Foo Fighters, Gary Clark Jr., Jonas Brothers, Gavin DeGraw, John Legend, and Alice Cooper were just some of the big names that came out to pay tribute to four-time GRAMMY-winning band Aerosmith (buy albums at Amazon), who were honored at the 2020 MusiCares Person of the Year.
The legendary rock band is known for chart-toppers like “Dude (Looks Like a Lady), “Crazy,” and “Dream On,” but some of those hits almost didn’t happen because they initially didn’t want to work with songwriter Desmond Child.
“I had some big hits with Kiss, Bon Jovi and Cher. Cher’s A&R guy also was Aerosmith’s. His name was John Kalodner and he forced me on the group. They absolutely did not want me, but the very first day we knocked “Dude (Looks Like a Lady)” out of the park,” Child told VitalThrills.com.
“The next day Steven [Tyler] and I wrote ‘Angel.’ That was a big hit, too, so they kept me around and have dragged me around all these years,” he said.
Child added: “They didn’t think they’d feel comfortable, and they wanted their music to be so pure and all of that. It’s like, ‘well, okay. Then don’t use a recording engineer. Engineer it yourself. Or get someone else to fix your life. We’re just the help.’ I think they finally understood that.”
Desmond Child has been writing for the band since 1987 and has written/co-written/produced several songs for Aerosmith, including “Heart’s Done Time,” “Dude (Looks Like a Lady),” “Angel,” “What It Takes,” “Flesh,” “Crazy,” “Hole in My Soul,” and “Ain’t That a Bitch.”
“We’ve written so many songs together, and they’re all fun,” Child said.
Steven Tyler (vocals), Joe Perry (lead guitar), Brad Whitford (guitar), Tom Hamilton (bass) and Joey Kramer (drums) – are a living piece of American music history, having sold over 150 million albums worldwide and been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
They are the recipients of countless awards, including four GRAMMYs, eight American Music Awards, six Billboard Awards, and 12 MTV Video Music Awards, among many other honors.
Proving that they can cross genre boundaries with ease, these rock legends have even taken home a Soul Train Award for Best Rap Single for their remix of Run DMC’s “Walk This Way.”
With scores of multi-platinum albums, Aerosmith continues to inspire generations to get their wings, get a grip and just push play. It is no wonder why they are one of the most beloved bands of all time.
Aerosmith is currently bringing the heat to the Las Vegas Strip with their headlining residency, Aerosmith: Deuces Are Wild. Shows will run through June 2020 at Park Theater at the new Park MGM resort.
Aerosmith’s Las Vegas residency, promoted by Live Nation and MGM Resorts International, will bring you face-to-face with America’s Greatest Rock ‘N’ Roll band in one of the most immersive, state-of-the-art audio and video technology experiences in Las Vegas. The show features never-seen-before visuals and audio from Aerosmith recording sessions.
GRAMMY Award-winning producer Giles Martin, known for creating the soundscape for The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil show in Las Vegas, created a spectacular show experience.
Heather Newgen has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 2004. In addition, she travels the world volunteering and launched The Voluntourist in 2017 to inspire others to give back responsibly. Heather currently freelances for various outlets as a writer, reporter, and producer, and when she’s not working or traveling, she loves being at home in Los Angeles with her dog.