles (Red Wing Motorcycles)

On September 15, 2007, at New Hampshire International Speedway, Tyler announced the launch of Dirico Motorcycles, which are designed by Tyler, engineered by Mark Dirico, and built by AC Custom Motorcycles in
Manchester, New Hampshire Manchester is the List of municipalities in New Hampshire, most populous city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. Located on the banks of the Merrimack River, it had a population of 115,644 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Manches ...
. Tyler has been a long-time motorcycle fan and riding enthusiast, Tyler also participates in a variety of charity auctions involving motorcycles, including the Ride for Children charity.


Politics

In the early months of 2013, an act was forwarded into the Hawaii legislature entitled the Steven Tyler Act (Hawaii Senate Bill 465). The act would give more privacy to public figures such as government officials and celebrities on vacation. Tyler and numerous other celebrities all lobbied for it. The legislation would give public figures the right to sue paparazzi for taking unwanted photographs. The bill's sponsor is
Maui Maui (; Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: ) is the second largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago, at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2). It is the List of islands of the United States by area, 17th-largest in the United States. Maui is one of ...
state legislator J. Kalani English. The bill was cleared through the Judiciary Committee on Friday, February 8, 2013. In August 2015, Aerosmith attended the first Republican Party presidential debate held in Cleveland, as the band was in town for a Pro Bowl concert appearance. Tyler was reportedly a guest of candidate
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
, rather than sitting with the band. Tyler's agent told reporters that he was there to promote his copyright reform ideas.


Personal life


Persona

Tyler has been known to have an androgynous persona both on and offstage such as flamboyant clothes and makeup. In his 2011 memoir ''Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?'', Tyler wrote:


Family and relationships

Tyler had a brief relationship with fashion model Bebe Buell, during which he fathered actress Liv Tyler, born in 1977. Buell initially claimed that the father was
Todd Rundgren Todd Harry Rundgren (born June 22, 1948) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who has performed a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of the bands Nazz and Utopia. He is known for his sophistica ...
to protect her daughter from Tyler's drug addiction. Through Liv's marriage to British musician Royston Langdon and relationship with entertainment manager David Gardner, Tyler has three grandchildren. In 1978, he married Cyrinda Foxe, an ex-
Warhol Andy Warhol (;''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''"Warhol" born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director and producer. A leading figure in the pop art movement, Warhol ...
model and the former wife of
New York Dolls New York Dolls were an American rock music, rock band formed in New York City in 1971. Along with the Velvet Underground, the MC5, and the Stooges, they were one of the first bands of the early punk rock scenes. Although the band never achieved ...
' lead singer
David Johansen David Roger Johansen (January 9, 1950 – February 28, 2025) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor best known as lead singer of the seminal proto-punk band the New York Dolls. He is also known for his work under the pseudonym Buster Po ...
, and fathered model Mia Tyler (born on December 22, 1978). He and Foxe divorced in 1987; in 1997, she published ''Dream On: Livin' on the Edge with Steven Tyler and Aerosmith'', a memoir of her life with Tyler. Foxe died from a
brain tumor A brain tumor (sometimes referred to as brain cancer) occurs when a group of cells within the Human brain, brain turn cancerous and grow out of control, creating a mass. There are two main types of tumors: malignant (cancerous) tumors and benign ...
in 2002. On May 28, 1988, in
Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa ( ) is the List of municipalities in Oklahoma, second-most-populous city in the U.S. state, state of Oklahoma, after Oklahoma City, and the List of United States cities by population, 48th-most-populous city in the United States. The po ...
, Tyler married clothing designer Teresa Barrick. With Barrick, he fathered a daughter, Chelsea, born around 1989 and a son, Taj, born around 1991. In February 2005, the couple announced that they were separating due to personal problems. The divorce was finalized in January 2006. Tyler began a relationship with Erin Brady in 2006. They got engaged in December 2011 but called it off in January 2013.


