Rod Stewart Reveals He’s Moving on from Rock ‘n’ Roll and Pivoting to Swing Music: ‘I’m Not Retiring’
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More than 60 years after Rod Stewart started playing music, the legendary rock star is looking to transition away from the rock ‘n’ roll genre that made him famous.
In a recent interview with BBC Breakfast, the Grammy-winning artist announced his plans to pivot into the swing genre with a new album, which will follow his upcoming summer tour. The revelation came during a conversation with host Charlie Stayt, who observed that “rockstars are performing into incredible ages now.”
“I am actually stopping,” Stewart declared. “I’m not retiring, but I want to move on,” the 79-year-old musician explained. “I had great success with The Great American Songbook, and I’ve just done a swing album with Jools Holland, which is going to come out next year, so I want to go in that direction.”
Stewart emphasized that this decision does not mark the end of his musical career but rather a shift in focus. “I want to leave the rock ‘n’ roll stuff behind, for a while,” he said. “Everything has to come to an end sooner or later,” he continued, assuring fans that he’s in a “good place” with the change.
“I’m really looking forward to doing something else, especially singing with Jools’ band,” Stewart added. “It borders on rock ‘n’ roll anyway, it’s just not ‘Maggie May’ and ‘Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?’”
Rod Stewart’s illustrious career began in the early 1960s when he played in several bands, including the successful Faces. His first solo album, An Old Raincoat Won’t Ever Let You Down, was released in 1969, and since then, he has amassed numerous hits including “Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright),” “You’re in My Heart (The Final Acclaim),” and the iconic “Maggie May” and “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?”
This is not the first time Stewart has ventured away from rock music. In the 2000s, he performed tracks from The Great American Songbook for a series of albums, and in 2009, he explored the soul genre with Soulbook.
As Rod Stewart prepares to embrace this new chapter in his musical journey, fans can look forward to hearing a different side of his talent, one that promises to be as captivating and dynamic as his rock ‘n’ roll legacy.
