HEART FACTS:
Members: Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson, Ben Smith, Ric Markmann, Debbie Shair, Craig Bartock
Genre: Rock
Hometown: Vancouver, British Columbia
Albums: Dreamboat Annie (1976); Little Queen (1977); Magazine (1978); Dog and Butterfly (1978); Bebe le Strange (1980); Private Audition (1982); Passionworks (1983); Heart (1985); Bad Animals (1987); Brigade (1990); Desire Walks On (1993); Jupiters Darling (2004); Red Velvet Car (2010)
Awards: 2009 ASCAP's Founders Award
Hits: "Magic Man," "Barracuda," "Tell it Like it Is," "How Can I Refuse?," "These Dreams," "Alone," "All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You,"
Other: Worldwide sales of over 100 million albums.
Led by the haunting vocals of Ann Wilson, Heart has been one of the most unique and innovative American rock bands of the last 30 years. Joined by her sister Nancy and a rotating supporting cast, the band seamlessly blends elements of a number of genres to create a lasting legacy that has endeared them to music fans spanning generations.
The band got their start in the mid 1970s, when Ann paired with a number of musicians, and the newly formed group began performing in clubs throughout Vancouver. The group found almost immediate success with their debut album, 1976's Dreamboat Annie. The record contains some of Heart's most memorable hits including "Crazy on You" and "Magic Man," both of which continue to enjoy considerable radio play even more than 30 years after their initial release.
Heart followed up the immense success of their debut with an equally popular sophomore record, 1977's Little Queen. The album featured one of their most iconic hits, "Barracuda." The tune reached number 11 on the pop singles chart, and pushed the album into the top 10. Despite its success, the band retreated into relative obscurity throughout much of the remainder of the '70s, but reemerged in the mid '80s with a vengeance.
The release of their self-titled 1985 album proved to be their most successful to date. Thanks to the songs "These Dreams," "Never" and "Nothing at All," the record because certified quintuple platinum, and became their only release to hit the number one spot on the Billboard 200 charts. The two follow ups, 1987's Bad Animals and 1990's Brigade, were equally popular and completed Hearts astonishing comeback.
Throughout much of the '90s Heart continued to release music and tour, but were not able to match the success of the previous two decades. Still, they have become one of the most popular live shows around, and in 2007 they were honored by VH1 for their significant contribution to rock music.
Despite a long list of members that has changed numerous times over the last several decades, the Wilson sisters have managed to maintain a strong and loyal fanbase, and their indelible mark on music history will never be erased.