I made that last part up. asks a visitor, scanning the walls. . implied that DeYoung was a "control freak. I wanna be in Styx. [10] This production went on to win the Joseph Jefferson Award for best musical in Chicago in 2008.[11]. Former Styx singer Dennis DeYoung throws caution to the wind with the video for his new single, the six-minute plus Isle Of Misanthrope. At this time JY and I were best friends traveling together by car to many drivable Midwestern cities and sharing motel rooms to save money. "Then people started getting sick and dying," says DeYoung. Whenever Suzanne talks of those years, her stories are about scrimping and saving: planting and canning her own vegetables; fixing spaghetti dinners for the band members after they rehearsed in the garage; the tiny apartment she and Dennis had in Roseland and the slightly larger house they moved to in Park Forest; having only $25 dollars in their bank account. I couldn't see myself doing that. This just showed up on YouTube. Dennis DeYoung Net Worth 2023: Age, Height, Weight, Wife, Kids, Bio-Wiki, Singer, musician, songwriter, and producer. Being a self-taught keyboardist, DeYoung rapidly became one of the most valuable keyboard players of rock. What makes me, or any artist, unique is a point of view, and mine is so tightly tied to Chicago that I could never leave.". On May 8, 2008, DeYoung's musical version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame premiered at the Bailiwick Repertory Theatre in Chicago. "OK, OK," he said, responding to a two-part question. In 1995, DeYoung called Shaw to sing on a new version of "Lady" even though he had not performed on the original. She preceded him in death on May 2, 2017. pursued solo careers, which focused on their hard-rock leanings; and DeYoung released the albums "Desert Moon" and "Back to the World. There was always a white limo waiting at the curb downstairs, at DeYoung's disposal. Kiss recently played the House of Blues. The record had to come out at the end of June, and Dennis wasn't prepared to go out on tour because of his physical problems. "More than anything else, this show is testimony to the good things that can happen if you just hang in there," he says. Tonight we end our year and play the final show of a three day run here in Epcot, the happiest place on earth. Before becoming Styx in 1970, DeYoung, along with his teammates, renamed their band name as TW4 in 1968. Dennis DeYoung . Dennis and Suzanne DeYoung are no longer young. How ya doin'? Hey kids I just came across the Rolling Stone review of the Grand Illusion album by Joe Fernbacher from 1977. [9] (In Canada 50,000 plus copies sold for a double CD qualifies as platinum.) He started his band from a very early age with two of his friends from the neighborhood. Cheers, It marked the first time in nearly seven years that the two had appeared together. By performing piano on the song How Deep Is Your Love, he accompanied Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees. . It was the first No. In any configuration, the band does not have a name. I was reading a story in USA Today about the summer's most successful tours. Cheers, By wearing sunglasses and staying out of excessive light, DeYoung began to regain his energy toward the end of '98, which is when he and Styx started working on their album "Brave New World.". Since March he has been playing Pontius Pilate in the touring "Jesus Christ Superstar," which was here for a week in March. So there I was at Manny's of all places trying to stir up ticket sales for a show I was convinced no one would attend. The crowd shouts and applauds. I did not post this because it shows me in the most glamorous light, quite the contrary but because I believe it demonstrates essentially who I am as a person and performer. So successful was the tour that Styx signed a new deal with CMC Records, which released "Return To Paradise" as a double-live CD. Styx hit the road again and toured for much of 1997, peppering many of their shows with tributes to Panozzo. It was all limos and private planes, rabid and adoring crowds. So faced with situation I did what I always do and made the best of it. In a 2018 appearance on The Big Interview (Via ABC News Radio ), Styx members James Young, Tommy Shaw and Lawrence Gowan noted that their problems with Dennis DeYoung stemmed from the singer's refusal to tour at a time when the band wasn't selling albums, and had to rely on live show revenue. Featuring the Great Jimmy Leahey ('12) HD, Foolin Yourself (A Man and His Oberheim) ('12) HD-NEW. "Dennis is in the next car. Dennis was born July 11, 1956, to Stanley Calvin and Betty Jean (Osborn) DeYoung in Plainville, Kansas. He played accordion and sang and formed a trio with the Panozzo boys that played at weddings and birthday parties before being stunned by The Beatles, who turned their heads towards rock & roll. In August 2006, DeYoung appeared along with Supertramp's Roger Hodgson on Canadian Idol, where he performed with and mentored the contestants.