journey previous lead singer

Rock Music World

Journey Lead Singers In Order: History and Band Members

In this article, we delve into the captivating history of Journey, an iconic rock band that has left an indelible mark on the music industry. From their humble beginnings to their meteoric rise to fame, Journey has mesmerized audiences worldwide with their unique sound and timeless hits. Join us on a journey through time as we explore the remarkable story of this legendary band.

Formation of the Band

Journey was formed in 1973 in San Francisco, California, bringing together a group of highly talented musicians. The founding members included Neal Schon, Gregg Rolie, Ross Valory, Aynsley Dunbar, and George Tickner. With their combined musical prowess and creative vision, they set out to create something extraordinary.

Early Years and Musical Style

During their early years, Journey experimented with a fusion of rock, jazz, and progressive influences, creating a distinctive sound that set them apart from their contemporaries. Their self-titled debut album, released in 1975, showcased their musical versatility and marked the beginning of their incredible journey.

Evolution and Breakthrough Success

In 1977, Journey underwent a significant change that would forever shape its destiny. Steve Perry joined the band as their lead vocalist, injecting new energy and unparalleled vocal range into their music. This lineup change proved to be a turning point for Journey, leading to a series of chart-topping albums and unforgettable songs.

Chart-topping albums and Hit Singles

Journey’s breakthrough came in 1978 with the release of their album “Infinity,” which became a massive success. The album spawned the hit singles “Wheel in the Sky” and “Lights,” propelling Journey into the mainstream spotlight. They continued their winning streak with subsequent albums, including “Evolution” (1979) and “Departure” (1980), which produced hits like “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin'” and “Any Way You Want It.”

The Iconic Album: “Escape”

In 1981, Journey released their most iconic album to date, “Escape.” This album elevated their status as rock superstars and solidified their place in music history. Featuring the mega-hits “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Open Arms,” and “Who’s Crying Now,” “Escape” became an instant classic, captivating audiences with its emotionally charged lyrics and powerful melodies.

The Power Ballad Era

Journey’s success continued into the mid-1980s, defined by the rise of power ballads that struck a chord with fans worldwide. Songs like “Faithfully,” “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart),” and “Send Her My Love” showcased the band’s ability to create heartfelt and anthemic ballads that resonated deeply with listeners.

A Change in Direction

As the 1990s approached, Journey faced challenges and underwent significant lineup changes. Steve Perry departed from the band in 1987, leading to a period of transition as they searched for a new lead vocalist. Despite these challenges, Journey remained resilient and continued to produce music that captivated its loyal fan base.

Journey’s Enduring Legacy

Although the band’s popularity waned in the late 1990s, their music never faded from the hearts of their dedicated fans. Journey’s timeless classics continue to resonate with audiences of all ages, thanks to their emotional depth, infectious melodies, and inspiring lyrics. Their songs have become anthems for perseverance, love, and the power of music itself.

Past Journey band members include the following:

• Steve Perry (1977-1998)
• Aynsley Dunbar (1974-1978)
• Robert Fleischman (1977)
• Steve Smith (1978-1985, 1995-1998)
• Randy Jackson (1985-1987)
• Steve Augeri (1998-2006)

Current Journey band members:

• Neal Schon – Guitar (1973-present)
• Jonathan Cain – Keyboards (1980-present)
• Ross Valory – Bass (1973-1985, 1995-present)
• Arnel Pineda – Vocals (2007-present)
• Deen Castronovo – Drums (1998-present)

Lead Singers of Journey

Van Halen Lead Singers In Order: A Journey Through the Years

Black Sabbath Singers In Order: Ever-Changing Lineup of Black Sabbath

The Original Journey: Gregg Rolie’s Era

Gregg Rolie, a two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, served as the original lead singer of Journey. He began his musical career as a co-founder and lead vocalist of Santana before joining forces with Neal Schon to form Journey. Rolie’s soulful voice and exceptional skills as a keyboardist and harmonicist contributed to the band’s early success. He showcased his talent on albums like “Journey,” “Look into the Future,” and “Next.” However, Rolie transitioned to co-lead vocals when Steve Perry joined the band in 1977.

Steve Perry: The Voice of Journey’s Greatest Hits

Steve Perry, widely recognized as the quintessential Journey lead singer, propelled the band to unprecedented heights during their most commercially successful era. Born with a gift for singing, Perry’s powerful and emotive vocals struck a chord with audiences worldwide. With Perry at the helm, Journey released a string of chart-topping albums, including “Infinity,” “Escape,” and “Frontiers.” Iconic songs like “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Open Arms,” and “Faithfully” became anthems for a generation. Perry’s remarkable songwriting abilities and magnetic stage presence contributed to the band’s enduring legacy.

Current Lead Singer: Arnel Pineda

Following Steve Perry’s departure in 1987, Journey experienced a series of lead singer changes. Steve Augeri, known for his vocal range and stage charisma, took over from 1998 to 2006. Jeff Scott Soto briefly joined the band in 2006, leaving his mark with his distinctive style. However, it was Arnel Pineda who breathed new life into Journey as the current lead singer. Pineda’s incredible vocal resemblance to Steve Perry, coupled with his dynamic stage presence, won the hearts of fans worldwide. Since 2008, Pineda has seamlessly integrated into the band, injecting fresh energy and passion into their performances.

Journey’s Enduring Discography: Albums That Defined an Era

Over the past five decades, Journey has released a diverse and extensive discography, showcasing their musical prowess and creativity. Let’s explore some of their most iconic albums:

“ Infinity ” (1978): With Steve Perry as the lead singer, “Infinity” marked a significant turning point for Journey. It featured hit singles like “Wheel in the Sky” and “Lights,” solidifying their place in the rock music landscape.

“ Escape ” (1981): This album became a monumental success, boasting chart-topping hits such as “Don’t Stop Believin'” and “Open Arms.” “Escape” catapulted Journey to international stardom and remains one of their most beloved records.

“ Frontiers ” (1983): Building upon their previous success, “Frontiers” showcased Journey’s evolution with tracks like “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” and “Faithfully.” The album’s polished production and memorable hooks solidified Journey’s status as one of the biggest rock bands of the 1980s.

“ Raised on Radio ” (1986): Released during the band’s final years with Steve Perry, “Raised on Radio” featured a more radio-friendly sound and produced hits like “Be Good to Yourself” and “I’ll Be Alright Without You.” Despite tensions within the band, the album showcased their ability to create catchy, melodic rock tunes.

“ Revelation ” (2008): With Arnel Pineda as the lead singer, “Revelation” marked a new chapter for Journey. The album featured new recordings of their classic hits, reaffirming Pineda’s vocal prowess and rekindling the band’s popularity among longtime fans and a new generation.

“ Eclipse ” (2011): Continuing their musical journey with Pineda, Journey released “Eclipse,” a record that showcased their ability to evolve while staying true to their roots. The album demonstrated their enduring songwriting skills and featured tracks like “City of Hope” and “Edge of the Moment.”

“Escape & Frontiers Live in Japan” (2019): As a testament to their enduring appeal, Journey released a live album featuring their performances of the “Escape” and “Frontiers” albums in their entirety. The release showcased the band’s timeless hits in a live setting, capturing the energy and excitement of their concerts.

Journey’s Impact and Legacy

Journey’s impact on the rock music landscape cannot be overstated. With their infectious melodies, anthemic choruses, and powerful vocals, they carved out a unique sound that resonated with millions of listeners. Their music transcended generations, becoming the soundtrack to countless moments and capturing the hearts of fans worldwide.

Steve Perry’s tenure as the lead singer marked the band’s most successful period, and his distinct voice became synonymous with Journey’s sound. His emotional delivery and ability to connect with audiences elevated their songs to new heights and created an unparalleled legacy.

Arnel Pineda’s addition to the band injected new energy into Journey and allowed them to continue their musical journey. Pineda’s remarkable vocal resemblance to Perry breathed new life into the band’s live performances, earning him a dedicated fanbase and ensuring that Journey’s music lives on.

Journey’s timeless hits continue to be celebrated and embraced today. Songs like “Don’t Stop Believin'” have become cultural touchstones, appearing in films, TV shows, and sporting events, and capturing the imaginations of new generations of listeners.

Journey Band Member’s Ages

Here, is the list of all the Journey member’s ages. It seems like all of the Journey band members are above 50 and below 80.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Steve Perry Walked Away From Journey. A Promise Finally Ended His Silence.

By Alex Pappademas

• Sept. 5, 2018

MALIBU, Calif. — On the back patio of a Greek restaurant, a white-haired man making his way to the exit paused for a second look at one of his fellow diners, a man with a prominent nose who wore his dark hair in a modest pompadour.

“You look a lot like Steve Perry,” the white-haired man said.

“I used to be Steve Perry,” Steve Perry said.

This is how it goes when you are Steve Perry. Everyone is excited to see you, and no one can quite believe it. Everyone wants to know where you’ve been.

In 1977, an ambitious but middlingly successful San Francisco jazz-rock band called Journey went looking for a new lead singer and found Mr. Perry, then a 28-year-old veteran of many unsigned bands. Mr. Perry and the band’s lead guitarist and co-founder, Neal Schon, began writing concise, uplifting hard rock songs that showcased Mr. Perry’s clean, powerful alto, as operatic an instrument as pop has ever seen. This new incarnation of Journey produced a string of hit singles, released eight multiplatinum albums and toured relentlessly — so relentlessly that in 1987, a road-worn Mr. Perry took a hiatus, effectively dissolving the band he’d helped make famous.

He did not disappear completely — there was a solo album in 1994, followed in 1996 by a Journey reunion album, “Trial by Fire.” But it wasn’t long before Mr. Perry walked away again, from Journey and from the spotlight. With his forthcoming album, “Traces,” due in early October, he’s breaking 20 years of radio silence.

Over the course of a long midafternoon lunch — well-done souvlaki, hold all the starches — Mr. Perry, now 69, explained why he left, and why he’s returned. He spoke of loving, and losing and opening himself to being loved again, including by people he’s never met, who know him only as a voice from the Top 40 past.

And when he detailed the personal tragedy that moved him to make music again, he talked about it in language as earnest and emotional as any Journey song:

“I thought I had a pretty good heart,” he said, “but a heart isn’t really complete until it’s completely broken.”

IN ITS ’80S heyday, Journey was a commercial powerhouse and a critical piñata. With Mr. Perry up front, slinging high notes like Frisbees into the stratosphere, Journey quickly became not just big but huge . When few public figures aside from Pac-Man and Donkey Kong had their own video game, Journey had two. The offices of the group’s management company received 600 pieces of Journey fan mail per day.

The group toured hard for nine years. Gradually, that punishing schedule began to take a toll on Journey’s lead singer.

“I never had any nodules or anything, and I never had polyps,” Mr. Perry said, referring to the state of his vocal cords. He looked around for some wood to knock, then settled for his own skull. The pain, he said, was more spiritual than physical.

[ Never miss a pop music story: Sign up for our weekly newsletter, Louder. ]

As a vocalist, Mr. Perry explained, “your instrument is you. It’s not just your throat, it’s you . If you’re burnt out, if you’re depressed, if you’re feeling weary and lost and paranoid, you’re a mess.”

“Frankly,” Mr. Schon said in a phone interview, “I don’t know how he lasted as long as he did without feeling burned out. He was so good, doing things that nobody else could do.”

