Steely Dan is an American jazz rock group founded by Walter Becker (guitars, bass, backing vocals) and Donald Fagen (keyboards, lead vocals). The band's first lineup also included guitarists Denny Dias and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, drummer Jim Hodder and singer David Palmer. The band currently consists of Fagan (the sole consistent member since Becker's death in 2017) alongside touring members, backing vocalists Catherine Russell (who first joined in 1993) and Carolyn Leonhart, trumpeter Michael Leonhart (both since 1996), guitarist Jon Herington (since 1999), trombonist Jim Pugh (since 2000), saxophonists Roger Rosenberg (since 2000) and Walt Weiskopf (since 2002) drummer Keith Carlock (since 2003), bassist Freddie Washington (since 2006), backing vocalist La Tanya Hall (since 2014), and guitarist Adam Rogers (since 2022).
Becker and Fagen met in 1967 at Bard College, in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. As Fagen passed by a café, The Red Balloon, he heard Becker practicing the electric guitar.[1] In an interview, Fagen recounted the experience: "I hear this guy practising, and it sounded very professional and contemporary. It sounded like, you know, like a black person, really." He introduced himself to Becker and asked, "Do you want to be in a band?" Discovering that they enjoyed similar music, the two began writing songs together.
Steely Dan was formed in when Dias placed an ad in The Village Voice[2] in the summer of 1970 that read: "Looking for keyboardist and bassist. Must have jazz chops! Assholes need not apply".[3] Fagen and Becker responded to the advertisement, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, Jim Hodder and David Palmer also joined, Palmer joined as a second lead vocalist because of Fagen's occasional stage fright, his reluctance to sing in front of an audience, and because the label believed that his voice was not "commercial" enough.
A rift began growing between Becker-Fagen and Steely Dan's other members (particularly Baxter and Hodder), who wanted to tour. Becker and Fagen disliked constant touring and wanted to concentrate solely on writing and recording. The other members gradually left the band, discouraged by this and by their diminishing roles in the studio. However, Dias remained with the group until 1980's Gaucho and Michael McDonald contributed vocals until the group's twenty-year hiatus after Gaucho. Baxter and McDonald went on to join The Doobie Brothers. Steely Dan's last tour performance was on July 5, 1974, a concert at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in California.[4]
Steely Dan disbanded in June 1981.[5] Becker moved to Maui, where he became an "avocado rancher and self-styled critic of the contemporary scene."[6] He stopped using drugs, which he had used for most of his career.[7] [8] [9] Meanwhile, Fagen released a solo album, The Nightfly (1982), which went platinum in both the U.S. and the UK and yielded the Top-20 hit "I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World)".
Becker and Fagen reunited for an American tour to support Fagen's album Kamakiriad, which sold poorly despite a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year. An album of the tour, called Alive in America, was recorded at various dates between August 19, 1993, and the September 19, 1994, personnel included pianist Warren Bernhardt, guitarists Georg Wadenius and Drew Zingg, bassist Tom Barney, saxophonists Cornelius Bumpus, Chris Potter and Bob Sheppard, percussionist/vibraphonist Bill Ware, backing vocalists Catherine Russell, Diane Garisto and Brenda White-King and drummers Dennis Chambers (1994 dates) and Peter Erskine (1993 dates).[10] The duo continued to tour in 1996 with some shows in 1995,[11] tour personnel included Tom Barney (bass), John Beasley (piano and keyboards), Ricky Lawson (drums), Wayne Krantz (guitar), Cornelius Bumpus (saxophone), Michael Leonhart (trumpet), Ari Ambrose (saxophone), Michelle Wiley (backing vocals) and Carolyn Leonhart (backing vocals).