Babe

Background:

American singer, songwriter, musician and producer Dennis DeYoung is famous as a founding member of the rock band Styx, a stint that endured from 1970 to 1999. He recorded 13 studio albums with the band, including the multi platinum selling “The Grand Illusion” (1977), “Pieces of Eight” (1978), “Cornerstone” (1979) and “Paradise Theater” (1981). DeYoung wrote many of the band's popular singles, such as “Lady” (1975, #6), “Come Sail Away” (1977, #8), “Babe” (1979, #1), “The Best of Times” (1981, #3) and “Show Me the Way” (1990, #3). After leaving Styx, DeYoung remained an active performer on the road. As a solo act, he has released the studio albums “Desert Moon” (1984), “Back to the World” (1986), “Boomchild” (1989), “10 on Broadway” (1994) and “One Hundred Years from Now” (2007/2009), a CD of his music, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1996/1997), a compilation album, “The Ultimate Collection” (1999), and a live album called “The Music of Styx: Live with Symphony Orchestra” (2004). DeYoung's music has been featured in a number of films, including “The Karate Kid, Part II” (1986), “Big Daddy” (1999), “Austin Powers in Goldmember” (2002), “Shrek 2” (2004) and “The Perfect Man” (2005), in which he made his film acting debut as the lead vocalist in a Styx tribute band. He has also appeared in television shows and commercials.

DeYoung is of Italian and Dutch lineage. He has been married to Suzanne Feusi since 1970. The couple has two kids.

Teacher

Childhood and Family:

Dennis DeYoung was born on February 18, 1947, in Chicago, Illinois. He was raised in Chicago's Roseland neighborhood and began his music career as a teenager. Prior to achieving success with the band Styx, he worked as a music teacher at Springfield Elementary School in Midlothian, Illinois. Dennis is a graduate of Chicago State University.

On January 18, 1970, Dennis married his longtime girlfriend, Suzanne Feusi. They have one daughter, Carrie Ann, and one son, Matthew. His wife and children often joined him on tour as a means to provide stability for their family.

Lady

Career:

In 1961, at age 14, Dennis DeYoung began performing with his neighbors, twin brothers Chuck and John Panozzo, in a three piece band. The band took the name The Tradewinds in 1963 and then TW4 in 1968 before eventually becoming Styx in 1970. Styx's original lineup included DeYoung on vocals, Chuck Panozzo on bass, John Panozzo on drums, John Curulewski on guitar and James Young on guitar. In addition to becoming the band's lead vocalist, DeYoung also acted as keyboardist, accordion player, producer, writer and creative force behind many of the band's successful songs.

Styx signed with Wooden Nickel Records in 1972 and launched an eponymous debut album in September that year. It was later re-released under the title “Styx I” (1980). The first single from the album, “Best Thing,” which was co-written by DeYoung and James Young, charted at No. 82 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Styx II” followed in July 1973. DeYoung wrote five songs on the album, including the band's breakout single “Lady,” the first song he ever wrote for his wife, and “You Need Love.” Released in 1973, “Lady” initially enjoyed success in Chicago and did not gain national recognition until the band left their previous label and moved to A&M Records. In the spring of 1975, the single peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and “Styx II” was certified platinum by RIAA soon after. After the success of “Lady,” “You Need Love” was released as a follow-up single in 1975. It peaked at No. 88 on the Billboard Hot 100.

DeYoung and his band mates recorded two more studio albums with Wooden Nickel, “The Serpent Is Rising” and “Man of Miracles,” before switching to A&M Records. Released in February 1974, “The Serpent Is Rising” peaked at No. 192 on the Billboard 200. “Man of Miracles” followed on November 8, 1974. It peaked at No. 152 on the Billboard 200.

Styx's first release for A&M records, “Equinox,” hit the music stores in December 1, 1975. Produced by the band, the album peaked at No. 58 on the Billboard 200 and went gold in 1977. DeYoung co-wrote (with J. Young) the hit single “Lorelei,” which peaked at No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 100. He also wrote the song “Suite Madame Blue,” which became a staple for Styx tours.

On October 1, 1976, DeYoung and the band released the album “Crystal Ball,” the first album with new guitarist Tommy Shaw, who joined the band after John Curulewski left. The album rose to No. 66 on the Billboard 200 and received platinum certification. It also yielded the band's third Top 40 hit single on the Billboard Hot 100, “Mademoiselle” (#36), which DeYoung co-wrote with Shaw. The song marked the vocal debut of Shaw.

DeYoung and the band enjoyed huge commercial success with their seventh studio album, “The Grand Illusion.” Released on July 7, 1977, the album rose to No. 6 on the Billboard 200 and achieved triple platinum certification, the band's first album to do so. It generated two hit singles with “Come Sail Away” and “Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man),” which peaked at No. 8 and No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively. DeYoung admitted he wrote “Come Sail Away” when he was depressed after the band's first two albums with A&M sold fewer copies than anticipated.

Released on September 1, 1978, the follow up “Pieces of Eight” peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 and became the band's second album to go triple platinum. It spawned three hit singles with “Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)” (1978, #21 US Hot 100), “Sing for the Day” (1979, #41 US Hot 100) and “Renegade” (1979, #16 US Hot 100). DeYoung wrote and/or co-wrote 5 of the 10 tracks on the album.

The ninth studio album, “Cornerstone,” was launched on October 19, 1979. It went to No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and became the band's first Top 5 album on the chart. It was certified double platinum by RIAA. The lead single “Babe,” which was written by DeYoung as a birthday present for his wife, charted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks. It also rose to No. 6 in the U.K. The second single, “Why Me,” also written by DeYoung, peaked at No. 26 on the Billboard Hot 100, while the third single, “Borrowed Time,” a collaboration track by DeYoung and Tommy Shaw, only peaked at No. 61 on the Billboard Hot 100.

