Steven Tyler When thinking of a legendary rock ’n’ roll veteran with trademark big, wide lips, who comes to mind? One possibility is “Mick Jagger,” leader of the British classic rock band The Rolling Stones, but Steven Tyler also fits this description quite nicely. Born March 26, 1948 in New York to an Italian-German father and a Cherokee-Russian mother, Steven Tyler is the frontman and lead singer for the rock band Aerosmith, formed in the early ’70s in Boston. Besides the big, crazy lips, Steven Tyler, or the “Demon of Screamin,” is also renowned for hanging colorful scarves around his mic stand during concerts, and for his past drug abuse. Steven Tyler is also well-known for fathering famous actress Liv Tyler through a love affair with fashion model and Playboy playmate Bebe Buell in 1976. Steven Tyler married model Cyrinda Foxe in 1978 and together they had daughter, Mia Tyler, who became a plus-sized model. Foxe and Tyler divorced after ten years of marriage. In 1997 Cyrinda Foxe published a memoir of life with Steven Tyler called Dream On, and in 2002 she died after a battle with brain cancer. Following his divorce to Foxe, Steven Tyler married makeup artist Teresa Barrick and had two children with her: Chelsea (1988) and Taj (1991). They announced a separation in early February 2005 with plans to divorce in 2006.
Aerosmith played regularly in the Boston scene under the leadership of manager Frank Connelly. Later they secured new management—Steve Leber and David Krebs—in New York along with a record deal, and released their self-titled debut album in 1973. That album was followed by albums Get Your Wings, Toys In the Attic and Rocks, all released in the mid-70s. All the albums were mega successes and propelled the band into international fame and fortune. However, substance abuse and stimulant addictions were rampant in the band. Steven Tyler and Joe Perry were often dubbed the “Toxic Twins,” and also had personal issues with each other. The tension and drug abuse led to the temporary demise and breakup of Aerosmith in the late-70s, as well as some not-so-successful albums. But in the mid-80s Steven Tyler and Perry finished their stint in drug rehab and Aerosmith went on to produce a round of wildly successful albums, including Permanent Vacation (1987), Pump (1989), and Get a Grip (1993). Since then Steven Tyler and Aerosmith have released three more relatively successful albums: Nine Lives (1997), Just Push Play (2001) and Honkin’ on Bobo (2004).
Steven Tyler and the rest of Aerosmith were inducted by Kid Rock into the Rock ’n Roll Hall of Fame in March 2001. Steven Tyler also received an honorary degree from Berklee College of Music in 2003 and two years later, an honorary doctorate from the University of Massachusetts. This is what Steven Tyler wants on his gravestone: “Here lies Tyler, the Demon of Screamin, who never woke up from the dream he was dreamin, until one day he drank some magic potion, now all that’s left is sweet emotion.” |
