Dennis DeYoung: Artist Profile

Dennis DeYoung: Artist Profile

Born: February 18, 1947 Where: Chicago, Illinois Known As: rock singer/songwriter and keyboardist Significant Bands: Styx (1971-1984, 1990-99)

Awards:

The Albums: Hover over an album for the name and year of release. Click to see its DMDB page. Compilations: Live Albums: Key Tracks: Lady (Styx, 1972) Light Up (Styx, 1975) Lorelei (Styx, 1975) Suite Madame Blue (Styx, 1975) Come Sail Away (Styx, 1977) Babe (Styx, 1979) The Best of Times (Styx, 1981) Rockin’ the Paradise (Styx, 1981) Mr. Roboto (Styx, 1983) Don’t Let It End (Styx, 1983) Desert Moon (1984) Don’t Wait for Heroes (1984) Call Me (1986) This Is the Time (1986) Harry’s Hands (1989) Show Me the Way (Styx, 1990) Love at First Sight (Styx, 1990) Paradise (Styx, 1997) While There’s Still Time (Styx, 1999) With Every Heartbeat (2003) One Hundred Years from Now (2007) To the Good Old Days (with Julian Lennon, 2020) Isle of Misanthrope (2021) Click here to see the top 100 songs of Styx et al.

Early Years (1963-1972): “Growing up in the Roseland neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois, DeYoung’s career as a vocalist started in 1963 at the age of 16 when he teamed up with his 15 year old neighbors, Chuck and John Panozzo, in a three-piece combo. The trio later added guitarist James Young and John Curulewski to form the band Tradewinds in the late 1960s. The band renamed itself TW4 in 1968 before becoming Styx in 1970.” WK “Before the band met with success, DeYoung spent time as an elementary school teacher in the southern suburbs of Chicago, where he taught music at Springfield School in Midlothian, Illinois. During this period, the band played a number of small venues and school auditoriums refining their craft.” WK The Wooden Nickel Years (1972-1974): Styx released four studio albums with the Wooden Nickel. They got their big break when Lady was picked up by a radio station in 1974, more than a year after its parent album, Styx II, was released. The song became a top-ten hit and launched the band. DeYoung, a self-taught keyboardist, served as the lead vocalist and songwriter and creative force behind the band. The Rise of Styx (1975-1977): Styx was signed to the major label A&M. They released Equinox in 1975, Crystal Ball in 1976, and The Grand Illusion in 1977. The latter album was a top-10, multi-platinum seller, fueled by another DeYoung-helmed top-ten hit Come Sail Away. The Giants of Rock and Roll (1977-1983): The Grand Illusion was Styx’s first of four consecutive top-10, multi-platinum albums – a feat never accomplished before. They led the way in what has been called arena rock or corporate rock. The band landed its first #1 hit in 1979 with Babe, another song written and sung by DeYoung. Their 1981 Paradise Theater became the band’s first #1 album. Once again, it was DeYoung out front for the #3 hit The Best of Times from that album. On the follow-up, Kilroy Was Here, DeYoung gave the band two more top-10 hits with Mr. Roboto and Don’t Let It End. The Solo Years (1984-1989): “With Styx in limbo following [bandmate Tommy] Shaw’s 1984 departure, DeYoung began a solo career of modest success. His first solo album, Desert Moon, generated a top 10 hit, Desert Moon, and the follow-up single, Don’t Wait for Heroes, cracked the Billboard Top 40 as well.” WK DeYoung made two more solo albums in the ‘80s featuring gems such as Call Me, This Is the Time, and Harry’s Hands, but none of his songs or albums would be as successful as his first solo album, much less his work with Styx. Styx Reunites (1990-1992): “In 1990, Styx (minus Tommy Shaw, who was replaced by guitarist/singer-songwriter Glen Burtnik) returned to the studio for the album Edge of the Century. 