ROD STEWART BIOGRAPHY - AGE, CAREER, SONGS & FACTS

Rod Stewart is the raspy-voiced British rock legend whose six-decade career has sold more than 250 million records worldwide — and he is now preparing his farewell to life on the road. Born Sir Roderick David Stewart on January 10, 1945, in Highgate, North London, the 81-year-old singer first found fame as the lead singer of the Jeff Beck Group (1967–1969) and then as the frontman of Faces (1969–1975), before “Maggie May” and the album Every Picture Tells a Story (1971) made him a solo superstar, with the album and the single topping the UK and US charts simultaneously. With 11 UK No. 1 albums, 31 UK Top 10 singles including six No. 1s, and 16 US Top 10 hits including four Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s — plus two Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions (solo in 1994, with Faces in 2012), a knighthood at Buckingham Palace in the 2016 Birthday Honours, and a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album (2004) — Stewart announced on September 28, 2026, that 2027’s The Final Encore to

ur will be his last large-scale tour, though he insists he is not retiring from music.

Early Life

Born on January 10, 1945, in Highgate, North London, Rod Stewart was the youngest of five children. A keen footballer in his youth, he began busking with a harmonica in 1962, cutting his teeth in London’s rhythm-and-blues scene. He sang with the Jeff Beck Group from 1967 to 1969, then fronted Faces alongside guitarist Ron Wood from 1969 to 1975 — all while launching the solo career that would soon eclipse both bands.

Career

“Maggie May” (1971) made Rod Stewart a solo star on both sides of the Atlantic, topping the UK and US charts alongside its parent album Every Picture Tells a Story. A run of 1970s smashes followed — “You Wear It Well,” “Tonight’s the Night,” “Sailing,” “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?,” “Forever Young,” “Hot Legs,” and “Young Turks” — before the Great American Songbook albums of the 2000s brought a full renaissance and a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album (2004). Knighted at Buckingham Palace in the 2016 Birthday Honours for services to music and charity, Stewart earned his 11th UK No. 1 album in 2024 with Swing Fever, a collaboration with Jools Holland.

Legacy and Recent News

After a routine coronary stent procedure in August 2026 forced the cancellation of his remaining 2026 dates and his Las Vegas residency, Stewart announced “The Final Encore” on September 28, 2026 — a farewell UK and European arena run from Dublin’s 3Arena on April 23, 2027, to Hannover’s ZAG Arena on July 24, 2027, with Howard Jones supporting the UK and Ireland dates, alongside US dates including Georgia and Florida in March and rescheduled Red Rocks shows in September 2027. He has stressed that he is not retiring from music — only from large-scale touring.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How old is Rod Stewart?
A: Born January 10, 1945, he is 81 years old in 2026.

Q: What is Rod Stewart’s most famous song?
A: “Maggie May” (1971) — his first solo No. 1 in both the UK and the US.

Q: Is Rod Stewart retiring?
A: No — he says the 2027 “Final Encore” is his last large-scale tour, but he is not retiring from music itself.

Q: When does Rod Stewart’s Final Encore tour start and end?
A: It begins April 23, 2027, in Dublin and wraps July 24, 2027, in Hannover, Germany, with US dates also scheduled.