Heart

Heart biography

Heart is an American rock band who first found success in Canada before later becoming a supergroup in the United States and worldwide. Over the group's four decade history, the band has had three primary lineups, with the constant members being lead singer Ann Wilson and guitarist Nancy Wilson. Heart rose to fame in the mid 1970s with music influenced by hard rock and heavy metal as well as folk music. Their popularity declined in the early 1980s, but the band enjoyed a comeback starting in 1985 and experienced even greater success with AOR hits and hard rock ballads into the 1990s.

With Jupiter's Darling (2004) and Red Velvet Car (2010), Heart made a return to their hard rock and acoustic folk roots. To date, Heart has sold over 30 million records worldwide. Heart was ranked number 57 on VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock".

With Top 10 albums on the Billboard Album Chart in the 1970's, 80's, 90's, and most recently 2010 Heart is among the most commercially enduring Hard Rock bands in history.

History

Origins (1963-74)

Steve Fossen, Roger Fisher, Mike Fisher

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In 1963, bassist Steve Fossen formed The Army along with Roger Fisher on guitar, Don Wilhelm on guitar, keyboards and lead vocals, Ray Schaefer on drums. They played for several years in and around the Bothell, Washington area (northeast of Seattle). They frequently played Bothell High School, Inglemoor High School and Shorecrest High School, as well as many taverns and club venues. They frequented the club "Parker's" on Aurora Avenue in north Seattle during the 1970s when it was known as the "Aquarius Tavern". In 1969 the band went through line-up changes (Gary Ziegelman on lead vocals, Roger on guitar, Steve on bass, James Cirrello on guitar, Ron Rudge on drums, Ken Hansen on percussion, When Ann Wilson joined in 1972, the band was named Hocus Pocus.

Mike Fisher, Roger's brother, was set to be drafted. Nancy Wilson has stated that when he did not report for duty, his home was raided, but he slipped out a rear window, escaped to Canada and became a Vietnam War "draft dodger".

One day in 1972, Mike crossed the border to visit family and, by chance, met Ann at a Hocus Pocus show. According to Nancy, that meeting was "when she and Michael fell in love" and Roger followed in late 1972 / early 1973, and along with Mike and Ann, the band Heart was officially formed. Nancy joined in 1974, and soon after became involved with Roger. In 1974 the Heart lineup consisted of Ann, Nancy, Roger, Steve, John Hannah (keyboards), and Brian Johnstone (drums).

Ann and Nancy Wilson

The Wilson sisters grew up in Southern California and Taiwan before their Marine Corps father retired to the Seattle suburbs. After Ann graduated from Sammamish High School in Bellevue, Washington, she joined Roger Fisher in the band Hocus Pocus where she met Roger's brother Mike in 1971, and followed him back to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Meanwhile, Nancy finished high school then went to college where she majored in art and German literature. She then played solo gigs until 1974 when she quit college and moved to Canada to join Heart.

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