On Feb. 1, 1987, Mr. Perry performed one last show with Journey, in Anchorage. Then he went home.

Mr. Perry was born in Hanford, Calif., in the San Joaquin Valley, about 45 minutes south of Fresno. His parents, who were both Portuguese immigrants, divorced when he was 8, and Mr. Perry and his mother moved in next door to her parents’. “I became invisible, emotionally,” Mr. Perry said. “And there were places I used to hide, to feel comfortable, to protect myself.”

Sometimes he’d crawl into a corner of his grandparents’ garage with a blanket and a flashlight. But he also found refuge in music. “I could get lost in these 45s that I had,” Mr. Perry said. “It turned on a passion for music in me that saved my life.”

As a teen, Mr. Perry moved to Lemoore, Calif., where he enjoyed an archetypally idyllic West Coast adolescence: “A lot of my writing, to this day, is based on my emotional attachment to Lemoore High School.”

There he discovered the Beatles and the Beach Boys, went on parked-car dates by the San Joaquin Valley’s many irrigation canals, and experienced a feeling of “freedom and teenage emotion and contact with the world” that he’s never forgotten. Even a song like “No Erasin’,” the buoyant lead single from his new LP has that down-by-the-old-canal spirit, Mr. Perry said.

And after he left Journey, it was Lemoore that Mr. Perry returned to, hoping to rediscover the person he’d been before subsuming his identity within an internationally famous rock band. In the beginning, he couldn’t even bear to listen to music on the radio: “A little PTSD, I think.”

Eventually, in 1994, he made that solo album, “For the Love of Strange Medicine,” and sported a windblown near-mullet and a dazed expression on the cover. The reviews were respectful, and the album wasn’t a flop. With alternative rock at its cultural peak, Mr. Perry was a man without a context — which suited him just fine.

“I was glad,” he said, “that I was just allowed to step back and go, O.K. — this is a good time to go ride my Harley.”

JOURNEY STAYED REUNITED after Mr. Perry left for the second time in 1997. Since December 2007, its frontman has been Arnel Pineda, a former cover-band vocalist from Manila, Philippines, who Mr. Schon discovered via YouTube . When Journey was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last April, Mr. Pineda sang the 1981 anthem “Don’t Stop Believin’,” not Mr. Perry. “I’m not in the band,” he said flatly, adding, “It’s Arnel’s gig — singers have to stick together.”

Around the time Mr. Pineda joined the band, something strange had happened — after being radioactively unhip for decades, Journey had crept back into the zeitgeist. David Chase used “Don’t Stop Believin’” to nerve-racking effect in the last scene of the 2007 series finale of “The Sopranos” ; when Mr. Perry refused to sign off on the show’s use of the song until he was told how it would be used, he briefly became one of the few people in America who knew in advance how the show ended.

“Don’t Stop Believin’” became a kind of pop standard, covered by everyone from the cast of “Glee” to the avant-shred guitarist Marnie Stern . Decades after they’d gone their separate ways, Journey and Mr. Perry found themselves discovering fans they never knew they had.

Mark Oliver Everett, the Los Angeles singer-songwriter who performs with his band Eels under the stage name E, was not one of them, at first.

“When I was young, living in Virginia,” Mr. Everett said, “Journey was always on the radio, and I wasn’t into it.”

So although Mr. Perry became a regular at Eels shows beginning around 2003, it took Mr. Everett five years to invite him backstage. He’d become acquainted with Patty Jenkins, the film director, who’d befriended Mr. Perry after contacting him for permission to use “Don’t Stop Believin’” in her 2003 film “Monster.” (“When he literally showed up on the mixing stage the next day and pulled up a chair next to me, saying, ‘Hey I really love your movie. How can I help you?’ it was the beginning of one of the greatest friendships of my life,” Ms. Jenkins wrote in an email.) Over lunch, Ms. Jenkins lobbied Mr. Everett to meet Mr. Perry.

They hit it off immediately. “At that time,” Mr. Everett said, “we had a very serious Eels croquet game in my backyard every Sunday.” He invited Mr. Perry to attend that week. Before long, Mr. Perry began showing up — uninvited and unannounced, but not unwelcome — at Eels rehearsals.

“They’d always bust my chops,” Mr. Perry said. “Like, ‘Well? Is this the year you come on and sing a couple songs with us?’”

At one point, the Eels guitarist Jeff Lyster managed to bait Mr. Perry into singing Journey’s “Lights” at one of these rehearsals, which Mr. Everett remembers as “this great moment — a guy who’s become like Howard Hughes, and just walked away from it all 25 years ago, and he’s finally doing it again.”

Eventually Mr. Perry decided to sing a few numbers at an Eels show, which would be his first public performance in decades. He made this decision known to the band, Mr. Everett said, not via phone or email but by showing up to tour rehearsals one day carrying his own microphone. “He moves in mysterious ways,” Mr. Everett observed.

For mysterious Steve Perry reasons, Mr. Perry chose to make his long-awaited return to the stage at a 2014 Eels show at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, Minn. During a surprise encore, he sang three songs, including one of his favorite Eels tunes, whose profane title is rendered on an edited album as “It’s a Monstertrucker.”

“I walked out with no anticipation and they knew me and they responded, and it was really a thrill,” Mr. Perry said. “I missed it so much. I couldn’t believe it’d been so long.”

“It’s a Monstertrucker” is a spare song about struggling to get through a lonely Sunday in someone’s absence. For Mr. Perry, it was not an out-of-nowhere choice.

In 2011, Ms. Jenkins directed one segment of “Five,” a Lifetime anthology film about women and breast cancer. Mr. Perry visited her one day in the cutting room while she was at work on a scene featuring real cancer patients as extras. A woman named Kellie Nash caught Mr. Perry’s eye. Instantly smitten, he asked Ms. Jenkins if she would introduce them by email.

“And she says ‘O.K., I’ll send the email,’ ” Mr. Perry said, “but there’s one thing I should tell you first. She was in remission, but it came back, and it’s in her bones and her lungs. She’s fighting for her life.”

“My head said, ‘I don’t know,’ ” Mr. Perry remembered, “but my heart said, ‘Send the email.’”

“That was extremely unlike Steve, as he is just not that guy,” Ms. Jenkins said. “I have never seen him hit on, or even show interest in anyone before. He was always so conservative about opening up to anyone.”

A few weeks later, Ms. Nash and Mr. Perry connected by phone and ended up talking for nearly five hours. Their friendship soon blossomed into romance. Mr. Perry described Ms. Nash as the greatest thing that ever happened to him.

“I was loved by a lot of people, but I didn’t really feel it as much as I did when Kellie said it,” he said. “Because she’s got better things to do than waste her time with those words.”

They were together for a year and a half. They made each other laugh and talked each other to sleep at night.

In the fall of 2012, Ms. Nash began experiencing headaches. An MRI revealed that the cancer had spread to her brain. One night not long afterward, Ms. Nash asked Mr. Perry to make her a promise.

“She said, ‘If something were to happen to me, promise me you won’t go back into isolation,’ ” Mr. Perry said, “because that would make this all for naught.”

At this point in the story, Mr. Perry asked for a moment and began to cry.

Ms. Nash died on Dec. 14, 2012, at 40. Two years later, Mr. Perry showed up to Eels rehearsal with his own microphone, ready to make good on a promise.

TIME HAS ADDED a husky edge to Mr. Perry’s angelic voice; on “Traces,” he hits some trembling high notes that bring to mind the otherworldly jazz countertenor “Little” Jimmy Scott. The tone suits the songs, which occasionally rock, but mostly feel close to their origins as solo demos Mr. Perry cut with only loops and click tracks backing him up.

The idea that the album might kick-start a comeback for Mr. Perry is one that its maker inevitably has to hem and haw about.

“I don’t even know if ‘coming back’ is a good word,” he said. “I’m in touch with the honest emotion, the love of the music I’ve just made. And all the neurosis that used to come with it, too. All the fears and joys. I had to put my arms around all of it. And walking back into it has been an experience, of all of the above.”

Find the Right Soundtrack for You

Trying to expand your musical horizons take a listen to something new..

Are big music tours  really in trouble?

At 70, Cyndi Lauper  has nothing left to prove.

The Jesus Lizard , underground rock heroes, return with a new album.

What’s the best way to honor the producer Sophie  in song?

Luther Vandross , pop perfectionist, didn’t want you to hear these LPs.

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Pop Culture Happy Hour

• Performing Arts
• Pop Culture

Silverdocs: How Journey Found A New Lead Singer And Made Friends In Manila

Linda Holmes

Arnel Pineda became the lead singer of Journey in late 2007. Silverdocs hide caption

Arnel Pineda became the lead singer of Journey in late 2007.

One of the oddest things about the story of Arnel Pineda is that it's not actually quite as odd as it might seem.

Pineda was a bar and club singer working in Manila in 2007, doing some original material but finding an audience mostly for his covers, when he got an e-mail from Neal Schon, the guitarist from Journey. Schon had seen videos of Pineda performing on YouTube and asked him to come to San Francisco and audition to become the band's new lead singer. From Journey fan to Journey member, because of YouTube.

That's the hook of Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey , which opened Silverdocs on Monday night. Director Ramona S. Diaz followed Pineda and the band from the time shortly after he started rehearsing with them through their very successful 2008 tour and their – the word is a cliché, but it applies – triumphant show in Manila in March 2009 when they brought him back home a hero, the successful lead singer of an iconic American band.

There is a certain fairytale quality to all of it – the guy who was singing Journey covers when he suddenly got The Call – but really, it's not that weird. Schon didn't stumble on him accidentally or get an e-mail from someone that said "You've got to see this guy!!!"; he found Pineda while specifically searching YouTube for lead singers, because it's a not-unusual way to find musicians. Maybe he was even looking for lead singers doing Journey songs. Maybe even for lead singers doing Journey songs who sounded a lot like former lead singer Steve Perry – which Pineda surely does. Other than the fact that he was in the Philippines, Schon found his guy the way he set out to find him.

Pineda isn't quite as young as he sometimes seems in the film; he can seem like a kid, but he turned 41 during the 2008 tour. He's a stretch younger than guys like Schon, who's pushing 60, but he's not Justin Bieber being plucked from YouTube because he's never done anything. The story threatens at times to become a wacky internet novelty, but at its best, it's something a bit more satisfying than that. At its best, it's about a working singer – not a YouTube fluke, but a working, day-in-day-out singer who's been playing for years and years – can suddenly find himself jumped to the head of the line, playing to 22,000 people with musicians he's admired all his life. It doesn't have a lot to do with YouTube; the better story is about a band taking a huge risk on a completely unknown quantity because they need a guy and they found one they think will be a fit.

(As a side note, as tempting as the "Don't Stop Believin'" title is, I would have gone with a variation on "Journeyman." Just a suggestion, pun-wise.)

The best parts of the film focus on Pineda; he has a playful attitude toward his own sometimes overwhelming anxiety about the situation into which he's been thrust. He turns out to be a terrific fit for the band, despite his own comment that partly because he's "so Asian," he looks like they Photoshopped him in when Journey has photos taken. In fact, one of the guys in the band comments that bringing something a little more "international" to the "all-American" group is probably an advantage – a prediction that proves true when Pineda helps the band develop an impassioned following of Filipino-American fans in addition to the people back home in Manila. (The security team notes at one point that for some of Arnel's fans, he's "like Elvis.")