DeYoung and Styx, however, did not experience a No. 1 hit album until they released “Paradise Theatre” on January 19, 1981. The album topped the Billboard 200 from April 4 to 17, 1981, and May 9 to 15, 1981, and eventually went triple platinum. DeYoung wrote the lead single, “The Best of Times,” which rose to No. 3 on the Billboard Hit 100, No. 16 on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks, and No. 1 on the Canadian RPM Singles chart. The album also contained charted singles like “Too Much Time on My Hands” (#9 US Hot 100, #2 Mainstream Rock), “Rockin' the Paradise” (co-written by DeYoung, J. Young and Shaw; # 8 Mainstream Rock), “Snowblind” (#22 Mainstream Rock) and “Nothing Ever Goes As Planned” (written by DeYoung, #54 Hot 100).

Released on February 28, 1983, “Kilroy Was Here” charted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and eventually went platinum in the U.S. DeYoung wrote “Mr. Roboto” (1983), which rose to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Mains Rock Tracks charts, “Don't Let It End,” which peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 13 on the Adult Contemporary Charts, and “High Time,” which charted at No. 48 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Because of tension within the band, Styx broke up in 1984. The same year in April, the band also released their first live album, “Caught in the Act,” a No. 34 hit on the Billboard 200. It produced the Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Music Time,” written by DeYoung.

In August 1984, DeYoung embarked on a solo career by releasing the album “Desert Moon” on A&M Records. It peaked at No. 24 on the Billboard 200 and went gold in Canada in 1984. The title track rose to No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 7 on the Canadian RPM Top Singles charts and No. 8 on the Irish Singles chart. The follow up single, “Don't Wait for Heroes,” went to No. 83 on the Billboard Hot 100. His sophomore effort, “Back to the World,” followed in February 1986. It peaked at No. 108 on the Billboard 200. The single “Call Me” went to No. 5 on the Adult Contemporary Chart, while the song “This Is the Time” was used on the soundtrack of the movie “Karate Kid II.” His third studio album, “Boomchild,” was released in February 1989.

In 1990, DeYoung was reunited with Styx for the album “Edge of the Century,” in which the band employed guitarist and singer-songwriter Glen Burtnik to replace Tommy Shaw, who left the band to begin a solo career. The album peaked at No. 63 on the Billboard 200 and achieved gold certification in the U.S. It also generated the singles “Love is Ritual” (#80 Hot 100, #9 Mainstream Rock), “Show Me the Way” (#3 on the US Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary) and “Love at the First Sight” (#25 US Hot 100, #13 Top Adult Contemporary). “Show Me the Way” was written by DeYoung for his son Matthew. DeYoung toured extensively with Styx before A&M Records dropped the band in 1992. The band split up again shortly after.

In 1993, DeYoung made his stage acting debut in a revival of the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice musical “Jesus Christ Superstar.” He played the role of Pontius Pilate in about 200 performances across North America. After the exposure, he recorded an album of Broadway standards called “10 on Broadway” (1994) on Atlantic Records.

In 1995, DeYoung was reunited with Styx to record a new version of “Lady” called “Lady '95,” which became the lead track of a new compilation album “Styx Greatest Hits” (1995).The reunion included Shaw, but without the terminally ill John Panozzo, who later died on July 16, 1996, of gastrointestinal bleeding. Released by A&M Records, “Styx Greatest Hits” rose to No. 138 on the Billboard 200. In 1996, their “Return to Paradise” tour was a success and a live recording of the show was released on May 6, 1997, with the new studio tracks “Dear John,” “On My Way” and “Paradise.” Written by DeYoung, the latter song charted at No. 27 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. Meanwhile on his own, DeYoung released an album of music from his musical adaptation of Victor Hugo's novel “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” in 1996.

On June 29, 1999, Styx released the studio album “Brave New World” on CMC International, which marked the band's first album of new material since 1990. It peaked at No. 175 on the Billboard 200. The only single released from the album, “Everything Is Cool,” failed to chart. “Brave New World” became DeYoung's last album with Styx before he was replaced by Lawrence Gowan because DeYoung suffered a chronic fatigue syndrome-like disorder that made him too sensitive to light and sound and made it impossible for him to perform on stage. In the early 2000s, DeYoung filed a lawsuit against his former band members over his firing, but the case was settled out of court and terms were not disclosed.

In the new millennium, DeYoung received offers to perform a concert featuring songs from Styx, his solo work and his 1990s stage musical “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” with an orchestra. The show performed at Chicago's Rosemont Theatre and received good reviews. His wife and sister-in-law provided backup vocals for the concert, while his daughter and son were in charge of publicity and stage lighting. After a tour, the 2004 album “The Music of Styx - Live with Symphony Orchestra” followed.

In 2005, DeYoung made his feature film acting debut in “The Perfect Man,” a romantic comedy directed by Mark Rosman that was written by Gina Wendkos and starred Hilary Duff, Heather Locklear and Chris Noth. In April 2006, he was reunited with former Styx member Glen Burtnik on stage at the Community Theatre in Morristown, New Jersey, as part of his “Lost Treasures” concert series. It was their first reunion in seven years. The same year, he also appeared as a musical guest on the talent show “Celebrity Duets.”

DeYoung released his fifth studio album, “One Hundred Years from Now,” in Canada on June 19, 2007, and in the U.S. on April 14, 2009. On May 8, 2008, the long awaited stage debut of DeYoung's musical version of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” premiered at the Bailiwick Repertory Theatre in Chicago. Later that same year, he performed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame benefit concert for the John Entwistle foundation. DeYoung currently performs around the country.

Awards:
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