Mia Patel
Heart is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1973. The band was founded by sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson, alongside Roger Fisher, Steve Fossen, Brian Johnstone, and John Hannah. The band has undergone several lineup changes, but the Wilson sisters have remained the only consistent members. Ann Wilson, the lead singer of Heart, has pursued various projects outside of the band, including a solo career and another band called Lovemongers with her sister Nancy. As of 2023, Heart's lineup includes the Wilson sisters, guitarists Ryan Waters and Ryan Wariner, keyboardist/guitarist Paul Moak, bassist Tony Lucido, and drummer Sean T. Lane.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Band name | Heart |
| Band type | American rock band |
| Founding members | Roger Fisher (guitar), Steve Fossen (bass guitar) |
| Formation year | 1973 |
| Lead singer | Ann Wilson |
| Other members | Nancy Wilson (rhythm guitar, vocals), Michael Derosier (drums), Howard Leese (guitar, keyboards) and backing vocals |
| Band status | Touring |
| Recent announcement | The band will reform for a few shows in December 2023 |
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What You'll Learn
Ann Wilson's solo career
Ann Wilson, the lead singer of Heart, has enjoyed a successful solo career alongside her work with the band. She has released four solo albums, with her first, 'Hope & Glory', released in 2007, and her most recent, 'Another Door', released in 2023. In 2015, she embarked on her first solo project, 'The Ann Wilson Thing!', releasing her first digital EP, which included covers of music by Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Aretha Franklin, and others who have inspired her throughout her career. In 2016, she released a second EP from 'The Ann Wilson Thing!', and in 2017, she released her first feature film, 'Ann Wilson: In Focus'.
Wilson has also collaborated with various other artists outside of her work with Heart. In 1984, she duetted with Loverboy singer Mike Reno on the song 'Almost Paradise', which was featured in the film 'Footloose'. In 1988, she teamed up with Cheap Trick singer Robin Zander on the song 'Surrender to Me', which was featured in the film 'Tequila Sunrise'. In 1992, she appeared on two songs by Alice in Chains, 'Brother' and 'Am I Inside'. Wilson and her sister Nancy also started another band, the Lovemongers, which focused on more acoustic music. The Lovemongers released two albums between 1991 and 2001.
Wilson has also been open about her struggles with her weight and drug addiction. She underwent weight loss surgery in 2002 and has been sober since 2009. She has adopted two children and has been married to Dean Wetter since 2015. In 2022, Wilson was nominated for consideration into the 2023 Songwriters Hall of Fame.
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Nancy Wilson's solo career
Nancy Wilson, the lead guitarist of the rock band Heart, has had a successful solo career. Before joining Heart, Wilson played solo acoustic shows at student unions, performing covers of Joni Mitchell and Paul Simon songs, as well as original compositions. She continued to perform solo occasionally during her time with Heart, including a solo acoustic show in 1996, a recording of which was released as an album, 'Live from McCabe's Guitar Shop', in 1999. The album included a mix of Heart songs, covers, and original new material. In 1997, she and her sister Ann went on a 12-date tour, which they called the "Don't Blink" tour.
In 2009, Wilson released 'Baby Guitars', a solo album aimed at children, composed of instrumental lullabies written and recorded with Craig Bartock. In 2016, she formed a new band called Roadcase Royale, releasing their debut album 'First Things First' in 2017. In 2021, she released her first solo studio rock album, 'You and Me'. In 2022, she began touring under the name Nancy Wilson's Heart, which included former Heart members and singer Kimberly Nichole.
In 2020, Wilson signed with the global label partner Carry On Music to work on her first solo album, which was released in 2021. The album included nine new, original songs, with Wilson playing guitar and singing on all of them. The first single from the album was her rendition of Bruce Springsteen's "The Rising". Wilson cited Springsteen's stripped-down, lyric-focused Broadway performances as an inspiration for her solo work. The pandemic also provided her with the opportunity and motivation to focus on her solo career.
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Heart's early years
Heart is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1973. The band evolved from previous projects led by founding members Roger Fisher (guitar) and Steve Fossen (bass guitar). In 1965, bassist Steve Fossen formed The Army, along with Roger Fisher on guitar, Don Wilhelm on guitar, keyboards and lead vocals, and Ray Schaefer on drums. They played for several years in and around the Bothell, Washington area, northeast of Seattle. In 1969, the band went through lineup changes and took on a new name, Hocus Pocus. The name later changed to White Heart.
In 1970, the lineup shortened its name to Heart. The band subsequently went through more personnel changes. In 1971, White Heart consisted of Steve Fossen, Roger Fisher, David Belzer (keys), and Jeff Johnson (drums). The band eventually stuck to the name Heart, which has been their name since 1973. By 1975, the original members Fisher, Fossen, and Ann Wilson (lead vocals and flute), along with Nancy Wilson (rhythm guitar, vocals), Michael Derosier (drums), and Howard Leese (guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals) formed the lineup for the band's initial mid- to late-1970s success period.