But at almost two hours, the film feels long. It comes to what seems like a natural ending at one point, and then it goes on for probably another 20 minutes. There are some background segments on the general history of Journey that don't seem to have been made with the love that went into the Pineda-era stuff, and a persistent subplot about Pineda getting colds and drinking tean — while care of the voice makes a nice tour detail — keeps coming back and back and back but never really goes anywhere.

Then there is also the problem of "Don't Stop Believin'" itself. I don't think it's a spoiler – I really, truly cannot imagine how it could be – to tell you that the film builds to the performance of that particular song. This tour happened after The Sopranos put "Don't Stop Believin'" in the spotlight but before Glee put it there again, and the closing titles of the film point out that it's now the most downloaded song written in the 20 th century. But at some point, waiting for it becomes a bit of a tease, and the build to the performance (and the holding out on playing much of that song after playing most of Journey's others that are well-known, sometimes more than once) turns into a game. I would have dropped the bomb a little sooner, just to avoid the sense of inevitability.

But the film is fun, and it's worth seeing, not because it's the tale of an internet sensation, but because it's the tale of a bunch of guys who really, really want to hear crowds scream – either again or for the first time ever. As much as it's about how a band lifted an unknown singer into a dreamlike world of screaming crowds and far more money than he'd ever known, it's also about how a band found just the right guy at just the right time to help capitalize on the surprise comeback of one of the band's most famous songs. Pineda says at one point that it's like hitting the lotto, what happened to him, but in truth, Schon hit the lotto, too. You can see the guys standing around him at certain moments, looking at him or watching him perform, realizing that he's incredibly grateful to them, but in fact, without him, they are out of luck .

There's an argument to be made that when you set out to find your new lead singer looking specifically for someone who can sing your existing hits and make them sound just like they did when your old lead singer sang them – rather than being primarily focused on a guy who can contribute to whatever your next identity is – you run the risk of essentially covering your own music. Under this theory, Pineda was originally recruited to be the lead singer of the most famous Journey cover band in the world – the one called Journey. But they have since released two albums of new material, and it seems to be a little more than that. It may even be a little more than Schon expected to find on YouTube.

Steve Perry

Who Is Steve Perry?

Steve Perry played in several bands before joining Journey in 1977. The band achieved tremendous pop rock success with its 1981 album Escape , which featured the now-classic "Don't Stop Believin'." As the group's lead singer, Perry became one of the era's most famous singers. He also had some hits on his own, including "Oh Sherrie." Perry left Journey in 1987, and except for a brief reunion, he remains a solo artist.

While attending high school in Lemoore, California, Perry played drums in the marching band. He tried college for a while, performing in the choir, but eventually abandoned school for his musical dreams. Hoping to break into the business, he moved to Los Angeles for a time. There, he worked a number of jobs, including singing on commercials and serving as an engineer in a recording studio. All the while, Perry played with a number of different groups as a vocalist and drummer. He seemed to be on the edge of a breakthrough with the group Alien Project, when it suddenly disbanded — tragically, one of its members was killed in a car crash.

Journey: "Oh Sherrie" and "Don't Stop Believin'"

In 1977, Perry caught his big break, landing a gig as the vocalist for Journey, which began performing as a jazz rock group in the early 1970s, in San Francisco. With Perry on board, the band moved more toward mainstream rock, and began to see some chart success with the first album with Perry, 1978's Infinity . The band's ode to San Francisco, "Lights," became a minor hit as did "Wheel in the Sky" and "Anytime."

Journey broken into the Top 20 with "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'" on their next album, Evolution (1979). Buoyed by such hits as "Open Arms," "Who's Crying Now" and "Don't Stop Believin'," Escape (1981) became the band's first No. 1 album, selling more than 7 million copies. While the band was hugely popular with music fans, many critics were less than kind.

By the early 1980s, Journey had emerged as one of rock's top acts. Perry proved that while he may have been short in stature, he possessed one of the era's biggest and most versatile voices. He was equally adept at ballads, such as "Open Arms," and at rock anthems, such as "Any Way You Want It." Behind the scenes, Perry helped write these songs and many of the band's other hits. He penned their most enduring song, "Don't Stop Believin'," with guitarist Neal Schon and keyboardist Jonathan Cain.

Journey continued to be one of the era's top-selling acts, with 1983's Frontiers . The album featured such songs as "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" and "Faithfully." To support the recording, the band undertook an extensive world tour. Around that time, Journey also became the first band to license their music and likenesses for a video game.

With 1986's Raised on Radio , Journey enjoyed another wave of success. However, Perry was ready to part ways with his bandmates. Perry left the band in 1987 after the album tour. In a statement to People magazine, Perry explained: "I had a job burnout after 10 years in Journey. I had to let my feet hit the ground, and I had to find a passion for singing again." Perry was also struggling with some personal issues at the time; his mother had become very sick, and he spent much of his time caring for her before her death.

Perry reunited with Journey in 1996, for the reunion album Trial By Fire , which reached as high as the No. 3 on the album charts. But health problems soon sidelined the famous singer—a hip condition, which led to hip replacement surgery—and his bandmates decided to continue on without him.

Solo Projects

While still with Journey, Perry released his first solo album, Street Talk (1984). The recording sold more than 2 million copies, helped along by the hit single, "Oh Sherrie." Burnt out after splitting with Journey, Perry took some time out before working on his next project.

Nearly a decade later, Perry re-emerged on the pop-rock scene with 1994's For the Love of Strange Medicine . While the album was well-received—one ballad, "You Better Wait," was a Top 10 hit—Perry failed to reach the same level of success that he had previously enjoyed. In 1998, he provided two songs for the soundtrack of Quest for Camelot , an animated film. Perry also released Greatest Hits + Five Unreleased that same year.

Recent Years

While he has largely stayed out of the spotlight, Perry continues to be heard in movies and on television. His songs are often chosen for soundtracks, and Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" even played during the closing moments of the hit crime-drama series The Sopranos in 2007. In 2009, a cover version of the song was done for the hit high school musical show Glee , which introduced a new generation to Perry's work.

According to several reports, Perry began working on new material around 2010. He even built a studio in his home, which is located north of San Diego, California. "I'm finishing that room up and I've written a whole bunch of ideas and directions, all over the map, in the last two, three years," Perry told Billboard in 2012.

In 2014, Perry broke from his self-imposed exile from the concert stage. He appeared with the Eels at several of their shows. According to The Hollywood Reporter , Perry explained that "I've done the 20-year hermit thing, and it's overrated." His return to performing "has to do with a lot of changes in my life, including losing my girlfriend a year ago and her wish to hear me sing again" — referring to his romance with Kellie Nash, who died in late 2012 from cancer.

Although Perry and his old bandmates had long since ventured in separate directions, the group did reunite for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April 2017.

In the meantime, the singer began recording again. On August 15, 2018, he released his first new song in 20 years, the ballad "No Erasin." The track arrived ahead of his new album, Traces , his first full-length studio recording since For the Love of Strange Medicine in 1994.

Regardless of what the future holds, Perry has already earned a place in rock history. Rolling Stone magazine named him one of music's top 100 singers. According to American Idol judge and former Journey bassist, Randy Jackson, Perry's voice is one of kind. "Other than Robert Plant, there's no singer in rock that even came close to Steve Perry," Jackson said. "The power, the range, the tone—he created his own style. He mixed a little Motown, a little Everly Brothers, a little Zeppelin."

QUICK FACTS

• Name: Steve Perry
• Birth Year: 1949
• Birth date: January 22, 1949
• Birth State: California
• Birth City: Hanford
• Birth Country: United States
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: Steve Perry was the lead singer of pop rock band Journey from 1977 to 1987. He is known for having a wide vocal range, which can be heard on such popular hits as "Don't Stop Believin'" and "Oh Sherrie."
• Astrological Sign: Aquarius

We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us !

CITATION INFORMATION

• Article Title: Steve Perry Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/musicians/steve-perry
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: July 23, 2020
• Original Published Date: April 2, 2014

Watch Next .css-smpm16:after{background-color:#323232;color:#fff;margin-left:1.8rem;margin-top:1.25rem;width:1.5rem;height:0.063rem;content:'';display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;}

Famous Musicians

Selena Gomez

Johnny Cash

Lainey Wilson

Elvis Presley’s Family Tree

Elvis Presley’s Life at Graceland

Get to Know Rap Superstar Eminem’s 3 Children

Sean “Diddy” Combs

Amy Winehouse

Watch CBS News

How Steve Perry started believin' again

October 7, 2018 / 9:55 AM EDT / CBS News

If you were alive in the 1980s (or really any time in the last 30 years), you probably know the words to at least one Journey song. And for some fans, Steve Perry is, once and forever, "the voice."

"What were you hoping for when you joined Journey?" asked correspondent Tracy Smith.

"I just wanted to write music with the guys that mattered," the 69-year-old said, "that people would love and embrace and take into their hearts. There's nothing else that meant more to me than to be part of that."

Steve Perry and Journey perform "Don't Stop Believin'":

With Perry out front, the band had a slew of Top 40 hits in the '80s, and was back on a commercial roll in the '90s, when he left it all behind.

What was that like? "It was tough, really tough," he said.

Smith asked, "What'd you do?"

"Therapy!" he laughed. "Went back to my hometown, went to the fair in the summertime that comes to Hanford."

You might understand a little more about why Perry left when you know where he came from.

Hanford, California, population 56,000, is in the heart of the Golden State's sprawling farm country. For young Steve Perry, it was the world. "When I was living here, I was really loving being here," he said.

But Perry's father left when he was seven. At Hanford's historic Fox Theatre , he talked about how it's a loss he still feels today. 

"He used to sing to me. He used to sing to me, yeah, like when I was three or four years old he'd sing to me," Perry said. "And when the divorce happened it was an incredible loss to me."

There are happier memories in Hanford, too, where much has stayed the same. 

Hanford's Superior Dairy has been in the same spot for nearly 90 years. And around here, they do ice cream in a big way: A single scoop is roughly the size of a cantaloupe. Sundaes are colossal … and Steve Perry is still a favorite son. 

And of course they still make his favorite flavor. "It's like a milk chocolate. One bite and I'm home. That's all there is to it."

The ice cream made Perry emotional. "Excuse me for a second … It's so good.  Wow. Sorry."

Smith asked, "Is there kinda like a flood of memories and feelings?"

"I've had so many memories in this place and it's still the same. No matter what happens, no matter how successful or unsuccessful, you can always come back and have some ice cream. And it's gonna be okay."

And he was living here in Hanford when he got the call that would change his life forever.

After bouncing around a series of small-time bands, Perry joined up with Journey in 1977, and helped give the world some of its best-loved songs.

Journey performs "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'":

But after years of touring, he was getting tired of the grind. He was also nursing a severely injured hip, and when the band pressed him to get it fixed, he balked.

"It was really your heart, not your hip?" asked Smith

"It was my heart," he said. "It became a group decision, major surgery, and I wasn't very happy about that. So I chose to put it off and decided when to do it, and they checked out some other singers, and we went our separate ways."

In time, Journey settled on Arnel Pineda – who sounds a lot like Perry – to be their new lead singer.

And except for a few things, like the 2005 Walk of Fame ceremony, Perry stayed out of sight, and away from music.