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…particularly after a number of radio stations mixed it with voice tracks of parents headed off to fight in the first Persian Gulf War. This success made the band one of only a handful of bands/artists to have a top ten single under four different Presidents in the United States. The group toured North America extensively before A&M Records…dropped the group from its roster in 1992; the group broke up again shortly afterwards.” WK DDY on the Theater Stage (1992-1995): “In 1993, DeYoung, a devout Roman Catholic, joined a touring revival of the stage musical Jesus Christ Superstar. He appeared in about 200 performances across North America as Pontius Pilate. The experience inspired him to record his 1994 album of Broadway standards, 10 on Broadway, and to begin work on a musical of his own based on The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Styx, Together Again (1995-1999): “Styx reunited once more in 1995, this time including Shaw but minus a terminally ill John Panozzo (who died a short time later in July 1996), and recorded a new version of the DeYoung-penned ‘Lady’ for their 1995 Styx Greatest Hits album. The group toured in 1996 and 1997, and returned to the recording studio in 1998 to begin work on Brave New World, their first studio album in nearly a decade.” WK “Creative differences between the band members, and a chronic fatigue syndrome-like disorder affecting DeYoung’s trigeminal nerve – which left him overly sensitive to bright light and sound, making performing on stage nearly impossible” WK – led to a less than amicable split. This time, however, Styx soldiered on with Shaw and without DeYoung. “A lawsuit between DeYoung and his former bandmates 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’).” WK Back to the Solo World (2000-: “In February 2000, DeYoung was approached to perform a concert featuring his many songs from Styx, as well as his solo works and his 1997 stage musical The Hunchback of Notre Dame, with an orchestra. The show, performed at the Rosemont Theatre in DeYoung’s hometown of Chicago, was a family affair for DeYoung. His wife Suzanne,” WK to whom he had been married since even before Styx’s success, “and sister-in-law Dawn Marie Feusi sang backup, his daughter Carrie Ann, was in charge of publicity, while his son Matthew designed the stage lighting. The concert was well received and formed the basis for a touring version of the show, and eventually an 2004 album, The Music of Styx – Live with Symphony Orchestra.” WK “Unlike many musical families, the growing family toured together throughout DeYoung’s career in order to provide stability for the couple’s young children.” WK “On June 19, 2007, DeYoung released in Canada, One Hundred Years from Now, his fifth solo album, which marks a return to his rock roots. The first single, the title track, is a duet with Québécois singer Éric Lapointe. The single reached #1 on the Québec Radio Single and Soundscan charts. The album was released in the U.S. on April 14, 2009 with slightly different tracks.” WK “On May 8, 2008, a DeYoung-written musical of The Hunchback of Notre Dame premiered at the Bailiwick Repertory Theatre in Chicago.” WK After a 13-year hiatus from the recording studio, Dennis returned with the solo album 26 East Volume 1 in 2020. It was followed by 26 East Volume 2 in 2021. He says it is the last album he’ll make. Resources and Related Links: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Dennis DeYoung DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Styx DennisDeYoung.com (official site) StyxWorld.com (official site) WK Wikipedia First posted 11/20/2011; updated 6/5/2021.