Ann Wilson's younger sister, Nancy, joined Heart in 1974, bringing to the band her virtuostic acoustic guitar skills. Their sound morphed into a powerful blend of acoustic and electric hard rock music that became their trademark. Heart released their debut album, Dreamboat Annie, in 1976, on the small Canadian label Mushroom Records. The album became an unexpected commercial success, peaking at No. 7 on the U.S. albums chart. Heart's 1977 follow-up, Little Queen, which featured the now-classic track "Barracuda", was another enormous commercial and critical success.
Heart rose to fame with music influenced by hard rock and heavy metal as well as folk music. The band underwent a major lineup change between the late 1970s and the early 1980s. By 1982, Fisher, Fossen, and Derosier had all left and were replaced by Mark Andes (bass) and Denny Carmassi (drums). Although the band's popularity fell during the initial years with the new lineup, they staged a comeback in the mid-1980s, buoyed by major radio hits that continued into the 1990s.
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Heart's hiatuses
Heart, the American rock band, has had a long and illustrious career since its formation in 1973, but not without its fair share of hiatuses and lineup changes. The band's core members, sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson, have been the only consistent members throughout Heart's history.
One of the earliest hiatuses for the band came in the late 1970s to early 1980s, when the band underwent a major lineup change. Founding members Roger Fisher, Steve Fossen, and Michael Derosier left the band by 1982 and were replaced by Mark Andes and Denny Carmassi. This period saw the band's popularity wane, but they staged a successful comeback in the mid-1980s with major radio hits.
In the early 1990s, Heart experienced another hiatus of sorts when the Wilson sisters worked on other projects, including their new group, the Lovemongers. The band toured occasionally without Nancy Wilson, adding various new members to the lineup. After a tour in 1998, longtime guitarist and keyboardist Howard Leese left the band.
Heart disbanded in 1998, but they regrouped and resumed touring and recording multiple times in the years that followed. In the late 2010s, the band took another break after an incident involving Ann Wilson's husband, Dean Wetter, who was arrested for assaulting Nancy Wilson's children outside a venue where the sisters were performing. In February 2019, Heart announced their reformation for a new concert tour.
Despite the hiatuses and lineup changes, Heart has continued to create and perform music, with the Wilson sisters at the heart of the band. The band has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, sold millions of records worldwide, and continues to tour and make music, with Ann Wilson expressing hopes for new songs in the near future.
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Heart's band members
Heart is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1973. The band evolved from previous projects, including The Army (1967–1969), Hocus Pocus (1969–1970), and White Heart (1970–1973). The original members included Roger Fisher (guitar), Steve Fossen (bass guitar), Ann Wilson (lead vocals and flute), Nancy Wilson (Ann's younger sister) (rhythm guitar, vocals), Michael Derosier (drums), and Howard Leese (guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals).
Heart underwent a major lineup change between the late 1970s and the early 1980s. By 1982, Fisher, Fossen, and Derosier had all left and were replaced by Mark Andes (bass) and Denny Carmassi (drums). The band continued to see additional members join and leave over the years, including Frank Cox (lead guitar), Scott Olson (rhythm guitar), Jon Bayless (bass), Ben Smith (drums), and more.
Heart disbanded in 1998 but has regrouped and resumed touring and recording multiple times since then, with the Wilson sisters being the only consistent members. The band's current lineup includes the Wilson sisters, guitarists Ryan Waters and Ryan Wariner, keyboardist/guitarist Paul Moak, bassist Tony Lucido, and drummer Sean T. Lane (all joining in 2023).
Some former members of Heart have continued to pursue music with other bands. For example, Howard Leese joined the classic rock band Bad Company in 2008 and released his debut solo album, "Secret Weapon," in 2009. Michael Derosier joined the band Alias and is currently touring with Steve Fossen as part of "Heart by Heart."
Ann Wilson, the lead singer of Heart, has also pursued solo projects and collaborations outside of the band. She released her first solo album, "Hope & Glory," in 2007 and has since released three more solo albums, including "Another Door" in 2023. She has also collaborated with other artists, such as on the duet "Almost Paradise" with Loverboy singer Mike Reno for the film "Footloose."
Ann and Nancy Wilson also started another band while in Heart called the Lovemongers, which focused on more acoustic and less polished songs. This four-piece band included longtime friend and songwriting partner Sue Ennis and Seattle buddy Frank Cox. The Lovemongers released two albums and lasted from 1991 to 2001.
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Frequently asked questions
The Wilson sisters, Ann and Nancy, are originally from Seattle, Washington.
Ann and Nancy Wilson have been the only consistent members of Heart since the band regrouped and resumed touring and recording multiple times since disbanding in 1998. Ann Wilson has also released four solo albums, with her most recent album, Another Door, released in 2023.
Yes, in November 2023, it was announced that the band would reform for a few shows in December.