He stopped singing.  "Completely, Tracy, I swear," he said.

 "Were there moments where you thought, 'What have I done?'"

"No. I just wanted to move forward. And in moving forward, I found Kellie."

"Kellie" was psychologist Kellie Nash, whom Perry spotted in a made-for-TV movie about the impact of cancer, "Five."

They connected through mutual friends, and the sparks flew.

"And when someone who has stage 4 cancer turns to you and says, 'I love you,' you're gonna feel it for the first time, which is what happened," he said.

For a time, a new clinical trial kept Kellie alive, but in the fall of 2012 things got worse, and she and Steve had the talk that would bring him out of retirement.

Perry said, "One night she said that, 'If something was to ever happen to me, promise that you won't go back into isolation, for I think that would make this all for naught.' I had to make the promise, and I said, 'I promise.'"

Kellie Nash died in December 2012.  Perry says he mourned for two years … and then headed for the studio.

To hear Steve Perry perform "No More Cryin'," click on the video player below:

"Traces" is his first new studio album in more than 20 years – and it's a promise kept.

Smith asked, "I'm sure you think, when you're playing this music, 'What would she think of all this?'"

"I think she would love it. I really do," he replied.

"The voice" seems as strong as ever, but there aren't solid plans for a tour yet … or anything else.

"So, have you totally closed the door on playing with Journey again and singing with Journey again?"

"Look at you!  I can't believe you'd go – you open my heart and then you just completely, like, you know, stick a poker in there, you know?" he laughed. 

"Because this is about passion, and we're talking about the same thing."

"I know. I know. I understand your question. All I can think about is where I'm at right now."

"But at least you're not closing any doors? I mean, you know there are millions, literally millions of people out there who would love to see it happen. So, I guess I'm asking from their perspective: Is the door at least still open?"

Perry said. "I love going forward. I love going to the edge of what's next. And for me, that would be a return. I have to do, at this point in my life, what really makes me feel purposeful at this moment and on the right track for me."

"That sounds like a no."

"If you're looking for the answer I have right now, then that's the answer I have."

So yes, Steve Perry is back, but looking ahead: Happy to be making music again even if he's doing it alone.

"Look, I'm not doing this for money, honey. I don't need any money. I eat too much already! I can only drive one car at a time. This is about the passion. But maybe it took a broken heart to get there, a completely broken heart."

Smith asked, "Is your heart still broken?"

"Yes! Yes, it is still broken," he said. "But it's open . That's okay."

To hear Steve Perry perform "No Erasin'," click on the video player below:

See also: 

• A Journey back ("Sunday Morning," 06/01/08)

      For more info:

• steveperry.com
• "Traces" by Steve Perry (Fantasy), available on CD ( Amazon ,  Barnes & Noble ), Vinyl ( Amazon ,  Barnes & Noble ), and via Digital Download ( Amazon ,  iTunes ) and Streaming ( Spotify )
• Follow  @StevePerryMusic on Twitter , Facebook and YouTube

      Story produced by John D'Amelio.

More from CBS News

Little Big Town celebrates 25 years with tour and greatest hits album

Steve Bannon seeks to stay out of prison while he appeals conviction

Paradise residents who relocated after wildfire still face extreme weather risks

Tony-nominated Jonathan Groff on revival of "Merrily We Roll Along"

• I Love Classic Rock on Facebook

Artists - A-H

• Ace Frehley
• Alex Lifeson

Artists - I-P

• Iron Maiden
• J. Geils Band
• Jaco Pastorius
• James Brown

Artists - Q-Z

• Randy Meisner
• Randy Rhoads

• Unheard 1966 Beatles Cassette Tapes Set...
• David Lee Roth Disses Sammy Hagar...
• Sammy Hagar Explains His Alien Theory

• Dave Mustaine Explains Why He Thinks...
• Ozzy Osbourne Explains Why He Rejected...
• Bruce Dickinson Shows You How Not...

• Joe Bonamassa Unveils Ode to Peter...
• We Explore The Genius Behind Bill...
• 25 Greatest Chicago Blues Songs

Neal Schon Finally Speaks Up About Replacing Arnel Pineda

via Music Mad / Youtube

The future of Journey has been clouded by uncertainty ever since Arnel Pineda, the band’s Filipino vocalist, spoke out against racist remarks and pledged to keep singing, even if it meant parting ways with the iconic group.

Now, guitarist and founding member Neal Schon has stepped into the spotlight, aiming to silence the deafening rumor mill surrounding Pineda’s potential exit. 

Schon’s intervention comes at a crucial juncture, following Pineda’s heartfelt address that resonated deeply with fans and ignited discussions about inclusivity and respect within the music industry.

With tensions simmering and fans eagerly awaiting answers, Schon’s voice holds the potential to either soothe anxieties or exacerbate the drama. 

Arnel Pineda (left) and Neal Schon of Journey – the Classic West concert; Dodger Stadium; Los Angeles, CA (7-16-17). @NealSchonMusic @arnelpineda @JourneyOfficial Photo: Jeff Bliss https://t.co/XkblC3Lvm9 pic.twitter.com/yQrL7uYGQt — JCBliss (@JCBliss) July 31, 2020

“We are better than ever!”

Journey’s guitarist and founding member, Neal Schon, has shut down rumors circulating online about Arnel Pineda’s potential departure from the band. In a fiery Facebook post, he denounced “idiotic, relentless rag mag bulls**t articles” and emphasized that the band “are better than ever!”

Schon’s message serves as a much-needed dose of clarity for fans concerned about the band’s future. He reaffirmed their commitment to each other and expressed excitement for their upcoming tour, starting February 9th. This news comes after Pineda’s recent statement about facing racism and his dedication to continuing his music journey, regardless of the band.

Journey’s 2024 promises to be packed with action. Not only will they embark on their own tour, but they’ll also reunite with rock legends Def Leppard for a summer stadium tour, building on their successful collaborations from the past.

With Schon’s statement and the upcoming shows, it’s clear that Journey is ready to rock on, silencing doubts and fueling anticipation for their next chapter.

Neal Schon on Journey’s ‘New Strut,’ Possible Arnel Pineda Biopic, and His New Solo LP https://t.co/Lt39dAPgTe #Music #MusicFeatures pic.twitter.com/HNbgbJal27 — Siglov Freudivan (@DerangedRadio) January 7, 2021

“I won’t stop singing with or without Journey”

Pineda has faced a barrage of negativity since joining the band in 2007. His Asian heritage, coupled with the iconic band’s predominantly white lineup, sparked a wave of racism and doubt from some fans. However, Pineda refuses to be silenced.

In a recent Instagram post, Pineda addressed his critics head-on, calling out “bashers, foes, racists, bigots, haters,” and declaring: “No matter what or how you will name me, I won’t stop singing with or without Journey… It’s in my blood…”

His message resonated with many, highlighting his unwavering passion for music and his determination to overcome prejudice. He acknowledges his desire for a better life and recognition but emphasizes that being part of Journey was never a calculated move, but rather a dream come true.

Pineda’s defiant stance speaks volumes about his character and talent. Whether it’s “fate, destiny, divine intervention, or pure luck,” his journey with Journey is an inspiration to anyone facing discrimination or doubt. 

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by arnel c. pineda (@arnelpineda2007)

The Filipino vocalist remained humble and forgiving

Against the backdrop of John Lennon’s “Love”, Pineda continued addressing his detractors, offering an apology for any perceived pain while emphasizing his unwavering belief in unity and forgiveness. His poignant message, echoing Lennon’s call for peace and love, highlighted his resilience in the face of prejudice.

This spirit of acceptance wasn’t confined to Pineda’s own words. The band members themselves, along with their legendary former vocalist, Steve Perry, had extended a warm welcome to the Filipino singer.

Perry’s public acknowledgment of Pineda during the 2017 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony symbolized the band’s embrace of their new frontman. Even Pineda’s predecessor, describing their first encounter, spoke of it as a “glorious moment”.

This chorus of acceptance stands in stark contrast to the negativity Pineda faced. It serves as a powerful reminder that even in the face of adversity, true talent and genuine connection can find a welcoming haven.

Fans Tear Up With Vince Neil Visiting Jon Bon Jovi

Actor Russell Crowe’s Rock Band Is Here and…

Alex Van Halen Opens Up About Quitting Music

Roger Daltrey Gives Disappointing New To The Who Fans

Paul McCartney Shares The Moment His Relationship With…

With One Sentence John Lennon Destroyed A Crucial Beatles…

Rockstars In Unexpected Movie Cameos You All Forgot About

• Terms Of Use
• Privacy Policy

Complete List Of All Journey Current And Former Band Members

Feature Photo: Bruce Alan Bennett / Shutterstock.com

I first fell in love with the band Journey when I was in high school and brought the band’s album Infinity when it was first released. Their record company Columbia Records at the time heavily promoted the album. It was Steve Perry’s first recording with the band and Columbia knew they had a hit on their hands. I was blown away by Steve Perry’s voice and completely floored by how great the songs were on the record. Journey became one of the biggest bands of the seventies. They helped define the term “Stadium Rock.” The band has gone through multiple lineup changes over the years.  This article takes a look at the revolving door of musicians who have come and gone as members of the band Journey .

The Orginal Journey Band Members

Neal Schon, born on February 27, 1954, in Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist for Journey. He was one of the founding members of the band in 1973. Over the years, Schon played a significant role in shaping the band’s sound and has appeared on every Journey album to date, from their self-titled debut album “Journey” (1975) to their most recent releases. He primarily plays the electric guitar but has been known to play acoustic guitar and perform backing vocals as well. Schon co-wrote some of the band’s most iconic songs like “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Wheel in the Sky,” and “Any Way You Want It.” Besides his work with Journey, Neal Schon has had a rich solo career and has also been a part of other bands like Santana and Bad English .

Ross Valory

Ross Valory, born on February 2, 1949, in San Francisco, California, is an American musician renowned for being Journey’s original bass guitarist. He joined the band at its inception in 1973 and contributed to albums like “Journey” (1975), “Infinity” (1978), “Escape” (1981), and many more. Valory played both the bass guitar and occasionally provided backing vocals. He was a part of Journey until he was fired from the band in 2020. Apart from Journey, Valory was involved in the Steve Miller Band and also had a side project called “The Vu.”

Gregg Rolie

Gregg Rolie was born on June 17, 1947, in Seattle, Washington, and is an American keyboardist and singer. He was a founding member of Journey and joined the band in 1973. Rolie played keyboards and was the lead vocalist on the band’s first three albums: “Journey” (1975), “Look into the Future” (1976), and “Next” (1977). He left Journey in 1980 to pursue other musical endeavors. Notably, he was a member of Santana before joining Journey and co-wrote and sang lead vocals on classics like “Black Magic Woman” and “Evil Ways.” After leaving Journey, he went on to form The Gregg Rolie Band and also joined Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band .

George Tickner

George Tickner, born on September 8, 1946, in Syracuse, New York, is an American musician who played rhythm guitar for Journey. He was among the original members when the band was founded in 1973 but left shortly after the release of the band’s self-titled debut album in 1975. Tickner contributed to the writing of some early songs but didn’t stay with the band long enough to participate in the more commercial phases of Journey’s career. After leaving Journey, Tickner largely retired from professional music to pursue a career in medicine.