[8]. HIV-positive since 1991, Panozzo did not physically feel up to touring, though he would make periodic appearances on stage for a song or two. Roomies. Mar 9, 2020, 6:00am PDT. It returns Wednesday for an eight-show engagement at the Chicago Theatre, in large part because of DeYoung's popularity in his hometown, where he has always lived. Are you kidding. It was much to big a venue for someone like me, capacity 4300 but Tim convinced me to play it with a 50 piece orchestra. "Imagine there's a tree of entertainment," DeYoung says. "Disney certainly put the brakes on plans for my musical," says Dennis. Dennis was born July 11, 1956, to Stanley Calvin and Betty Jean (Osborn) DeYoung in Plainville, Kansas. P.S. Three of the band's previous albums were among the top 100, and were climbing higher each week. John was a Cubs fan and the other guys including John were more Blackhawk and Bears fans then baseball enthusiasts. From the start of Styx's commercial success with the 1973 DeYoung-penned single "Lady", DeYoung became the creative force behind most of the band's hit songs. He joined Robin Gibb, Tears for Fears, 10CC and Kim Wilde on the sold-out tour. "Those were hard times: We played beer parties, 'Animal House'-type affairs, a lot of proms. Maybe you know about Dennis DeYoung very well, but do you know how old and tall is he and what is his net worth in 2023? 3 position on the Billboard charts for an impressive nine weeks, proving more durable than albums by such heavyweight groups as Fleetwood Mac, Led Zeppelin and the Eagles. They've done the kind of hard-rocking fare you'd expect from a band called Styx, and prog-rock that, to be honest, you'd also expect from a band called Styx. "We were!" The four continued to play in college--Dennis and the Panozzos all went to Chicago State University--and then were joined in 1970 by another Roseland friend, lead guitarist James Young, who was always known as J.Y. Cheers, (Coincidentally, my brother Mark, then in the music industry, was the road manager of the tour.) Once again I am grateful for your continuing support and will continue to come visit you until I begin to embarrass my family. Before the band met with success, DeYoung spent time as a school teacher in the Southern suburbs of Chicago, where he was a music teacher in District 143. Dennis DeYoung is bowing out gracefully at the age of 74 with a solo record, 26 East Vol 2, that recalls his finest work from the 70s and 80s as singer, pianist and primary songwriter for Styx . He joined the show two weeks before its first Chicago visit. The brothers were still in grade school then. The album features fellow Chicago natives guitarist Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave on a track co-written with Jim Peterik of The Ides of March, formerly of Survivor and 38 Special fame. On July 12, 2009, DeYoung was honored by his native city Chicago with the "Great Performer of Illinois Award". Can you believe that?". ", On the show, Shaw and J.Y. He, Suzanne and Orchard think that it could lead to a deal with PBS to produce "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" as a televised musical. This story contains corrected material, published Dec. 8, 2002. DeYoung said. " But now he no longer has Styx. The band members changed a few times as did the music label. But there have been some positive steps forward, with a solo career that finds DeYoung performing at private and corporate events, such as the one at the Joint in Vegas, and in concert, like the one coming up Feb. 21 at the Chicago Theater. ", The presence of Suzanne and CarrieAnn lent a tame and familial tone to the Grand Decathlon Tour, and left no doubt about who was in charge of the band. He was a founding member of the rock band Styx, and served as its primary lead vocalist and keyboardist from 1972 until 1999. Doctors have yet to pinpoint the precise nature of DeYoung's ailment, but he was able to figure out that exposure to too much light affects his facial nerves and gives him the symptoms of a low-grade fever. Roboto' when I was in grammar school. "That simple.". DeYoungs sound creation dubbed the ARF 2600 in October 2009. Kind of like the Lite beer commercial when Troy Aikman claims to not dwell in the past and then his ring tone goes off screaming "Aikman