Heart is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington. Formed in 1967, the group later consisted of vocalist Ann Wilson, guitarist Roger Fisher, bassist Steve Fossen, drummer Brian Johnstone and keyboardist John Hannah. Shortly after the group's formation, Wilson's younger sister Nancy joined as rhythm guitarist, Johnstone was replaced by Michael Derosier and Hannah by Howard Leese. The band's current lineup includes the Wilson sisters, guitarists Ryan Waters (since 2019) and Ryan Wariner, keyboardist/guitarist Paul Moak, bassist Tony Lucido and drummer Sean T. Lane (all since 2023).
Heart formed in 1967 as the Army, which featured guitarist Roger Fisher, bassist Steve Fossen and drummer Mike Fisher (Roger's brother). [1] The group went through a number of lineup changes in its early years, as well as changing its name to White Heart (also sometimes credited simply as Heart) and later Hocus Pocus. [2] Once it had settled on the name Heart in 1973, the band included Roger Fisher and Fossen, vocalist Ann Wilson (who became romantically involved with Mike Fisher), drummer Brian Johnstone and keyboardist John Hannah. [3] Wilson's younger sister Nancy joined as rhythm guitarist the following year (and became romantically involved with Roger Fisher), while Hannah and Johnstone were replaced by Howard Leese and Michael Derosier, respectively, upon the band's signing with Mushroom Records in 1975. [4]
After the release of the band's first four albums, Roger Fisher was fired from Heart in October 1979 due to increased tensions within the group, stemming from his lifestyle and breakup with Nancy Wilson. [5] Leese took over the role of the band's lead guitarist, as they remained a four-piece. [6] Fossen and Derosier also left after the recording of 1982's Private Audition , with Mark Andes and Denny Carmassi taking their respective positions. [7] Both members remained with the band until the early 1990s; Andes left in 1992, prior to recording for the following year's Desire Walks On , [8] before Carmassi followed the next year, after performing on said album. [9] Following the album's release, the departed Andes and Carmassi were replaced by Fernando Saunders and Denny Fongheiser, respectively. [10]
Heart spent several years in the late 1990s on temporary hiatus as the Wilson sisters worked on other projects, including together in new group the Lovemongers. [4] The band toured occasionally without Nancy Wilson, adding lead guitarist Frank Cox, rhythm guitarist Scott Olson, bassist Jon Bayless and drummer Ben Smith. [11] After a tour in 1998, long-time guitarist and keyboardist Leese left the band, later joining the solo band of Paul Rodgers. Ann and Nancy Wilson began touring in 1999 for the first time without a backing band. [12] In 2002, a new lineup of Heart was introduced featuring returning members Olson and Smith, as well as new bassist Mike Inez and keyboardist Tom Kellock. [13] The following year, Olson and Kellock were replaced in the Heart touring lineup by Gilby Clarke and Darian Sahanaja, respectively. [14]
Sahanaja remained for Heart's first studio album in eleven years, Jupiters Darling , which also featured Clarke's replacement Craig Bartock. [15] Debbie Shair replaced Sahanaja after the album's release. [16] Ric Markmann became Heart's new bassist in 2005, [17] after Inez's former band Alice in Chains reformed. [18] Markmann left the touring lineup in 2009, introducing the band to his eventual replacement Kristian Attard, [19] although he would later work with the band in the studio for Red Velvet Car and Fanatic . [20] [21] Dan Rothchild took over on bass in 2012. [22] Chris Joyner replaced Shair in 2014. [23] During late 2016, 2017 and 2018, Heart was on hiatus after an incident in which Ann Wilson's husband Dean Wetter was arrested for assaulting Nancy Wilson's children outside the venue in which the sisters were performing. [24]
In February 2019, it was announced that Heart had reformed for a new concert tour. [25] The lineup for the tour included long-time guitarist Craig Bartock and former drummer Denny Fongheiser, plus new members Ryan Waters on guitar, Andy Stoller on bass and keyboardist Dan Walker. [26]
In November 2023, it was announced that the band would reform Heart for a few shows in December. [27] The show included the Wilsons, former guitarist Ryan Waters, and members of Ann's band Tripsitter, [28] which includes guitarist Ryan Wariner, keyboardist/guitarist Paul Moak, bassist Tony Lucido and drummer Sean T. Lane. [29] [30]