Charles “Prairie” Prince

Charles “Prairie” Prince, born on May 7, 1950, in Charlotte, North Carolina, was the original drummer for Journey when the band was formed in 1973. However, he never officially recorded with the band and left before their debut album was made. He is best known for his work with The Tubes , a San Francisco-based rock band. Though his time with Journey was short-lived, Prince has had a significant career in music, working with artists like Todd Rundgren, and Jefferson Starship, and as a session musician for various other artists.

The Next Phase and Beyond

Aynsley dunbar.

Aynsley Dunbar, born on January 10, 1946, in Liverpool, England, is a British drummer known for his work with various rock and blues bands. He joined Journey in 1974, shortly after the band’s formation, and played on the albums “Journey” (1975), “Look into the Future” (1976), and “Next” (1977). Dunbar’s jazz-influenced drumming style added a unique element to Journey’s early sound. He left the band in 1978 before the band shifted to a more mainstream, commercial sound. Apart from Journey, Dunbar has had an extensive career, playing with artists like Frank Zappa, David Bowie, and Whitesnake.

Robert Fleischman

Robert Fleischman, born on March 11, 1953, in Los Angeles, California, is an American musician who briefly served as Journey’s lead vocalist in 1977. Though he never appeared on any studio albums with Journey, he contributed to songwriting and is credited with co-writing songs like “Wheel in the Sky.” Fleischman was replaced by Steve Perry later in the same year he joined. Outside of Journey, Fleischman had a solo career and was a member of other rock bands like Vinnie Vincent Invasion.

Steve Perry

Steve Perry , born on January 22, 1949, in Hanford, California, is an American singer known for his soaring vocals. He joined Journey in 1977 and quickly became the band’s iconic lead vocalist. Steve Perry played a significant role in Journey’s commercial success and was a key contributor to albums like “Infinity” (1978), “Evolution” (1979), “Escape” (1981), among others. He co-wrote and sang some of Journey’s most famous songs, including “Don’t Stop Believin'” and “Open Arms.” Perry left the band in 1998 due to health issues and to pursue a solo career, which itself has been highly successful, featuring hits like “Oh Sherrie.”

Steve Smith

Steve Smith, born on August 21, 1954, in Whitman, Massachusetts, is an American drummer. He joined Journey in 1978, replacing Aynsley Dunbar, and played on some of their most successful albums like “Evolution,” “Escape,” and “Frontiers.” Known for his technical skill, Smith left the band in 1985 but returned for various stints, the latest being from 2015 to 2020. Outside of Journey, Smith has had a rich career in jazz and has been part of his own jazz fusion band, Vital Information.

Randy Jackson

Randy Jackson, born on June 23, 1956, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is an American musician, best known as a judge on the television show “American Idol.” He joined Journey as a bass player for a short stint during the mid-1980s and played on the 1986 album “Raised on Radio.” Jackson was part of the band’s transition towards a more pop-oriented sound during that period. Besides Journey, he has been an in-demand session musician and has produced and performed with a wide array of artists across genres.

Steve Augeri

Steve Augeri, born on January 30, 1959, in Brooklyn, New York, is an American rock singer best known for his work as the lead vocalist for Journey from 1998 to 2006. He was brought in as a replacement for Steve Perry and featured on albums like “Arrival” (2001) and “Generations” (2005). Augeri co-wrote songs for the band but had to leave in 2006 due to vocal issues. Outside of Journey, he has been involved in other bands like Tyketto and has also embarked on a solo career.

Jeff Scott Soto

Jeff Scott Soto, born on November 4, 1965, in Brooklyn, New York, is an American singer who served as Journey’s lead vocalist for a brief period from 2006 to 2007. He stepped in following Steve Augeri’s departure due to vocal issues but was in the band for less than a year. Though his time with Journey was short-lived, he did perform live with the band during that period. Outside of Journey, Soto has a prolific career, having been a part of bands like Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force and Talisman, as well as a successful solo career.

Deen Castronovo

Deen Castronovo, born on August 17, 1964, in Westminster, California, is an American drummer and vocalist. He joined Journey in 1998, replacing Steve Smith, and contributed to albums like “Arrival” (2001), “Generations” (2005), and “Eclipse” (2011). Besides playing drums, Castronovo also performed backing and some lead vocals during his time with the band. He left Journey in 2015 amidst personal issues. Beyond Journey, he has played with bands like Bad English and Hardline and is known for his work in various other musical projects.

Narada Michael Walden

Narada Michael Walden, born on April 23, 1952, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, is an American musician, producer, and songwriter. He joined Journey as a drummer in 2020, replacing Steve Smith. Known for his diverse skill set across genres, Walden has a rich career outside of his time with Journey. He’s a multi-Grammy Award-winning producer and has worked with a myriad of artists including Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and Aretha Franklin.

Arnel Pineda

Arnel Pineda, born on September 5, 1967, in Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines, is a Filipino singer and songwriter. He became the lead vocalist for Journey in 2007, discovered by Neal Schon through YouTube videos of Pineda covering Journey songs. He made his studio debut with the band on the 2008 album “Revelation” and has remained with the band since. Outside of Journey, Pineda had been a part of several bands in the Philippines and has a solo career as well.

Jason Derlatka

Jason Derlatka, born on September 8, 1972, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is an American keyboardist, vocalist, and composer. He joined Journey in 2020 as a touring keyboardist and background vocalist. Though he hasn’t been featured on any studio albums with the band yet, he brings a wide range of musical experience to Journey. Derlatka has worked extensively in television, composing music for series like “House” and “Parenthood.”

Todd Jensen

Todd Jensen, born on October 19, 1965, in Portland, Oregon, is an American bassist. Though he never officially recorded with Journey, Jensen was involved as a touring member following Ross Valory’s departure in 2020. Known for his versatility, he has played with various artists and bands spanning multiple genres, including David Lee Roth, Ozzy Osbourne, and Alice Cooper.

Complete List Of All Journey Current And Former Band Members article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023

Classicrockhistory.com claims ownership of all its original content and Intellectual property under United States Copyright laws and those of all other foreign countries. No one person, business, or organization is allowed to re-publish any of our original content anywhere on the web or in print without our permission. All photos used are either public domain Creative Commons photos or licensed officially from Shutterstock under license with ClassicRockHistory.com. All photo credits have been placed at the end of the article. Album Cover Photos are affiliate links and the property of Amazon and are stored on the Amazon server. Any theft of our content will be met with swift legal action against the infringing websites.

DON’T MISS A BEAT

Be the first to know when a new article is published

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Related Posts

10 Drummers Whose Sound And Groove Became Legendary

Complete List Of The Doobie Brothers Band Members

Complete List Of Foo Fighters Current And Former Band Members

10 Guitarists Who Departed Before Their Bands Became Famous

All About The Musicians Who Played On Alan Parsons Project Albums

Complete List Of Heart Band Members

About the author.

Brian Kachejian

Brian Kachejian was born in Manhattan and raised in the Bronx. He is the founder and Editor in Chief of ClassicRockHistory.com. He has spent thirty years in the music business often working with many of the people who have appeared on this site. Brian Kachejian also holds B.A. and M.A. degrees from Stony Brook University along with New York State Public School Education Certifications in Music and Social Studies. Brian Kachejian is also an active member of the New York Press.

Add Comment Cancel Reply

 Yes, add me to your mailing list

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Inside the New Journey Documentary ‘Don’t Stop Believin': Everyman’s Journey’ With Director Ramona Diaz

The story of Journey finding their latest lead singer Arnel Pineda on YouTube is a tale that’s both well-known at this point, and hugely inspirational to others hoping that perhaps a similar type of rock star fame might someday come their way.

‘ Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey ’ is a new documentary that offers a bird’s-eye view of the Filipino-born Pineda and his eventual rise to success as the front man of one of America’s most successful rock and roll bands. The cameras were rolling as Pineda started his new life with Journey in 2008, tracking each moment as he began to win over concert audiences worldwide.

His enthusiastic passion for the legendary songs that he was singing each night, and the love that he had for a group that had inspired him so much as a vocalist -- which he was now part of -- were unmistakable.

The new film begins screening this weekend in theaters and on demand. We spoke with director Ramona S. Diaz about the experience of putting the documentary together.

Let’s start at the top. How did this project come about?

You know, I had heard of Arnel getting the gig through this email that was actually written by an immigration officer at the American Embassy in the Philippines who gave Arnel his visa to come to the U.S. That’s when it started. One thing led to another, and my manager called their manager, and there was a big back and forth of whether they had the story this year [in 2008] or was it [going to be] next year? And I said, “No, you have a story this year, because I think next year, the second year with the band, it’s a story, certainly, but it won’t be the story. I think it would be more dynamic and compelling [now].”

So they allowed me to film one day with the band, to show them and prove to them that they had the story. That’s when I met Arnel and then decided, “Wow, he’s really golden.” There’s something about Arnel that’s really compelling. So that’s when I decided that, "I’ve gotta make this film," and that I was that obsessed that, “Okay, this has got to happen.”

I filmed the band for a day as they rehearsed in Northern California, before their ‘Revelation’ tour in ‘08 and cut a 10-minute piece [from that] and sent it to management and they got back to us within 24 hours and said, “Come aboard, we’re hitting the road -- come with us!” I was like, “Great,” [because] we had no money, but I have a producer who made it happen.

You had a fairly large team of people working on this film. You mentioned the money issues -- how did it eventually come together so that you were able to do this?

It never came together. Seriously. This is an independently produced film. It would have been different if the band came to us and said, “Hey, make this fantastic film.” We were sort of going after that [which didn’t happen] and then they finally said yes, so we couldn’t say, “Oh yeah, can you pay for it?” So basically, my producer Capella [Fahoome Brogden] put it on her credit cards and then when she ran out of that, I borrowed money from my family and then we got some investors from friends and family, [who provided] small, small amounts of money.

That’s really how we’ve cobbled this whole thing [together]. And also at some point when the band then realized, “Oh okay, this might be something,” [they wanted to help out]. Because I don’t think they ever really [knew what it was going to be like], although they gave us access. They’re veteran rockers and I thought they were used to cameras backstage and on buses, but they weren’t used to it. They didn’t really understand what it meant to have us there constantly. So for a while, they didn’t really get it and now it makes sense to me. Someone explained to me that they were right at the cusp of [the arrival of] MTV, [before] MTV brought out the ubiquitous cameras backstage and stuff. So now it makes sense that they weren’t used to it.

They didn’t really get what the film would look like or how it would all come together. When they started getting an inkling [that], “Oh, this might be something,” two years into the project, by then we didn’t want to cross that line either of taking their money. Because then we were making [what becomes] a vanity project [by doing that], right? We needed to stay independent. So that’s what we’ve done this entire time.

What were the parameters that were laid down as far as what you could and couldn’t shoot and anything else like that boundary-wise?

You know, nothing really. They didn’t tell us that, “You couldn’t be here,” or “You couldn’t be there.” But the tough thing was when I requested that I film their process. I wanted to film them writing a song. They eventually gave me permission, but we were then, I think, a couple of years into the project. I just kept pushing. I said, “I’ve got to see that -- I’ve got to see how you guys do that.”

They gave me permission finally when we were in Manila, right after the concert and they wrote ‘ City of Hope ,’ which they dedicated to Arnel and the city of Manila, because they were so inspired. I said, “You’ve gotta let me film this.” By then, they knew me and they knew that I wasn’t out to get them. I think it’s just a matter of hanging out long enough that they trust you and they get used to you and [know that] you’re not [out to] get the “gotcha” moments. That wasn’t what I was after and they really fully understood that by the time that we were done.