touchdown unbelievable". Mostly to relieve some of the stress, Suzanne wrote a romance novel titled "A Love Foretold," which has gotten some nibbles from publishers. Still, such a number pales when set aside those of a rock 'n' roll tour. The benefit concert was held at the Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary, North Carolina, and featured many other rock and roll musicians. "The best thing about this tour? With Styx in limbo following Shaw's 1984 departure, DeYoung began a solo career of modest success. [3] To date, "Desert Moon" is the only solo single by any Styx member to hit the Billboard Top 10. Dennis DeYoung was born on the 18th of February, 1947. "It was never my intention to stay in the role forever. DeYoung had a younger sister, Darcy, who died in 2021. "He was my first date, my first kiss, my first everything. But in this show, even though I'd only get a couple of lines, maybe a small paragraph, every word was kind or even gushing. Tommy Shaw, who joined Damn Yankees in 1988, did not return. So it was great that my parents and my family were in attendance to witness it all. "It's really a miracle for me, for my body of work to be heard by an audience this size, by so many people who know me only through Styx.". Dennis DeYoung's new album "26 East: Volume 1," will be released Spring 2020 via Frontiers Records and will feature the duet "To The Good Old Days" with Julian Lennon. "We certainly don't live in the past," says Suzanne. Ozzy Osbourne and his raucous family have a hit series on MTV. I've seen Dennis once before but this time he was spot on. Since TW4 no longer applied, they changed the name of their band to Styx, the mythical river encircling Hades. He has earned this fortune through hard work and dedication towards his career. First Dennis' best friend, a salesman named Tom Short, died of colon cancer. The legendary 1970s-1980s band Styx has been around a block or six, and their music has been surprisingly multifaceted. I was on the road with Styx for a four-city swing through the Southwest in 1979. In 1961, when DeYoung was just 14, he started his career teaming up with two of his neighbor friends Chuck and John Panozzo. We knew we were good, but we started to have serious doubts about our music and about our futures.". James Young joined shortly after that, with Shaw coming on board in 1975. In fact he became more dedicated then I ever was what with his season tickets and every app invented to check up on his team. Yet, two of their best-known songs include the famed synth-pop tune "Mr. Roboto," and the chart-topping soft rock ballad, "Babe." A mensch if ever there was one. After a year-and-a-half of touring under the name "Styx," without any compensation to DeYoung for usage of the name, DeYoung sued his former bandmates, seeking the rights to use the group's name in support of his solo career. "But given the problems of the last few years, that sometimes is a serious temptation.". That was happening because, while he worked on "Hunchback," A&M was preparing a "Styx Greatest Hits" CD for release, and Shaw rejoined the band to record a new version of "Lady." CarrieAnn, who used to run her own public relations firm and will still do such chores for her dad, is working exclusively for the law firm of Horwitz & Horwitz. In a way, my life is so tied to his that I was afraid everything would just crumble." Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. On April 20, 2006, at the Community Theatre in Morristown, New Jersey, DeYoung took to the stage once again with former Styx guitarist and bassist Glen Burtnik as part of his Lost Treasures concert series. This year we have played 54 shows between the U.S. and Canada and that's more then I have done since the 60 plus I did the year of The Night Of The Proms, the Germany tour. He added many other famous musicians to his bands like Tommy Shaw, James Young, John Blasucci, Craig Carter, Tom Sharpe, and many others. They were sad, these women, but they caused a lot of trouble. To this day he has been by her side through everything. "He enjoys doing that, and as a daddy, he's not too bad.". Dennis DeYoung was born in Chicago, Illinois, United States,[1] to parents Maurice DeYoung (1918-1997) and Loraine Rolla DeYoung (1923-2001). Danny Goldberg, former DeYoung manager and head of A&R at Atlantic Records, asked DeYoung to record an album of Broadway standards; the resulting album, 10 on Broadway, was released in 1994. He is popular for being a Rock Singer. There was no sinister meaning: "It was the only name we came up with that none of us hated," says DeYoung, who was the band's principal songwriter and lead