Childhood & Early Life
Steven Tyler was born Steven Victor Tallarico on March 26, 1948, in Manhattan, New York, USA, to Susan Ray, a secretary, and Victor Tallarico, a classical musician and music teacher. He is of mixed ancestry.
He went to ‘Roosevelt High School’ and later attended Leonard Quintano's School for young professionals.
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Career
He met his future band mates Joe Perry (guitar) and Tom Hamilton (bass) at a local rock show in 1969. The trio decided to form a band. Two other musicians were recruited and the ‘Aerosmith’ was formed in 1970.
The band signed a record deal with ‘Columbia Records’ in 1972 and released their self-titled album in 1973. It was quickly followed by their next album ‘Get Your Wings’ in 1974. During this time, the band also toured and opened for other bands.
The mid-1970s was a good time for ‘Aerosmith.’ They became very famous with the release of the albums like ‘Toys in the Attic’ (1975) and ‘Rocks’ (1976).
Tyler was fast becoming a youth icon and sex symbol with the success of the band. By 1976, ‘Aerosmith’ was in demand at major rock music festivals where they played in packed stadiums.
The album ‘Draw the Line’ was out in 1977. Like its predecessors, this album too became a huge success. It featured the singles ‘Draw the Line’ and ‘Get it Up.’ The album was listed among the ‘100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time.’
The band toured a lot and performed in places like Europe and Japan. Their live shows were super hits as their fans could never have enough of their music idols.
However, by the end of 1970s, the band began to fall apart. The band members became embroiled in personal struggles. Tyler and Perry developed drug problems that threatened their respective careers and Perry left ‘Aerosmith.’
Tyler was involved in a motorcycle accident in 1980 which furthered his decline. His drug problem worsened and by 1982 he couldn’t think beyond drugs. Also, he began to drink heavily which affected his voice.
After being inactive for years, the band reunited for a comeback concert tour titled ‘Back in the Saddle Tour’ in 1984. However, the band members were still into drugs.
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Realizing that they were jeopardizing their careers because of their drug addiction, the members decided to attend rehabilitation programs in 1986. By the end of the decade, they had completed their treatment.
Their next album ‘Pump’ was out in 1989. The album was highly successful and spawned three Top 10 singles on the ‘Billboard Hot 100.’ The songs dealt with issues like incest, murder, alcoholism, and drug abuse.
The band continued recording into the 1990s, though they were no longer as prolific as before. Their 1993 album ‘Get a Grip’ became the band’s best-selling album. The album featured several guest artists like Desmond Child, Jim Vallance, and Jack Blades.
‘Aerosmith’ was active throughout the first decade of the new millennium. They toured, performed in live shows, and also released albums. Their albums released during the decade include ‘Just Push Play’ (2001) and ‘Honkin' on Bobo’ (2004). In 2012, the band released their album ‘Music from Another Dimension.’
In 2016, Steven released his debut solo album ‘We're All Somebody from Somewhere’ which debuted at number one in ‘US Top Country Albums.’ He followed it up by releasing ‘Out on a Limb Tour.’
After performing for nearly half a century, from 1970 to 2019, the band announced their farewell tour. Tyler and Perry announced that they were working on the band’s last studio album.
Awards & Achievements
Tyler’s band ‘Aerosmith’ has received four ‘Grammy Awards,’ all in the category of ‘Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal’ for the songs ‘Janie’s Got a Gun’ (1990), ‘Livin’ on the Edge’ (1993), ‘Crazy’ (1994), and ‘Pink’ (1999).
He was inducted into the ‘Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’ along with his band ‘Aerosmith’ in 2013. Tyler and his song-writing partner Perry were inducted into the ‘Songwriters Hall of Fame.’
Personal Life & Legacy
He was in a brief relationship with model Bebe Buell during the 1970s. Their relationship produced a daughter named Liv Tyler who went on to become a successful actor, producer, and singer.
He was married to model Cyrinda Foxe whom he divorced in 1987. The couple had a daughter named Mia Tyler.
In 1988, he married clothing designer Teresa Barrick who bore him two children. The couple divorced in 2006.
After ending his marriage with Teresa, he was briefly engaged to Erin Brady, but broke up soon after.