You were following the band for two years and on paper, that looks like an extensive amount of filming. Can you talk about that part of the process?

We started in 2008, which was the summer tour and that was from June through September and even that summer, we jumped on and off. We covered the country, but we jumped on and off, because you know, we’d run out of money. So we’d jump off, make some commercials, raise some money and jump back on. So that was that whole summer, and then we followed Arnel to Manila right after the tour, because I wanted to see how he would adjust to his new life.

In 2009, we went back to Manila with the band and then after that, I actually continued filming with the guys in their homes. Which is not in the film -- I thought the film could handle that, but it couldn’t. I visited all of them in their respective homes. I wanted to see them outside of the tour. And then after that, I said, “You know, we’ve gotta keep on filming, because they’re going back into the studio.” They’re going to go back to record and I want to see that. So we did -- we waited and in 2010 that happened. So we filmed them at Fantasy [Studios] in Berkeley recording ‘ Eclipse ,’ their latest album.

Did the scope and direction of the project change at all during the course of making the film, from where you started out with outlining the project at the beginning?

Not really; you know, as a documentary filmmaker, you never know where it’s going to go. Arnel could have failed. It would still have been a film, but it would have been a very different film. I think the fact that he succeeded and [that] they gained new audiences and they gained this second life, it’s great storytelling for this Cinderella story. I thought it would be a Cinderella story, but I didn’t know if in actuality it would be that. I’d hoped for that, but you’re watching life unfold, so it’s very zen -- you just wait to see where it leads you.

It is a great story, because Journey is a band that certainly, they were already hugely popular, but it really has brought them a whole different audience in addition to their previous fan base. That’s really something after all of the years that this band has been together.

Yeah, it’s incredible, and you saw that actually happen in 2008. You saw this different audience coming on and I’m like, “Wow, this is incredible.” I think it took everyone by surprise. I think all of them took a leap of faith with Arnel, and Arnel took a leap of faith too, right? So there was this feeling of “Let’s see how it goes,” and it paid off for everyone.

The film is presented in a mixture of English and Filipino dialogue. How did that part develop?

I think that Arnel is more comfortable speaking in that manner and in the Philippines, a lot of people switch from Filipino to English. It’s just a matter of speaking. I realized that if I was going to get him to really articulate [about] say, the first time he performed in front of a crowd of 30,000 in Chile, I needed to liberate him from just speaking English and I understand the language, so that wasn’t a problem for me.

Were you a Journey fan?

Obviously, I grew up with their music, but I wasn’t a hardcore Journey fan. I mean, I’ve seen hardcore Journey fans [ laughs ]. I lived with them all throughout that summer. I thought they were a wonderful band and certainly loved their music, but I think that after this whole process, I have a newfound respect for what they’ve done. I’ve really understood what it is that they’ve done.

They created a catalog and not just one or two songs, but a catalog of music that’s timeless and works. Every night, it works. I saw it -- every night, ‘Separate Ways’ would come on and the entire [crowd of] 20,000 would [react] like it was the first time they were hearing it. And you know that they’ve heard it tens of hundreds of times. But you feel the energy, like it’s the first time. It’s amazing -- how did he do that? That’s magic. Not everyone can do that. So to me, it’s just pretty incredible what they’ve done.

As a filmmaker, had you seen the ‘ Frontiers and Beyond ’ documentary that they’d done in the ‘80s?

Yes -- I’d seen it in the process of research.

That really illustrates how that band did everything bigger than everybody else in that decade. It was shot by NFL Films and legendary NFL broadcaster John Facenda voiced it. How did that play into your psyche when you were working on this project? Did you think about that at all?

Oh, absolutely. You know, when you’re editing a film, you start out with a five-hour cut, right? So I did really want to cover the history. It was surprising to me to find out that they were the ones who started the [usage of] big monitors on stage, so that people in the nosebleeds would feel like it was still an intimate experience.

God, that’s really smart. Now of course, it’s a matter of course, right? Everyone does it. But the fact that they were the first ones, that they actually owned the company that did that, that rented it out . . . I was like, “Wow.” I wanted to at some point talk about that. It’s going to be in the DVD extras, obviously, but it just couldn’t be part of this film.The film couldn’t support it or really examine it in any kind of profound way.

But they did [pioneer that] and I had no idea. That was all new to me in that process of researching the band. It’s pretty incredible. And of course, then they got their reputation for being corporate rock, because they were so slick and got sponsors. Now everyone gets sponsors. Ross Valory actually told me a really funny story about how Mick Jagger came around and visited them in San Francisco, wanting to know how they did it and what they were doing business-wise.

There’s a moment in the film where you capture Chicago singer Jason Scheff [a replacement himself for original Chicago lead singer Peter Cetera] talking to Arnel backstage. That moment feels very spontaneous -- I don’t know how engineered that moment was or wasn’t . . .

No, it wasn’t at all!

You don’t necessarily know that is a singer from the band Chicago walking up to Arnel . . .

No, I didn’t. But someone, who I think was with Arnel, mentioned that Jason was backstage. I didn’t hear that -- we were just following Arnel. My cinematographer was on him and I said, “He’s our guy -- he’s our story -- follow him wherever,” and it just happened. That’s when the documentary is really golden, when those things happen and you don’t plan it.

You’ve acknowledged in the past your hesitation to do a project like this, because of what a bear of a task it is to clear popular music for a film. Can you talk about that part of working on this documentary?

Oh, my God. You know, I don’t know the details of it. Because you have music supervisors and it’s really all lawyers talking to lawyers. I knew it from other films, one piece of music appearing by Liza Minnelli and Donna Summer -- I knew even that piece of music was so difficult to clear. We cleared like 13 Journey songs, which is one of the most difficult catalogs to clear. But of course, they signed on to make the film, so I hate to say it was easy, but it was easier.

But it’s still very complicated, because at some point even if they want to, it’s beyond their control. It’s a whole lot of details that even I right now don’t completely understand. But I knew it would be difficult, just from making other films. Of course at the end of the day if we couldn’t clear it, it would have really been not good.

Watch the Trailer for 'Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey'

More From Ultimate Classic Rock

Journey's Neal Schon says he and Steve Perry are 'in a good place' before band's 50th anniversary

On the cusp of turning 50, the band that etched “Don’t Stop Believin’ ” and “Faithfully” into lighters-up lore is entering “a cleaned-up chapter of Journey.”

That’s according to Neal Schon, the band’s ace guitarist, lone original constant and de facto CEO.

Despite decades of fluctuating lineups and  snarly lawsuits among band members , Journey endures.

On July 8, the band released “Freedom,” its first new album in 11 years that also presents the return of Randy Jackson (as in "American Idol") on bass. The 15-song collection is steeped with vintage-sounding ballads (“Still Believe in Love,” “Live to Love Again”) and soaring melodic rockers (“United We Stand,” “You Got the Best of Me”).

Journey – including longtime keyboardist Jonathan Cain,  peppy singer Arnel Pineda , drummer Deen Castronovo and keyboardist Jason Derlatka, adding bassist Todd Jensen for live shows – will hit Resorts World Las Vegas  this month for shows backed by a symphony orchestra before rolling through more arena dates this summer and in early 2023, the band’s official 50th year.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Journey in pop culture: Quarantined family perfectly re-creates 'Separate Ways' music video at home

Regular road warriors who consistently pack arenas and stadiums – their 27 shows this year grossed $28 million, according to Billboard Boxscore – Journey relies on a solid catalog of mega-hits and a devoted fan base that appreciates the familiarity.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers also received a boost from Netflix’s ’80s-centered “Stranger Things” when the show used “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” in the trailer for the just-ended season, launching the song onto Billboard’s Rock Digital Songs chart. The affable Schon, 68, talked with USA TODAY about the band’s complicated legacy, his relationship with former frontman Steve Perry and plans for Journey's golden anniversary.

Santana recovers: Carlos Santana collapsed on stage from heat, dehydration 

Question: Are you amazed at how the Journey train keeps rolling after almost 50 years?

Neal Schon: It’s quite an accomplishment and I’m very proud of what we’ve done and how we’ve gotten through emotional and personnel changes and survived. It’s pretty mind-boggling but also a lot of hard work.

Q: Does the title “Freedom” refer to anything specifically?

Schon: Our ex-manager Herbie Herbert  wanted to call the (1986) “Raised on Radio” album “Freedom” because he always came up with these one-word titles. Steve (Perry) fought him on that and got his way, so we sat on it for many years. When we got through the lawsuit with the ex-bandmates, we made the new LLC Freedom (JN) and when we were tossing around album titles said, why not just call the whole thing “Freedom?" It's for the times right now.

Q: There’s been a bit of a revolving door in the rhythm section. Deen Castronovo is back for the live shows, but Narada Michael Walden played drums on the album, and Randy Jackson is back in the band, at least on record?

Schon: Deen is singing and playing his butt off. He’s such a musical sponge, this guy. He’s been like my little brother for close to three decades and is such a joy to work with. Randy, he’d been working with me diligently this whole time. He’s so many things beyond being an amazing musician and bass player.

Rock in the rain: Def Leppard, Motley Crue, Poison, Joan Jett combat weather during The Stadium Tour

Q: Will Randy play at any of the upcoming live shows or is Todd Jensen handling those duties?

Schon: Randy is still recovering from some surgery and he stays very busy and Todd fits like a glove. Having said that, I think with our 50th anniversary next year, there’s room for everybody to jump in if they want to participate. We did go through an ugly divorce with (Steve Smith and Ross Valory) with the court proceedings (in 2021, Schon and Cain settled a $10 million trademark lawsuit with the band’s former drummer and bassist). But definitely, if Steve Perry wanted to come on and sing a song, yes. If (original Journey singer) Gregg Rolie wanted to come sing a couple of songs, yes. Randy Jackson (can) come sit in on some of the material – he played on a lot of hits on “Raised on Radio.”

Q: Do you talk much with Steve Perry?

Schon: We are in contact. It’s not about him coming out with us, but we’re speaking on different levels. That’s a start, even if it’s all business. And I’m not having to go through his attorney! We’ve been texting and emailing. He’s a real private guy and he wants to keep it that way. We’re in a good place.

Q: Do you think, after 15 years, that people have accepted Arnel?

Schon: I was diligent in that I wanted to show the massive size of our audience, so I hired photogs to come out every show and shoot the audience and show the size of the crowd to make everybody see, what am I missing? From putting up the different photos every night and the reviews from the fans online, I saw very little of “This is not Journey, man.” I think we just shut everybody up.

Artists - A-H

• & Young
• .38 Special
• Aaron Lewis
• Aaron Neville

Artists - I-P

• Iron Butterfly
• Iron Maiden
• Izzy Stradlin

Artists - Q-Z

• Queens of the Stone Age
• Queensrÿche
• Classic Rock

• Keyboardist Jim Beard, Known for His...
• 12 Rock Legends Who Openly Dislike...
• 10 Rock Stars Who Can’t Stand...

• Legendary Motorhead Frontman, Lemmy, To Be...
• Happy 76th Birthday Tony Iommi: How...
• Metallica Secures Best Metal Performance at...

