Steven Tyler Biography

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November 10, 2009

Joe Perry, the lead guitarist of Aerosmith, announced Monday that he and his bandmates were "looking for a new singer to work with," following a split with frontman Steven Tyler.
The recent rift came after Tyler announced his desire to take on solo projects. He also stopped communicating with the rest of the band several months ago, and hired his own manager. Perry also told Reuters last month that Tyler has refused to write a song with him for more than a decade.

The band still managed to perform concerts, but a summer trek through North America abruptly ended in August when Tyler fell off the stage and broke his shoulder. None of his bandmates accompanied him to the hospital.
Guitarist Brad Whitford raised the possibility of bringing in a new vocalist. Tyler was "one of a kind," Whitford said. "But if somebody was willing to do it and the chemistry was right, why not?"

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Musician, singer, songwriter. Born Stephen Victor Tallarico on March 26, 1948, in Yonkers, New York. As the lead singer of Aerosmith, Steven Tyler is considered  one of rock’s greatest showman. The son of a music teacher, he started playing drums, but then focused on singing.

After moving to Boston in the late 1960s, Tyler eventually met up the musicians that would form the rock group Aerosmith. He reportedly met up with guitarist Joe Perry and bassist Tom Hamilton while they were playing in different bands in the Sunapee, New Hampshire area. Guitarist Ray Tabano (who was later replaced by Brad Whitford) and drummer Joey Kramer joined up with the others to form Aerosmith. The band played its first gig together in 1970 and shared an apartment in Boston.

In 1972, Aerosmith signed a contract with Columbia Records. The following year their self-titled debut album was released. It featured the song “Dream On,” which was a minor hit. In the early days of the group many comparisons were drawn with the Rolling Stones because their similar bluesy sound and the physical resemblance between Mick Jagger and Steven Tyler. But with their third album, Toys in the Attic (1975), the band emerged as a leading rock group in its own right. Showcasing their talent for creating hard rock, Aerosmith scored with such songs as “Sweet Emotion” and “Walk This Way.”

Their follow-up album Rocks (1976) also had strong sales despite the lack of a breakout single as did Draw the Line (1977). But by the end of the decade, the band was coming apart at the seams. Perry and Whitford eventually left the group while Tyler became heavily involved with drugs. Tyler kept going the group going by adding new members, but his personal problems affected his creative abilities and Aerosmith was only a shadow of its former self.

By the mid-1980s, Tyler had gotten his act together after going through a rehabilitation program. The original members of Aerosmith reformed and made a remarkable comeback with 1987’s Permanent Vacation, which featured the hits “Dude (Looks Like a Lady)” and “Rag Doll.” The revitalized rock supergroup had more commercial success with its next effort, Pump (1989). It featured such songs as “Love in an Elevator” and “Janie’s Got a Gun.” With the rise of the cable music channel MTV, the band’s videos helped them win over a new generation of fans.

Aerosmith’s winning streak continued with 1993’s Get a Grip, driven in part by such singles as “Livin’ on the Edge,” “Cryin’,” and “Crazy.” By the end of 1990s, the group was unable to maintain its chart momentum with later albums. Tyler and his bandmates were still a big draw for concerts with droves of their fans turning out to see the group play live.

Recently, health problems have cropped up recently for the famed performer. He underwent throat surgery in 2006 that could have ended his singing career. Fortunately the procedure was a success, but Aerosmith had to cancel half of its North American tour for that year. Also in 2006, Tyler announced that he had been treated for Hepatitis C, a liver disease.

Tyler is the father of four children. In 1976, he had a relationship with model Bebe Buell; they have a daughter, actress Liv Tyler. He was married to model Cyrinda Foxe from 1978 to 1988; they have a daughter, model Mia Tyler. He married Teresa Barrick in 1988, with whom he has two children, Chelsea and Taj Monroe. The couple separated in 2005.

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