Dennis DeYoung released Desert Moon, first solo album

Desert Moon Dennis DeYoung

Charted: October 6, 1994 Peak: 29 US Sales (in millions): -- Genre: rock

Tracks: Song Title (Writers) [time] (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts. Don’t Wait for Heroes [4:46] (12/8/84, 83 US, 81 CB) Please (with Rosemary Butler) [4:20] Boys Will Be Boys [5:41] Fire (Jimi Hendrix) [3:46] Desert Moon [6:09] (9/8/84, 10 US, 10 CB, 7 RR, 4 AC, 31 AR, 7 CN) Suspicious [4:57] Gravity [4:51] Dear Darling (I’ll Be There) [4:27] All songs by Dennis DeYoung except where noted. Total Running Time: 38:57

Rating: 3.348 out of 5.00 (average of 10 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: Styx’s Kilroy Was Here album released in 1983 followed the same trajectory as its four predecessors – it hit the top 10 on the Billboard album chart and sold more than a million copies. It was only the second Styx album, after 1981’s Paradise Theater, to produce two top-10 hits – “Mr Roboto” and “Don’t Let It End.” The latter was a Dennis DeYoung ballad not too far from the template that gave the band their only #1 hit with “Babe” in 1979. “Mr. Roboto,” however, proved divisive even though it was a #3 hit. Some fans and even members of the band considered the song goofy and even the band’s “jump the shark” moment. The video gave a taste of the rock opera storyline DeYoung envisioned with the album, but it also tested the patience of guitarist Tommy Shaw who wasn’t enamored with DeYoung’s theatrical leanings. Shaw ended up leaving the band the following year. After a live album, 1984’s Caught in the Act, Styx disappeared from the scene for six years with DeYoung, Shaw, and guitarist James Young all releasing solo albums to varying degrees of success. DeYoung was the only one of the three to find himself back in the top 10 of the pop charts without his bandmates. Desert Moon, “a glorious power ballad in the vein of ‘Don’t Let It End’…showcases every aspect of DeYoung’s wide range…and…did deservedly crack Billboard’s Top 10.” AMG It was also a top 10 hit in Canada and a top-5 adult contemporary hit. “Nothing [else on the album] is as glorious as ‘Desert Moon,’ but that’s a song that justifies an entire album.” AMG The second single, Don’t Wait for Heroes, didn’t fare nearly as well, stalling at #83 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Desert Moon” proved to be DeYoung’s only solo hit to scratch the top 40. “Heroes” demonstrates how DeYoung “loves to put on a show, to rouse a crowd and strut on the stage.” AMG In the upbeat anthem, he proclaims, “Don’t wait for heroes / Do it yourself / You’ve got the power / Winners are losers / Who got up and gave it one more try.” AMG Elsewhere the album features Boys Will Be Boys, which All Music Guide’s Stephen Thomas Erlewine calls “a horrific fusion of new wave, arena rock, and doo wop.” AMG Please, “a song that makes Meat Loaf seem subtle,” AMG is a duet with Rosemary Butler, who was a backup singer with Jackson Browne, Rosanne Cash, Bonnie Raitt, Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, Warren Zevon, and Neil Young. She even had some success as a solo artist in Japan in the early ‘80s. The album, produced by DeYoung, is “very, very ‘80s – all all thundering drums, clanking synths, glassy electric pianos and overdriven guitars.” AMG “The first side contains the rockers, the second the ballads and pop tunes and, although it can get sticky on sentiment and often rides a bouncy, dorky beat, overall, the B-side is the better of the two because it showcases DeYoung the pop singer.” AMG In addition to singing and writing all the songs, with the exception of his cover of Jimi Hendrix’s Fire, DeYoung plays keyboards, piano, and percussion. He also did arranging and mixing on the album. He brought in a slew of musicians to help, including his wife Suzanne on backing vocals, and Tom Dziallo for guitar, bass, percussion, drum programming, arranging, and mixing.

Resources and Related Links: AMG All Music Guide review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine WK Wikipedia First posted 6/5/2021.

Dennis DeYoung charts with “Desert Moon,” debut solo single

Desert Moon Dennis DeYoung

Writer(s): Dennis DeYoung (see lyrics here) Released: August 1984 First Charted: September 8, 1984 Peak: 10 US, 10 CB, 5 GR, 7 RR, 4 AC, 31 AR, 7 CN, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 11.13 video, 4.04 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Singer/songwriter and keyboardist Dennis DeYoung was a founding member of Styx. During the ‘70s and ‘80s, they became one of the world’s most successful rock bands. most notably releasing four consecutive multi-platinum albums. After 1983’s Kilroy Was Here, the band splintered, not coming back together again for seven years. During the interim, several members released solo albums. DeYoung, who took the lead on seven of Styx’s eight top-10 hits, found the greatest success. His first album, 1984’s Desert Moon, produced a top 10 hit for him with the album’s title cut. All Music Guide’s Stephen Thomas Erlewine said of the song, that is was “a song that justifies an entire album.” AMG The title of the song came about because DeYoung as a result of the 1984 movie Dune. A friend told DeYoung they were looking for someone to write a song for the movie. Because the story was set on a desert planet, DeYoung played with the idea of moons and the desert. Before he could write the song, they hired someone else. However, DeYoung stayed with the song, turing “desert moon” into “an imaginary place in your past to which you desperately want to return, where life seemed simple and innocent.” SF It became a reflection on his youth and “warm summer nights and endless possibility.” SF In the song, the narrator reconnects with his first love and they reflect on what happened to their dreams. SF The video was directed by Jack Cole, who also helmed Steve Perry’s “Oh Sherrie.” It played on the same idea as the song with DeYoung returning to his hometown, hanging out with his buddies, and reminiscing about his first love. It was partially filmed at the train depot and other historic buildings in and around Santa Paula, California. Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Dennis DeYoung AMG All Music Guide review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine of the Desert Moon album SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 10/27/2022; last updated 12/27/2022.