• Unveiling Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Top 10...
• Album Review: “Two Steps From The...
• The Facts In The Early Life...

After 20 Long Years Away, Steve Perry Finally Joins Journey Onstage

photo credit: rockaxis.com.co

Reunited And It Feels So, So Good

We’ve spent the last 20 years hoping, praying, pleading – even appealing to Steve Perry directly through the likes of Journey guitarist Neal Schon and even Carlos Santana to rejoin Journey, if only for a little while. As news of Journey’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame came to light late last year, the possibility of a Steve Perry reunion was closer to us than it had ever been but the former Journey frontman’s famed reticence when it came to anything related to his old band forced us to be realistic and prepare for the very real possibility that he wouldn’t show for Journey’s big moment.

Against all odds, however, Steve was there for Friday night’s festivities , just as excited to reunite with his former friends and bandmates as he was gracious to the legions of fans who propelled Journey to the top of the food chain and into rock and roll legend.

While Perry ultimately decided against performing with Journey and left the honor to current singer Arnel Pineda – who got his wish and finally met his idol for the very first time Friday night – his acceptance speech reflected a lifetime’s worth of love and gratitude to his bandmates as he gushed about their respective talents and thanked them individually and by name for “all the music we’ve written and recorded together.” Lastly, for the Journey fans who stopped believing that Steve heard them and cared, he had this to offer:

“You put us here,” he said. “We would not be here had it not been for you and your tireless love and consistent devotion. You never have stopped. I’ve been gone a long time, I understand that, but I want you to know that you’ve never not been in my heart.”

What a magical night! There’s no indication that Steve will ever be involved with Journey again, but who knows? It’s been an impossible year full of impossible events, and to forget that anything is possible would be absolutely foolish. Congratulations, Journey!

Don’t Miss Out! Sign up for the Latest Updates

I love classic rock.

Dave Mustaine Shares One Things That Annoys Him The Music…

Alice Cooper Puts His Bid To Become President

Nick Low Announce New Album In Over A Decade

Foreigner and Styx Announce Album Together

10 70s Guitarists You Might Not Remember

10 Songs That Prove Peter Frampton Deserves His Rock Hall…

Here Are 7 Songs That Show Why We Love Jim Croce

Premium partners.

Interested in becoming a partner?

Contact us for more info.

© 2024 Society Of Rock

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy

Ex-Journey Singer Steve Perry Battles Former Bandmates Over Trademarks

By Jason Newman

Jason Newman

Journey have existed in one form or another for nearly 50 years, with members Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain leading the arena rock group through various iterations over the decades. Though the band is nearly as (in)famous for their squabbles and legal battles as their many, many classic rock radio and karaoke staples.

Good news: Steve Perry , the golden throat heard on “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Any Way You Want It” and “Wheel in the Sky,” among many others, is ready to reunite with his old band. Bad news: It’s only because he’s filed legal papers against Schon and Cain over the trademarks to 20 of the group’s biggest songs.

As reported by Billboard , Schon and Cain, through their company Freedom JN LLC, own the trademark registrations to many of the band’s hits, which, as Billboard notes, “cover the use of the names on T-shirts, hoodies and other forms of apparel, making it easier for the band to sue someone selling those items.”

According to the petition, via Billboard , “no partner may authorize, approve or disapprove any use or exploitation, or grant or license any rights in or to any group compositions, in whole or in part, (including, without limitation, the titles thereof) in connection with any product or otherwise, without the prior, written, unanimous consent of all of the partners.”

Editor’s picks

Every awful thing trump has promised to do in a second term, the 250 greatest guitarists of all time, the 500 greatest albums of all time, the 50 worst decisions in movie history.

“On that meeting, Steve, Ross, Smith, and Herbie voted myself and Cain off the board of directors and Steve and all voted Ross in my place and Smith in Jon’s,” he continues. “They all knew at this time I’d been investigating our trademarks for years trying to get to the bottom of all corruption as we found ( my wife and I ) that nothing had ever been trademarked besides our music. They all went for a takeover and it didn’t work. Quite simple…You haven’t heard the last of this friends. We are going to peel back the onion.”

Perry was a member of the group from 1977 to 1987 and returned to the band from 1995 to 1998. Cain joined the group in 1980 alongside founding member Schon, who co-founded the group in 1973. In 2020, Schon and Cain fired members Ross Valory and Steve Smith after accusing them of trying to fund their retirement by wresting control of the band’s name.

Chappell Roan Opens Up to Crowd: 'My Career is Going Really Fast and It’s Hard to Keep Up'

Enchanting, texas star and former 1017 rapper, dead at 26, camila cabello reveals 'c, xoxo' track list, featuring drake, lil nas x, and more, paul mccartney and wings' loose 'one hand clapping' is worthy of applause.

Valory filed a counter-claim against the duo, with his lawyer noting to Rolling Stone at the time that “Ross is shocked and devastated by the conduct of his lifelong bandmates (Schon and Cain) and is disappointed that there was never any attempt to sit down and discuss what is most likely a misunderstanding and something that easily could have been worked out.”

The group reached an “amicable settlement” a year later in 2021, though terms were not revealed. Perry released his latest album, the Christmas-themed The Season last year, while the band released Freedom , their fifteenth album, in July.

Watch Vampire Weekend Invite Tim Robinson Onstage for 'Dangerous Nights' Performance

• By Emily Zemler

Sam Smith Announces 'In the Lonely Hour 10 Year Anniversary Edition'

• Play It Again, Sam

Watch Camila Cabello Enlist Robot Dogs for 'I Luv It' Performance on 'Fallon'

• Late-Night TV

Chappell Roan Opens Up to Crowd: 'My Career is Going Really Fast and It’s Hard to Keep Up'

• 'Being Honest'
• By Charisma Madarang

Normani Unveils 'Dopamine' Track List, Featuring Cardi B, Gunna, James Blake

Most popular, rob schneider booted mid-set from another stage after attendees walk out, ‘dancing for the devil’ subject miranda derrick says her life is ‘in danger’ and she’s ‘being followed’ after netflix doc’s release, insiders claim prince harry is reportedly ‘pulling strings with his own contacts’ for meghan markle’s potential next era, kyrie irving's shoes draw stares from collectors and congress, you might also like, ‘black butterflies’ director david baute on the annecy climate crisis movie: ‘we tried to put a human face to this drama’, golden goose admitted to publicly list in milan, the best yoga mats for any practice, according to instructors, ‘ren faire’ director didn’t see his game of thrones ending coming — now, he sees it was obvious, congress to consider bill declaring college athletes are not employees.

Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Rolling Stone, LLC. All rights reserved.

Verify it's you

Please log in.

Bias of Cleveland Plain Dealer

• Balanced News
• Story of the Week
• News Curation Principles
• Newsletters
• Balanced Search

Legendary rock singer teases new music, return to touring

Steve Perry, the former lead singer for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band Journey, is teasing new music and a possible return to touring. Perry served as Journey’s frontman from 1977 to 1987, and again from 1995 to 1998, but went on a 22-year recording hiatus before releasing solo album “Traces” in 2018. Now, the 75-year-old Perry says he has additional projects in the works. “I just signed with a new label,” Perry told Rolling Stone. “I’m very excited about it, and I’ll have an opportunity very soon to...

Cleveland Plain Dealer

Related Coverage

AllSides Picks

June 12th, 2024

Ethan Horowitz

AllSides Staff

More News about General News from the Left , Center and Right

From the left, from the center, from the right.

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes

Jelly Roll and Wife Bunnie XO Reveal They're Undergoing IVF: 'Our Journey Needed to Be Shared'

The musician and his wife revealed on Tuesday, June 4, that they are planning on expanding their family via in vitro fertilization

Gabrielle Rockson is a staff writer-reporter for PEOPLE. She joined PEOPLE in 2023 and covers entertainment and human interest stories. She's interviewed David Beckham, Zendaya, Timothée Chalamet and many others. Her previous work can be found in OK! Magazine, MyLondon, GRM Daily, and more.

Jason Kempin/Getty

• Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO are undergoing IVF
• The singer and rapper revealed on the Bussin' with the Boys podcast that he decided to work on his health to live longer
• Bunnie XO is stepmother to Jelly Roll's daughter, Bailee Ann, and son, Noah Buddy, from previous relationships

Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO are planning to expand their family,

On Tuesday, June 4, the 39-year-old singer and rapper appeared on the Bussin’ with the Boys podcast and revealed he decided to lose over 60 pounds so he could live longer to see kids grow — and keep up with any new additions.

“My wife and I are talking about having a baby, and it really made me realize that at almost 40, I was like, it means I got to live to at least 60. I got to see this kid into college,” said Jelly, who is dad to daughter Bailee Ann , 16, and son Noah Buddy , 7½, from previous relationships.

Speaking of Jerry Garcia , who died at age 53, he added, "I was young, so I was like, ’56 would be great for me! … It’s better than 27 when all the other stars died. It’s 27 or 56 in the celebrity world. Let me be 56.’ But now I’m like, ‘I’d like to see my 60s.’ You know what I mean? And that really lit it up.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.

Bunnie, whom the "Need a Favor" singer married in 2016, then shared the video of his interview on her Instagram page and revealed that they had decided to undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF).

"Papabear dropped a surprise on this pod today,” the podcast host wrote across the clip. “We had planned on doing this privately, but decided our ivf journey needed to be shared because we’ve always been so open.”

"And w/all odds stacked against us, it’s always been hard & we have only just begun,” Bunnie, 44, added with a watery-eyed emoji.

“God Willing- Baby DeFord 2026 💫 @bussinwtb ,” Bunnie's caption read.

IVF is a medical process in which mature eggs, removed surgically from ovaries, are fertilized by sperm in a lab. After being allowed to age for a period of usually three to six days, one (or sometimes more) of the fertilized embryos, called blastocysts, is then transferred into the uterus, which will hopefully lead to implantation and a healthy pregnancy .

Jelly took part in his first 5K race in May. Ahead of the achievement, he told PEOPLE in April that he had lost 70-something pounds .

"I've been really kicking ass, man. I'm doing two to three miles a day, four to six days a week,” he said at the time. “I'm doing 20 to 30 minutes in the sauna, six minutes in a cold plunge every day. I'm eating healthy right now."

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

Meanwhile, despite Bunnie not being the biological mother to the "Save Me" hitmaker's two children, she has loved them like her own.

In 2017, the couple were granted full custody of Bailee following her mother’s drug addiction. The teen also revealed in an episode of Bunnie’s Dumb Blonde podcast that she and her biological mother were working on their relationship amid the latter's road to recovery.

Bunny XO/TikTok

Fans also got to see Bunnie's bond with her husband’s son Noah when they made a TikTok video together before his seventh birthday in 2023.

“My name is Noah and my favorite color is red,” he told the camera.

Meanwhile, Jelly paid tribute to his wife for Mother's Day in 2020.

"It takes a special kind of woman to raise a kid that isn’t her child and still treat the child as if she was," he wrote on Instagram .

Related Articles

Four Tops singer sues hospital after staff thought he was mentally ill, not member of group

WARREN, Mich. (AP) — The lead singer of the Four Tops said a Detroit-area hospital restrained him and ordered a psychological exam after refusing to believe that he was part of the Motown music group.

Alexander Morris, who is Black, filed a lawsuit Monday against Ascension Macomb-Oakland Hospital in Warren, alleging racial discrimination and other misconduct during an April 2023 visit for chest pain and breathing problems.

