In Rod we trust
By Caroline Fontein
Rod Stewart’s hair is as timeless as his music. After more than five decades of performing, the legendary British rocker can still swing his hair back and forth to make hordes of women flock to the front of the stage at his shows, and they do.
His new show in Vegas at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace showcases Stewart, 66, belting out his greatest hit songs in his distinctive raspy voice. A live band and three back-up singers and dancers join him on stage as he performs “Maggie May,” “Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright),” “I Don’t Want to Talk About It” and other well-known numbers. A large video screen displaying various projected images and video clips creates the backdrop for Stewart and his band.
For “Hot Legs” Stewart shows off not only his dance moves but his aptitude as a soccer player. Throughout the song he kicks soccer balls into an eager audience scrambling to catch them. Soccer or football, as it’s referred to outside of the United States, was Stewart’s first career choice. After a brief stint with a third division soccer club when he was 15, Stewart changed paths and decided to pursue music. He continues to be a big football fan today.
Throughout his career Stewart has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling recording artists of all time. In 1994 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Stewart started his career playing in several bands around England before finding his first taste of stardom with the Jeff Beck Group in 1966.
When the group disbanded in 1969, Stewart and guitarist Ron Wood joined the group Faces. Though he remained with Faces until 1975, Stewart began a solo career in late 1969 with "The Rod Stewart Album."
His third solo album, "Every Picture Tells a Story," is what made Stewart a household name. "Reason to Believe" was the first single from the album, but when DJs began playing the B-side, "Maggie May," the single became a huge hit.
A steady stream of hit records followed over the next decade including "Tonight's the Night," "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" and "Tonight I'm Yours."
The early '80s were quiet for Stewart but he rebounded with 1988's "Out of Order." His version of "Downtown Train," taken from the 1989 four-disc box set "Storyteller," continued his comeback streak.
Stewart reunited with Wood to record an MTV Unplugged concert in 1993 and the accompanying album launched the hit single, "Have I Told You Lately." "Unplugged" also returned Stewart to a more acoustic-based sound.
In 2002, Stewart recorded "It Had to Be You...The Great American Songbook," an album featuring covers of some of the great American pop songs of the pre-rock era.
"As Time Goes By" followed it into the charts in 2003 and in 2004, the third volume in the series, "Stardust," hit No. 1. "Thanks for the Memory" became the fourth entry in the series in 2005.
In 2006, Stewart continued his series of cover albums, but this time he focused on rock. "Still the Same: Great Rock Classics of Our Time" featured a version of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" as the first single.
Stewart’s music may have changed over the years, but he’s always maintained some variation of his signature spiky hairstyle. He adopted this look when he was 18 as part of the Mod lifestyle that originated in London in the late ’50s. His hair has become so iconic that Stewart’s face isn’t even featured on billboards for his new show in Vegas. Instead, the advertisements feature a backside shot of the performer’s head and his wild hair to promote his shows.
Whether it’s the man behind the music or the hair on top of his head, there’s something magnetic about Stewart that fans just can’t seem to get enough of. More than just the song lyrics, Stewart is living proof that “Some Guys Have All the Luck.”