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ann Wilson |
|
| all Heart releases | |
Nancy Wilson |
|
| ||
Ryan Waters |
|
| none to date | |
Ryan Wariner | 2023–present | |||
Paul Moak |
| |||
Tony Lucido | bass | |||
Sean T. Lane | drums |
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Steve Fossen | 1967–1982 |
| all Heart releases from Dreamboat Annie (1975) to Private Audition (1982) | |
Roger Fisher | 1967–1979 |
| all Heart releases from Dreamboat Annie (1975) to Dog & Butterfly (1978) | |
Gary Ziegelman | 1967–1971 | lead vocals | none | |
James Cirrello | rhythm guitar | |||
Ron Rudge | drums | |||
Ken Hansen | percussion | |||
David Belzer | 1971 | keyboards | ||
Jeff Johnson | drums | |||
Gary Humphries | 1971–1972 | lead vocals | ||
Don Wilhelm | keyboards | |||
Chris Blaine | drums | |||
John Hannah | 1972–1975 | keyboards | ||
Brian Johnstone | drums | |||
Howard Leese | 1975–1998 |
| all Heart releases from Dreamboat Annie (1975) to The Road Home (1995) | |
Michael Derosier | 1975–1982 |
| all Heart releases from Dreamboat Annie (1975) to Private Audition (1982) | |
Denny Carmassi | 1982–1993 | all Heart releases from Passionworks (1983) to Desire Walks On (1993) | ||
Mark Andes |
| all Heart releases from Passionworks (1983) to Rock the House Live! (1991) | ||
Denny Fongheiser |
|
| The Road Home (1995) | |
Fernando Saunders | 1993–1995 |
| ||
Frank Cox | 1995–1999 |
| "Strong, Strong Wind" (1998) | |
Scott Olson |
|
| Alive in Seattle (2003) | |
Ben Smith |
|
| all Heart releases from Alive in Seattle (2003) to Live in Atlantic City (2019) | |
Jon Bayless | 1995–1998 | bass | none | |
Mike Inez | 2002–2005 |
|
| |
Tom Kellock | 2002–2003 | keyboards | Alive in Seattle (2003) | |
Darian Sahanaja |
|
|
| |
Gilby Clarke | 2003 |
| none | |
Craig Bartock |
| all Heart releases from Jupiters Darling (2004) onwards, except Red Velvet Car (2010) and Fanatic (2012) | ||
Debbie Shair | 2004–2014 |
|
| |
Ric Markmann | 2005–2009 | bass |
| |
Kristian Attard | 2009–2012 | Night at Sky Church (2010) | ||
Dan Rothchild | 2012–2016 |
| all Heart releases from Fanatic Live from Caesar's Colosseum (2014) to Live at the Royal Albert Hall (2016) | |
Chris Joyner | 2014–2016 |
|
| |
Andy Stoller | 2019 |
| none | |
Dan Walker |
|
Period | Members | Releases |
---|---|---|
Early 1973 – mid-1974 |
| none |
Mid-1974 – early 1975 |
| |
Summer 1975 – October 1979 |
|
|
October 1979 – early 1982 |
|
|
1982–1992 |
|
|
1992–1993 |
|
|
1993–1995 |
|
|
1995–1998 |
| none |
1998 |
|
|
1999–2002 |
| none |
April 2002 – March 2003 |
|
|
March – August 2003 |
| none |
2003–2004 |
|
|
2004–2005 |
|
|
2005–2009 |
|
|
2009–2012 |
|
|
2012–2014 |
|
|
2014–2019 |
|
|
February – August 2019 |
| none |
December 2023 – present |
|
Heart is an American-Canadian rock band formed in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1973. The band evolved from previous projects led by founding members Roger Fisher (guitar) and Steve Fossen, including The Army (1967–1969), Hocus Pocus (1969–1970), and White Heart (1970–1973). By 1975, original members Fisher, Fossen, and Ann Wilson, along with Nancy Wilson, Michael Derosier (drums), and Howard Leese formed the lineup for the band's initial mid- to late-1970s success period. These core members were included in the band's 2013 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Ann Dustin Wilson is an American singer and songwriter best known as the lead singer of the rock band Heart.
Nancy Lamoureux Wilson is an American musician. She rose to fame alongside her older sister Ann as guitarist and second vocalist in the rock band Heart.
Montrose was an American hard rock band formed in 1973 and named after guitarist and founder Ronnie Montrose. The band's original lineup featured lead vocalist and frontman Sammy Hagar, who later found greater success as a solo artist and as a member of Van Halen. Rounding out the original foursome were bassist Bill Church and drummer Denny Carmassi. The band experienced moderate success before disbanding in early 1977. The 1973 debut album Montrose eventually proved to be an international sleeper hit, selling in excess of one million copies and attaining platinum status in 1986.