Hospital staff “wrongfully assumed he was mentally ill when he revealed his identity as a celebrity figure,” the lawsuit says.

The Four Tops started in the 1950s and had hits such as “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)″ and “It’s The Same Old Song.” The group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.

Morris is not an original member, but he joined the group in 2019.

The lawsuit says a nurse finally believed Morris was in the Four Tops and the psychological exam was canceled.

The hospital offered a $25 gift card as an apology, but Morris refused to accept it, the lawsuit says.

“We remain committed to honoring human dignity and acting with integrity and compassion for all persons and the community,” the hospital said in response to the lawsuit. “We do not condone racial discrimination of any kind. We will not comment on pending litigation.”

Morris talked publicly about the incident last year, saying he had returned to Detroit, his hometown, and was “being told that I’m insane or schizophrenic.”

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Miya Rudd’s other grandparents arrested at KSP presence in Daviess Co.

4 arrested after shots fired in Lexington neighborhood

KSP continues search for missing baby; ‘The community deserves to know what happened to Miya’

Body recovered from Lexington reservoir

Grizzly with 5 cubs caught on camera in Yellowstone

Latest news.

Reds fan runs on field, does backflip before getting Tased

A life twice as nice: Twin sisters celebrate their 90th birthdays

Twin sisters who 'never do anything apart' celebrate their 90th birthdays

Russian ships arrive in Cuba as Cold War allies strengthen their ties

Families still feeling a squeeze despite better-than-expected inflation data

More From Forbes

Jung kook replaces eminem at no. 1 with his brand new single.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 22: Jung Kook visits SiriusXM at SiriusXM Studios on September 22, ... [+] 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

Jung Kook is only a few months removed from wrapping promotion of his debut solo album, but the musician isn’t slowing down. The South Korean superstar has a new single out, and it immediately became another big sales win for the BTS singer.

“Never Let Go” currently sits at No. 1 on the U.S. iTunes chart. The track was released at midnight EST, and it didn’t take very long before it climbed to the summit on the list of the bestselling tracks in America on what is often considered the most important sales platform in the country.

As Jung Kook bolts to No. 1, he replaces another one of the biggest stars in the music world in first place. For the past week, Eminem has ruled the U.S. iTunes ranking with “Houdini,” his latest single. At the moment, “Houdini” sits at No. 2, slipping slightly as even Marshall Mathers couldn’t compete with the BTS favorite.

As “Never Let Go” shoots to the throne, several of Jung Kook’s other recent smashes also surge. His previous single “Standing Next to You” reappears inside the top 40 on the iTunes ranking, landing at No. 37. His collaboration with Jack Harlow, “3D,” lands at No. 100, while “Seven” with rapper Latto settles very close to the bottom of the 200-spot tally.

Jung Kook’s new single is just getting started, but based on this very early, very quick embrace from the public, the singer may have another hit on his hands. Depending on how the tune performs throughout the next six days, the cut could debut on several Billboard charts next week. It will likely reach the Digital Song Sales tally, and it might also find space on the Hot 100 as well.

Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Of 2024

Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024.

“Never Let Go” appears to be a standalone single, at least for the moment. Jung Kook is currently enlisted in the South Korean military, fulfilling a duty that all men in the nation must complete by a certain age. The other six members of BTS are busy with the same job at the moment, though they’ll be discharged at different times.

Jung Kook spent much of the latter half of 2023 promoting his first collection on his own, titled Golden . The album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, making him one of several members of BTS to fail to reach the No. 1 spot by just one space.

Golden produced several smashes on the Billboard charts in the U.S. Lead single “Seven” debuted atop the Hot 100, making Jung Kook the second South Korean soloist to rule that ranking, following his bandmate Jimin. Follow-up cuts “3D” and “Standing Next to You” both cracked the top five on the same list.

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

Join The Conversation

One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts. 

Forbes Community Guidelines

Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.

In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's  Terms of Service.   We've summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.

Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:

• False or intentionally out-of-context or misleading information
• Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language or threats of any kind
• Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author
• Content that otherwise violates our site's  terms.

User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:

• Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected
• Racist, sexist, homophobic or other discriminatory comments
• Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk
• Actions that otherwise violate our site's  terms.

So, how can you be a power user?

• Stay on topic and share your insights
• Feel free to be clear and thoughtful to get your point across
• ‘Like’ or ‘Dislike’ to show your point of view.
• Protect your community.
• Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules.

Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site's  Terms of Service.

BMatt’s Monday musings

AUBURN | One of the most important factors for Auburn recruiting has always been getting the prospects on campus.

Auburn as a University and athletic department sells itself. That’s been the case for as long as I can remember.

Some coaches have been good at that, others average. The previous guy was flat-out awful.

But times, they are a-changin'.

Hugh Freeze and his staff excel at it. It’s a 10 out of 10, and that’s no exaggeration.

It seems like everywhere I've turned over the last two weeks, there’s been a four- or five-star just hanging out.

This Sunday is another prime example. Blake Woodby, the nation’s No. 4 cornerback, was in Auburn for an unofficial visit just a week after his official.

Woodby is from Baltimore, Md., nearly 700 miles away.

Thursday, the nation’s No. 1 overall prospect, quarterback Julian Lewis, was in Auburn for a camp. He’ll be back for an official visit next weekend.

Last weekend, AU hosted a five-star, three more top 100 players and three four-stars for official visits. This weekend included the nation’s No. 1 strongside defensive end, one more top 100 player and five more four-stars.

This is the new normal under Freeze.

And it’s an eye-opener just watching him work a camp.

One minute, Freeze is hosting a group of highly-rated prospects on his porch overlooking the practice fields and the next he’s chatting up some parents in the indoor practice facility.

He’s like the Energizer bunny.

Freeze doesn’t just own the room. He owns the entire Woltosz football complex.

And it’s not just his presence, it’s his determination and positive attitude and how it trickles down to everyone on his staff.

Travis Smith Jr., a four-star wide receiver from Westlake in Atlanta, Ga., summed it up quite well following his official visit this weekend.

“Sometimes you get a good vibe and sometimes you don’t. This one was great,” he said.

Yeah, there’s plenty of great vibes around the Auburn football program right now, especially when it comes to recruiting.

Heck, the entire athletic department has been vibing pretty good over the last couple of weeks with a men’s golf national championship followed by a men’s track runner-up finish at the outdoor championships.

Carry on those good, good, good vibes through Big Cat, the season and Signing Day, and next offseason will be filled with even more top 100 visitors and a lot of chatter about competing for championships once again.

*** Monday musings is brought to you by Uncle Keith's Red Sauce . I was a customer before bringing them on as a sponsor and I was hooked after the very first taste. It's available in original and hot and can be found in Publix throughout the state of Alabama along with select Piggly Wiggly's, Renfroe's, the Kroger's in Auburn/Opelika and on-line . Uncle Keith's Red Sauce was born right here in the state of Alabama. ***

In today’s musical journey, we go back 17 years to the day the T.V. show that kickstarted the Second Golden Age of Television closed with one of the greatest songs from the 1980’s era of Arena Rock. On June 10, 2007, the series-finale of The Sopranos ended with Tony Soprano and his family meeting at a diner. He plays “Don’t Stop Believin’” on a mini jukebox at his table as his wife, Carmela walks in. A man wearing a member’s only jacket, who entered the diner in front of A.J., gets up and walks to the bathroom as Meadow finally gets her car parallel parked. The scene goes black when the bell rings as Meadow opens the door on the line, “Don’t stop.” The ambiguous ending brought much speculation on the fate of Tony Soprano. One theory has the man in the jacket coming out of the bathroom to whack Tony in a callback to 1972’s Godfather when Michael Corleone went to the bathroom to retrieve a gun he used to kill Virgil Sollozzo and Captain McCluskey. Journey lead singer Steve Perry, who co-wrote the “Don’t Stop Believin’” with keyboardist Jonathan Cain and lead guitarist Neal Schon, was concerned it might be used during a gory scene at the end of the show so he insisted that Sopranos creator David Chase tell him the ending before permission was granted to use it just three days before it aired. Originally released in 1981, “Don’t Stop Believin,” peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard 100. After being included in the 2003 movie, Monsters, and the Sopranos four years later, it became the best-selling digital song from the 20th century with over seven million downloads. In 2009, the T.V. show Glee covered the song and that version peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 100.

Journey was formed in 1973 in San Francisco by Schon and lead vocalist/keyboardist Greg Rolie, two former members of Santana, along with bass guitarist Ross Valory and rhythm guitarist George Tickner. Drummer Aynsley Dunbar joined up soon afterwards to make up the original group. Their self-titled debut album was released in 1975 and two more albums came out over the next two years to little acclaim. Big changes came in 1977 when the band hired Steve Perry as lead vocalist and changed their style from jazz fusion to a more rock sound. Their fourth album, Infinity, included their first minor hit song, “Wheel in the Sky,” which peaked at No. 57 on the Billboard 100, and the fifth album, 1979’s Evolution, included their first top 20 hit, “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’.” Their sixth album, 1980’s Departure, had another hit single in “Any Way You Want It.” Rolie was replaced by Cain in 1980 and he contributed to the band’s most successful album, 1981’s Escape, which included three hit singles: “Who’s Crying Now,” Open Arms” and “Don’t Stop Believin’.” The next album, 1982’s Frontiers, had several more hits in “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart),” “Faithfully,” “Send Her My Love” and “After the Fall.” The band released a final album in 1986 before breaking up in 1987 with most of the members pursuing solo careers or joining new bands. The band reunited for a new album in 1996 but Perry decided to leave again due to health issues. The band hired Steve Augeri to replace Perry in 1997 and continued to tour and record albums, replacing Augen with Arnel Pineda in 2007. Pineda was the frontman of a Journey cover band in the Philippines. Journey has sold over 100 million albums worldwide and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017. Perry is still involved in music, most recently providing backing vocals and performing a duet with Dolly Parton on her 2023 album, Rockstar.

Chase worked as a staff writer or producer for a number of T.V. shows over a 20-year span including The Rockford Files and Northern Exposure. He first envisioned The Sopranos as a movie before a talk with his manager convinced him to develop it into a T.V. series. Fox, CBS and NBC all rejected the show after reviewing the script before HBO financed a pilot and eventually approved a 13-episode first season. Chase, who grew up in New Jersey, loosely based the Sopranos on a couple of New Jersey crime families. He also drew from his own family, modeling Tony’s mother, Livia, partly on his own mother, and therapist Jennifer Melfi after his own therapist. Most of the actors were Italian Americans form New York and New Jersey including 27 that appeared in the 1990 movie Goodfellas. Chase chose James Gandolfini based on his work in 1993’s True Romance. Lorraine Bracco was originally asked to play Tony’s wife, Carmela, but took the role of Melfi instead. Tony Sirico, who had been arrested 28 times, agreed to portray Paulie Walnuts as long as his character wasn’t going to be a “rat.” Steven Van Zandt, a guitarist in Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, didn’t have any acting experienced but was chosen to play Silvio Dante after he presented The Rascals at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions. The Sopranos ran for six seasons with 86 episodes from 1999 to 2007. Rolling Stone and TV Guide both named Sopranos the greatest T.V. show of all time. It won 21 Primetime Emmy Awards and five Golden Globes.