Julia Holcomb

In 1973, Tyler obtained guardianship of 16-year-old Julia Holcomb so that she could live with him in Boston. They dated and took drugs together for three years. Holcomb was referred to by the pseudonym "Diana Hall" by the editor of the Aerosmith autobiography ''Walk This Way'' in an attempt to conceal her identity, but other sources have confirmed her identity. Pressures leading to their split included their age difference (Tyler was 25 when they first met), a withdrawn marriage proposal, a house fire, and a planned pregnancy that resulted in an
abortion Abortion is the early termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. Abortions that occur without intervention are known as miscarriages or "spontaneous abortions", and occur in roughly 30–40% of all pregnan ...
when Tyler was worried that the smoke from the fire, as well as drugs, might lead to
birth defect A birth defect is an abnormal condition that is present at birth, regardless of its cause. Birth defects may result in disabilities that may be physical, intellectual, or developmental. The disabilities can range from mild to severe. Birth de ...
s. '' Look Away'', a documentary about sexual abuse in the rock music industry, features Holcomb's story. Band member Ray Tabano wrote in ''Walk This Way'' that the abortion "really messed Steven up," because the fetus was male. Tyler wrote, "It was a big crisis. It's a major thing when you're growing something with a woman, but they convinced us that it would never work out and would ruin our lives. You go to the doctor and they put the needle in her belly and they squeeze the stuff in and you watch. And it comes out dead. I was pretty devastated. In my mind, I'm going, Jesus, what have I done?" Holcomb stated in 2011 that after the operation, Tyler had informed her that the child "had been born alive and allowed to die". Holcomb, who later took the name "Julia Misley," filed suit in December 2022, alleging that Tyler sexually assaulted her and forced her to undergo the abortion, plying her with drugs and alcohol after promising to care for her in the guardianship agreement. In February 2023, Tyler was officially named a defendant in the lawsuit, which also claimed he used his fame and status to "
groom A bridegroom (often shortened to groom) is a man who is about to be married or who is newlywed. When marrying, the bridegroom's future spouse is usually referred to as the bride. A bridegroom is typically attended by a best man and Groomsman, ...
, manipulate, exploit, ndsexually assault" Misley over the course of three years, beginning when she was 16 and he was in his mid-20s. In a motion to dismiss the lawsuit that was filed in March 2023, Tyler claimed their relationship was consensual and that he had
immunity Immunity may refer to: Medicine * Immunity (medical), resistance of an organism to infection or disease * ''Immunity'' (journal), a scientific journal published by Cell Press Biology * Immune system Engineering * Radiofrequence immunity ...
because he was her legal guardian at the time. The motion further stated that Tyler's actions with regards to the abortion decision were legitimate, justified, and in good faith. Tyler's 2023 denial of sexual assault and claim of immunity has drawn scrutiny and has perplexed several attorneys who were experts in the field of sexual assault. On reviewing Tyler's answer to the suit launched against him that same year, Misley's lawyer claimed that Tyler was "
gaslighting Gaslighting is the manipulation of someone into questioning their perception of reality. The term derives from the 1944 film ''Gaslight (1944 film), Gaslight'' and became popular in the mid-2010s. Some mental health experts have expressed c ...
". After the release of the documentary ''Look Away'', it was discussed on Instagram by
Courtney Love Courtney Michelle Love (née Harrison; born July 9, 1964) is an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, and actress. A figure in the alternative and grunge scenes of the 1990s, Love has had a career spanning four decades. She rose to promi ...
, where she supported some of the claims made, commenting that Tyler also "adopted" another 13-year-old girl in a similar fashion.