singer. James Young joined shortly after that, with Tommy Shaw coming on board in 1975. Anyway my dad passed his love of baseball and the Sox on to me and I did the same for my son Matthew. openly bridled at what they considered a disastrous and embarrassing move away from the band's rock roots. He was bandmates with John Panozzo in Styx. While on stage, the duo opened with the Beatles classic "We Can Work It Out", and also performed "Watching the World Go By" and "All for Love", songs that were originally written for the unreleased Edge of the Century 2 Styx album. Shaw returned to the fold, and Todd Sucherman was tapped to replace John Panozzo, who had died of alcohol-related illnesses in 1996. The three of them called themselves the Trade Winds, and when they hooked up a bit later with guitarist John Curulewski, the band became known as TW4. But why did DeYoung leave the group in 1999, in the first place? Through it all he was by her side taking over when Dr.s had no answers. But that fell through. DeYoung has always shown an interest in theater. Being born on 18 February 1947, Dennis DeYoung is 76 years old as of todays date 2nd May 2023. Google has begun to send me messages I was writing about music for the Sun-Times and caught up with the band in the middle of a tour called the Grand Decathlon, a five-month jaunt during which Styx would visit 62 American cities and play in front of more than 1.2 million people in 71 concerts. DeYoung's solo career continued with Back to the World (1986),[1] which contained the singles "Call Me" and "This Is the Time", which was featured in the soundtrack of Karate Kid II (1986) movie. That was given at the opening of The 101 dalmatians Musical its World Premiere, in Minneapolis. Expecting to sample the wild and debauched lifestyle that characterized many bands of the time-groupies galore, drugs aplenty and hotel rooms turned to war zones-I instead found a rather tame trip that included a visit to a Go Kart track and a lot of water and juice. She is 54. After its local premiere in the spring, "Soundstage HD" will debut as a national series in June in the high-definition TV format. "I thought to myself, 'He's nuts,' " says Dennis. Emotions are too high to talk about what current affairs are. I categorically refute these specious, allegations as nothing more than a blatant attempt by my political enemies to besmirch our integrity. "It was fun but after that I was pretty sure we'd never tour again," says DeYoung. "She, and a lot of others, wanted me to move to L.A. then to become a part of that scene," he says. That something else is a record deal. Over a period of five months, the DeYoungs visited 16 doctors. And soon, the band met their success. DeYoung penned seven of the band's eight Billboard top 10 singles as well as a solo top 10 single. Just when you thought it was safe to live in Florida Hey everybody, On January 18, 1970, DeYoung married his longtime sweetheart Suzanne Feusi. You must behave as if there isn't an audience. Dennis DeYoung - originally scheduled for April 17th, 2020 & postponed to July 23rd, 2021 & February 5, 2022 - is now rescheduled to September 10th, 2022 Huntington, Long Island, N.Y. (Monday, December 6, 2021 @ 4pm) - Due to circumstances outside of our control, we regret to inform you that Dennis DeYoung at The Paramount - originally scheduled for April 17th, 2020 and postponed to July . Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): You and your son appeared in the film, The Perfect Man. "I have tremendous respect for people who choose theater as a career," he said. Speaking to Classic Rock from his home in Chicago, the city where he was born on February 18, 1947, DeYoung talks like a wiseguy from a mob movie, a . The show, performed at the Rosemont Theatre near DeYoung's hometown of Chicago, was a family affair for DeYoung. 1960s - 2020s. The suit was settled in 2001, with the group being allowed to keep the name "Styx" and DeYoung able to use the name in descriptive phrases such as "the music of Styx" or "formerly of Styx" (but not "the voice of Styx"). "Now where were we? Dennis and Suzanne married in 1970, and two years later the band recorded its first album, "Styx," for the Wooden Nickel label. I wish I possessed more of that. Dennis DeYoung came roaring back to action over the weekend. Music written by DeYoung has been featured in the following films: Music either written by DeYoung or performed by him has been featured in the following stage productions: The debut of musical The Hunchback of Notre Dame in May 2008 in Chicago, Illinois brought finally DeYoung's music and songs to the theatrical stage. From the album "26 