Sir Rod Stewart, the British singer-songwriter known for his raspy voice and status as one of the best‑selling artists of all time, rocked a sold-out show at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre on March 5.
Now 81, the serenader belted out favorites such as “Maggie May,” “You Wear It Well” and “Forever Young.”
While Stewart is no longer dancing splits and rolling a soccer ball on stage, his voice remains solid, steady and strong. Under the perfect St. Augustine night at Billboard magazine’s “Top East Coast Amphitheater,” Stewart did not disappoint.
Stewart was born at home during World War II to a family that was neither poor nor affluent. Soccer and music were his favorite pastimes. He began his career in 1962 “busking” in the streets of London playing harmonica and in 1963 he played the harmonica and sang with a group called “The Dimensions.”
A string of bands followed suit until he burst on the scene solo in 1969 with the album “An Old Raincoat Won’t Ever Let You Down.” Stewart made his mark with his early blend of rock, folk, soul and R&B.
Global fame arrived in 1971 with his breakthrough album “Every Picture Tells a Story,” which featured the chart topper “Maggie May.” “Never a Dull Moment” followed in 1972 with yet another global chart topper, “You Wear It Well.” Stewart’s “Blondes Have More Fun” had “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy” in the top 10 in many countries.
In 2008, Billboard ranked Stewart among the Top 20 most successful artists on the “Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists.”
Stewart took a Grammy Award home for “Stardust: The Great American Songbook Volume III” in the category of the “Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.” Stewart has had 16 top 10 singles in the United States with four reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
As a solo artist, Stewart was inducted into the American Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 and the United Kingdom Music Hall of Fame in 2006. He won a Brit Award for his “Outstanding Contribution to Music” in 1993 and was voted No. 33 in Q Magazine’s list of the Top 100 Greatest Singers of all time. He was knighted in 2016 during Britain’s Birthday Honours for services to music and charity.