Alias was a Canadian rock supergroup, formed in 1988 in Toronto by songwriter/lead vocalist Freddy Curci and songwriter/lead guitarist Steve DeMarchi of the Canadian arena rock band Sheriff, along with Heart founding members Roger Fisher, Steve Fossen, and Mike Derosier.
Dreamboat Annie is the debut studio album by American rock band Heart. At the time, the band was based in Vancouver, British Columbia; the album was recorded in Vancouver and first released in Canada by the local label Mushroom Records in September 1975, eventually reaching number 20 on RPM's Top Album chart and earning a double platinum certification. It was released in the United States on February 14, 1976, through the US subsidiary of Mushroom Records in Los Angeles, peaking at number seven on the Billboard 200. It also reached the top 10 in the Netherlands and Australia in early 1977. The album contains three commercially successful singles, two of which, "Crazy on You" and "Magic Man", became staples on North American FM radio. Producer Mike Flicker helped the group to polish their sound and obtain a recording contract with the label.
Bébé le Strange is the fifth studio album by American rock band Heart, released on February 14, 1980, by Epic Records. It was the first album without founding member Roger Fisher on lead guitar, who had left the band months prior along with his brother Michael.
Private Audition is the sixth studio album by American rock band Heart, released on May 20, 1982, by Epic Records. The album reached number 25 on the US Billboard 200, spending 14 weeks on the chart. It spawned the single "This Man Is Mine", which peaked at number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100. It is the last Heart album to feature longtime members Mike Derosier and Steve Fossen, who left after the recording of the album and were replaced by Denny Carmassi and Mark Andes.
Passionworks is the seventh studio album by American rock band Heart, released in August 1983, by Epic Records. The album marks a shift in musical direction from hard rock and folk to mainstream rock. It is the first Heart album to feature Denny Carmassi and Mark Andes, who had replaced longtime members Mike Derosier and Steve Fossen. Passionworks was the band's final album with Epic Records before their comeback-fueled move to Capitol Records. It reached number 39 on the US Billboard 200. The album's lead single, "How Can I Refuse?", peaked at number 44 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart for one week. The second single, "Allies", peaked at number 83 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"Crazy on You" is a song by American rock band Heart from their debut studio album, Dreamboat Annie (1975). It was released in March 1976 as the album's third single in Canada and the album's debut single in the United States. It reached the top 25 in Canada and the top 35 in the US. It found more success in the Netherlands and Belgium where it peaked at number 2 and 13, respectively, in early 1977 after its release as the second single from Dreamboat Annie in those countries. It is considered one of Heart's signature songs as it is one of the most played tracks on classic rock radio stations in the US.
"Barracuda" is a song by American rock band Heart, released in 1977 on their third studio album, Little Queen, and was released as the album's lead single. The song peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2009, "Barracuda" was named the 34th-best hard rock song of all time by VH1.
Roger Fisher is an American guitarist primarily known as one of the founding members of the band Heart. His tenure lasted from 1967 until 1980. In 2013 Fisher was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Heart.
"Little Queen" is a song written and recorded by the rock band Heart. It was released as the second single from the band's second album Little Queen in 1977. The song is a midtempo rock and roll number similar in style to Heart's past hit "Magic Man" but much gentler than the album's hard rock debut single, "Barracuda". Although the song has endured as a fan-favorite amongst Heart's audience, "Little Queen" did not perform as well as previous singles when released, peaking at number sixty-two on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
"Kick It Out" is a short, fast-tempo hard rock song recorded by the rock band Heart, written by Ann Wilson. It was released as the third and final single from the band's second album Little Queen in 1977. When released the song did not perform as well as previous Heart singles, reaching number seventy-nine on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number sixty-seven on the U.S. Cash Box Top 100.
"Straight On" is a song recorded by the rock band Heart. It was released as the first single from the band's 1978 album Dog & Butterfly. In the U.S., "Straight On" became Heart's third single to crack the top twenty, peaking at number fifteen on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was co-written by Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson, and Sue Ennis. "Straight On" was released during Heart's classic era and has been part of the group's setlist almost constantly since its release. It still was during their 2016 tour.
Howard M. Leese is an American guitarist, record producer, and musical director who played with Heart as guitarist and keyboardist for 23 years. He continues to record and tour as a solo artist, and as guitarist with The Paul Rodgers Band and Bad Company. In 2013, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Heart.
Dreamboat Annie Live is a live DVD released by the American rock band Heart in October 2007, which features Heart performing all ten songs from their 1975 debut album, Dreamboat Annie, plus five extra performances. The concert was also broadcast on DirecTV. The concert soundtrack was released as a live album, with the UK edition containing two bonus live tracks.
Steve Fossen is an American bassist and a founding member of the band Heart.