Health

Tyler and his bandmate, Joe Perry, have been referred to as the Toxic Twins for their legendary intake of
stimulant Stimulants (also known as central nervous system stimulants, or psychostimulants, or colloquially as uppers) are a class of drugs that increase alertness. They are used for various purposes, such as enhancing attention, motivation, cognition, ...
s and heroin. In 1980, Tyler he collapsed on stage during a show in
Portland, Maine Portland is the List of municipalities in Maine, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine and the county seat, seat of Cumberland County, Maine, Cumberland County. Portland's population was 68,408 at the 2020 census. The Portland metropolit ...
and did not get up for the remainder of the set. In the fall of 1980, Tyler was injured in a serious motorcycle accident, which left him hospitalized for two months and unable to tour or record well into 1981. At a homecoming arena show in
Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Massachusetts, second-most populous city in the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the list of United States cities by population, 113th most populous city in the United States. Named after Worcester ...
in the early 1980s, Tyler and Perry got high backstage before the show; Tyler was so intoxicated that he collapsed onstage again. Tyler recalled, "I made like $4 or $5 million by 1979, and by '83... I lost it all. I remember in the early days looking at another fucked-up rock 'n' roll star and thinking, 'I will never end up like that, man.' They had all these riches and blew it all. That would never happen to me... I forgot about reality and just loved shooting dope and coke. Stupid." In 1986, Tyler completed a successful
drug rehabilitation Drug rehabilitation is the process of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs, and street drugs such as cannabis, cocaine, heroin, and amphetamines. The general int ...
program after an intervention by his fellow band members, a doctor, and manager Tim Collins. In 2006, immediately after a two-hour performance in Florida, Tyler got into an argument during which he yelled. He awoke the next morning to find that he had a hoarse voice. On March 22, 2006, the ''
Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'' reported that Tyler would undergo surgery for an "undisclosed medical condition". A statement from Tyler's publicist read in part, "Despite Aerosmith's desire to keep the tour going as long as possible, yler'sdoctors advised him not to continue performing to give his voice time to recover." Aerosmith's remaining North American tour dates in 2006 on the Rockin' the Joint Tour were subsequently canceled. The cause was diagnosed as a ruptured blood vessel in his throat, which was successfully sealed off using a
laser A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The word ''laser'' originated as an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radi ...
by Dr. Steven M. Zeitels, director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Laryngeal Surgery and Voice Rehabilitation. In the words of Tyler: "He just took a laser and zapped the blood vessel." After a few weeks of rest, Tyler and the rest of Aerosmith entered the studio on May 20, 2006, to begin work on their new album. Tyler's first public performance after the surgery was July 3–4, 2006, with Joe Perry at the Hatch Shell in Boston, with the
Boston Pops Orchestra The Boston Pops is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts, specializing in light classical and popular music. The orchestra's current music director is Keith Lockhart. Founded in 1885 as an offshoot of the Boston Symphony Orc ...
. The duo sang "Dream On", "Walk This Way" and "
I Don't Want to Miss a Thing "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith as the theme song for the 1998 science fiction disaster film '' Armageddon'', in which lead singer Steven Tyler's daughter Liv starred. It is one of four songs perfor ...
" as part of the Boston Pops July 4 Fireworks Spectacular. Tyler's throat surgery was featured in 2007 on an episode of the
National Geographic Channel National Geographic (formerly National Geographic Channel; abbreviated and trademarked as Nat Geo or Nat Geo TV) is an American pay television network and flagship channel owned by the National Geographic Global Networks unit of Disney Enter ...
series, ''Incredible Human Machine''. In a September 2006 interview with ''
Access Hollywood ''Access Hollywood'', briefly known as ''Access'' from 2017 to 2019, is an American weekday television entertainment news program that premiered on September 9, 1996. It covers events and celebrities in the entertainment industry. It was create ...
'', Tyler revealed that he had been suffering from
hepatitis C Hepatitis C is an infectious disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) that primarily affects the liver; it is a type of viral hepatitis. During the initial infection period, people often have mild or no symptoms. Early symptoms can include ...
for the past 11 years. He was diagnosed with the disease in 2003 and had undergone extensive treatment from 2003 to 2006, including 11 months of
interferon Interferons (IFNs, ) are a group of signaling proteins made and released by host cells in response to the presence of several viruses. In a typical scenario, a virus-infected cell will release interferons causing nearby cells to heighten ...
therapy, which he said was "agony". The disease is usually spread through blood-to-blood contact, or by sharing used needles. On May 21, 2008, Tyler checked into Las Encinas Hospital rehabilitation clinic in
Pasadena, California Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commerci ...
, to recover from multiple leg surgeries. He made a public statement saying, "The 'foot repair' pain was intense, greater than I'd anticipated. The months of rehabilitative care and the painful strain of physical therapy were traumatic. I really needed a safe environment to recuperate where I could shut off my phone and get back on my feet." On August 5, 2009, while on the Guitar Hero Aerosmith Tour, Tyler fell off a stage near Sturgis, South Dakota, injuring his head and neck and breaking his shoulder. He was airlifted to Rapid City Regional Hospital. On October 25, 2011, it was reported by TMZ that Tyler slipped in his hotel shower in
Paraguay Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...
and injured his face, including losing several teeth. Tyler was rushed to the hospital, and the scheduled show was postponed for the following night. Tyler has publicly acknowledged his struggles with drug and alcohol addiction. In a 2019 interview, Tyler recalled: "There was a moment in '88 where management and the band pulled an intervention on me. They thought, 'Get the lead singer sober, and all our problems would be over'...I am grateful and owe a thanks to them for my sobriety". Tyler added: "I have had many times in my life where I just couldn't handle — whether it was a marriage or my addiction had reared its ugly head — and the rest of the guys in the band are not unlike that. But we have all seen each other through it, and we are here today". On May 24, 2022, the band announced that Tyler had checked himself into a rehab facility. Tyler had relapsed after having foot surgery to prepare for the upcoming shows. In September 2023, Tyler suffered a vocal injury during a concert from Aerosmith's farewell tour. In August 2024, the group was forced to cancel the tour and retire from touring after it was determined that Tyler could not sufficiently recover from the injury.


Discography


Studio albums


Singles


Collaborative work


Music videos


Filmography


Philanthropy

Tyler launched Janie's Fund – named after Aerosmith's 1989 track " Janie's Got a Gun" – in 2015 to providing protection and counseling for young female victims of abuse, and he has helped raise over $2.4 million for the organization since then. Janie's House, established in 2017 in
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
, offers shelter for victims of abuse or neglect, with space for 30 live-in clients and 24-hour medical facilities available.


Awards and nominations

*
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
nomination in
2011 The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...
: – '' Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program'' – for playing the Mad Hatter on '' Wonder Pets: Adventures in Wonderland''


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Tyler, Steven 1948 births 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American male singers 20th-century American singer-songwriters 21st-century American male actors 21st-century American male singers 21st-century American singer-songwriters Actors from the New York metropolitan area Aerosmith members American country rock singers American country singer-songwriters American harmonica players American heavy metal singers American Idol participants American male singer-songwriters American people of Italian descent American people of English descent American people of German descent American people of Polish descent American people of African descent American rock songwriters American blues rock musicians American tenors APRA Award winners Berklee College of Music alumni Hard rock singers Living people Male actors from Boston Male actors from New York (state) Singers from Boston Musicians from the New York metropolitan area New York (state) Republicans People from Sunapee, New Hampshire Musicians from Yonkers, New York Singer-songwriters from Massachusetts Singer-songwriters from New York (state) Glam metal musicians Judges in American reality television series Musicians from Manhattan Kings of Chaos (band) members