East, Vol. "We didn't have money for more than one room at the hotels, so when Dennis needed to rest, Carrie and I would play in the bathroom.". Our Properties. Dennis was born July 11, 1956, to Stanley Calvin and Betty Jean (Osborn) DeYoung in Plainville, Kansas. "Later this year I'm going to produce a couple of songs for them," says Dennis. Of course, you have to look at the guy who wrote and sang those particular songs and many others, keyboardist-singer Dennis DeYoung: The talented musician's pop sensibilities may have brought the band some huge hits, but after he left the group, Styx utterly refused to play "Mr. Roboto"live until very recent years. We got slammed more than any band I know. I took a tailoring class so that I could make the costumes he wore on stage. "There will be a lot of contemporary songs and a few old ones. Born on 18th February, 1947 in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., he is famous for Styx. During the days on the road, Dennis spends his free time writing music and, during the NBA playoffs, watched the Bulls. Many years ago, when he was younger and had hair cascading to his shoulders and a mustache that appeared more than vaguely sinister, Dennis DeYoung sat in a San Diego hotel suite and said, "There are tougher ways to live.". AllMusic. Growing up in the Roseland area of Chicago, DeYoung started his career as an accordionist in 1962 at the age of 15 when he teamed up with his 13-year-old neighbors Chuck and John Panozzo in a three-piece combo originally called The Tradewinds. There are posters from recent movies, such as "Big Daddy," and current TV shows, such as "South Park," that feature his music and introduced the sounds of Styx to a new generation. Wow! They go hand in hand. STILL SEARCHING FOR SOME REASON They were in the crowd at the "Soundstage" taping. Hunchback was first produced in 1997 at the Tennessee Repertory Theatre in Nashville, Tennessee. 1 in the local charts and eventually became a nationwide hit. In 2009, DeYoung earned the Great Performer of Illinois Award by his native city Chicago. (Band members did not respond to requests for interviews.). By December 1989, Styx had unofficially reformed. DeYoung met his sweetheart Suzanne when he was 17 and she was 15 at a high school dance. So, becoming a solo artist is nothing I ever aspired to. Some will tell you that DeYoung's motive for creating these increasingly elaborate and message-laden shows was to gain critical acceptance. 2 was released on June 11, 2021 and is intended to be DeYoung's final album. Styx was never what you'd call a critic's darling. Being a founding member for the rock band Styx, he is best known in front of the world as a lead vocalist. Cheers, "That was probably the very peak for Styx," says DeYoung now. DeYoung has previously announced this will be his last album but has added an update. "Show Me the Way", a track written by DeYoung for his son Matthew, received extensive radio play, peaking at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart (Styx's 8th top 10 single, and 7th written and sung by DeYoung) particularly after a number of radio stations mixed it with voice tracks of members of Congress debating whether or not to send troops to the first Persian Gulf War. He. Dennis DeYoung. was driving a cab. A TV crew visited the house in Burr Ridge and spent time elsewhere with the other band members. More tambourine less cowbell. "Sometimes I will look at him and still just swoon," says Suzanne, standing backstage in Vegas and snapping pictures of her husband's performance with the anxious enthusiasm of a mother taking snapshots of her child's first Christmas pageant. Though Andy Greene of Rolling Stone notes that fans have been clamoring for DeYoung and Styx to reunite, this seems unlikely. It's taken from his upcoming album 26 East Vol. I suggest you reread his lyrics with that in mind. [17] The last song on the record, "To the Good Old Days", features Julian Lennon. DeYoung was asked to perform by Tony-winning producer Forbes Candlish. "I like parts of the past," says Suzanne. DeYoung is a devout Roman Catholic and is of Italian ancestry. At the time, all were involved with less glamorous pursuits: DeYoung taught music appreciation in a public elementary school; John Panozzo was a seminary student; Chuck was an art teacher; Curulewski was a carpenter; J.Y. "Before we were married, when he wanted to change from accordion to keyboard, I used the money I was saving for a car to buy that first keyboard. And though both album and tour were hits--spawning Top 10 singles "Don't Let It End" and "Mr. Roboto"--the complaints were no longer quiet, as Shaw and J.Y.