Born in Chicago, Illinois on February 18, 1947, singer, songwriter, and keyboardist Dennis DeYoung is best known for his time fronting rock band Styx between 1972 and 1999. His musical journey began at the age of 15 when he played accordion alongside 13-year-old neighbors Chuck Panozzo (bass) and John Panozzo (drums) in a trio called Tradewinds. After adding several guitarists throughout the years, the group settled on James Young and changed their name to Styx in 1972. Styx became one of America's biggest bands of the late 1970s and early '80s, producing some of the era's most memorable soft rock anthems and notching up album sales of over 25 million. Styx came to prominence with the US number 6 single “Lady” from the album Styx II in 1973, but it was when Tommy Shaw joined the group in 1976 that things really started to take off. 1977’s The Grand Illusion and 1978’s Pieces of Eight both made it to number 6 on the Billboard 200 before the swooning power ballad “Babe” gave them their first number 1 single. Led by the huge hit “The Best of Times,” 1981’s Paradise Theater topped the US Album Charts in 1981, but the band split in 1984 after their tenth LP Kilroy Was Here and the departure of Tommy Shaw. Since Dennis DeYoung wrote and sang seven of Styx’s Top 10 singles, his solo career began with a successful solo album, Desert Moon (1984), and the title track, which became a Top 10 single. His next solo album, 1986’s Back to the World, didn’t fare as well in the charts while his third, Boomchild (1988), did even worse. After talking with his former Styx bandmates, they reformed in 1990 although Tommy Shaw was not part of the initial reunion. Their album Edge of the Century (1990) was a success while the single “Show Me the Way” climbed to number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Dennis DeYoung also took up acting and performed as Pontius Pilate in a 20th Anniversary revival tour of Jesus Christ Superstar. He released an album of Broadway standards, 10 on Broadway, in 1994. He also wrote, recorded, and released an original musical based on Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996). Along with members of the original band – including Tommy Shaw – Dennis DeYoung reunited with Styx, recorded a new version of “Lady” (retitled “Lady ‘95”) and underwent the Return to Paradise tour. The live album from that tour was released in 1997 and sold well. Styx returned to the studio to record Brave New World (1999), but Dennis DeYoung took ill and needed months to recuperate. Tommy Shaw and James Young decided to replace him with Canadian singer / keyboardist Lawrence Gowan and Dennis DeYoung was effectively kicked out of the band he had founded nearly three decades before. Once Dennis DeYoung was healthy enough, he undertook several live performances, singing the music of Styx in front of a symphony orchestra. His next album, One Hundred Years from Now, was released in Canada in 2007 but wasn’t issued in the US until two years later, albeit with a slightly altered track list. While he kept himself busy with live performances, Dennis DeYoung didn’t return with a new studio album until 26 East, Vol. 1 in 2020. He followed that up in 2021 with 26 East, Vol. 2, which he proclaimed was his final studio release.