[12] After this activity, Becker and Fagen returned to the studio to begin work on a new album.In 2000, Steely Dan released their first studio album in 20 years: Two Against Nature. In the summer of 2000, they began another American tour, followed by an international tour later that year. The tour featured guitarist Jon Herington, who would go on to play with the band over the next two decades. Other musicians included saxophonists Ari Ambrose, Bob Sheppard, Chris Potter and Cornelius Bumpus, vocalists Carolyn Leonhart, Cynthia Calhoun and Victoria Cave, trombonist Jim Pugh, trumpeter Michael Leonhart, bassist Tom Barney, drummer Ricky Lawson and keyboardist Ted Baker.[13] In June 2000 the band released Plush TV Jazz-Rock Party which documents a recording of a PBS In the Spotlight show recorded in January 2000, personnel included Ted Baker (piano), Jon Herington (guitar), Tom Barney (bass), Cornelius Bumpus and Chris Potter (saxophone), Michael Leonhart (trumpet), Jim Pugh (trombone), Ricky Lawson (drums) and Carolyn Leonhart, Cynthia Calhoun and Victoria Cave (vocals).[14] In March 2001, Steely Dan was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[15] [16]
In 2003, Steely Dan released Everything Must Go. In contrast to their earlier work, they had tried to write music that captured a live feel. Becker sang lead vocals on a Steely Dan studio album for the first time ("Slang of Ages" — he had sung lead on his own "Book of Liars" on Alive in America). Fewer session musicians played on Everything Must Go than had become typical of Steely Dan albums: Becker played bass on every track and lead guitar on five tracks; Fagen added piano, electric piano, organ, synthesizers, and percussion on top of his vocals; touring drummer Keith Carlock played on every track, the album also included touring members Ted Baker (keys), Jon Herington (guitar), Chris Potter (saxophone), Michael Leonhart (trumpet), Jim Pugh (trombone), Carolyn Leonhart, Cindy Mizelle and Catherine Russell (backing vocals).[17] The tour for this album included Carolyn Leonhart, Cindy Mizelle and Cynthia Calhoun (vocals), Cornelius Bumpus (saxophone), Jim Pugh (trombone), Jon Herington (guitar), Keith Carlock (drums), Michael Leonhart (trumpet), Ted Baker (keyboards), Tom Barney (bass) and Walt Weiskopf (saxophone).[18] To complete his Nightfly trilogy, Fagen issued Morph the Cat in 2006, in that same year the band toured with former member Michael McDonald. The tour band included Jon Herington (guitar), Freddie Washington (bass), Keith Carlock (drums), Jeff Young (keyboards and backing vocals), Walt Weiskopf (saxophone), Michael Leonhart (trumpet), Jim Pugh (trombone), Roger Rosenberg (baritone sax), Carolyn Leonhart and Cindy Mizelle (backing vocals).[19] The tour continued in 2007 as the Heavy Rollers tour with the same personnel,[20] and into 2008, as the Think Fast tour, with the addition of Nelson Foltz on trumpet and Tawatha Agee on vocals.[21] That year Becker released a second album, Circus Money.
The Rent Party tour started in June 2009 and featured Carolyn Leonhart, Catherine Russel and Tawatha Agee (vocals), Freddie Washington (bass), Jim Beard (keyboards), Jim Pugh (trombone), Jon Herrington (guitar), Keith Carlock (drums), Michael Leohart (trumpet), Roger Rosenberg and Walt Weiskopf (saxophone).[22] In the same month the Left Bank Holiday tour also started and continued into July touring Europe, the tour included the same personnel as the Rent Party[23] which started again later in July 2009 and concluded in November.[24]
In July 2011, the Shuffle Diplomacy Tour started and included musicians Keith Carlock (drums); Jon Herington (guitar); Freddie Washington (bass); Jim Beard (keys); Michael Leonhart, Walt Weiskopf, Roger Rosenberg and Jim Pugh (horns); plus background singers Carolyn Leonhart, Cindy Mizelle, and Catherine Russell.[25] The Mood Swings: 8 Miles to Pancake Day Tour began in July 2013 and featured an eight-night run at the Beacon Theatre in New York City.[26] Musicians included Carolyn Leonhart, Catherine Russell and La Tanya Hall (vocals), Freddie Washington (bass), Jim Pugh (trombone), Keith Carlock (drums), Michael Leonhart (trumpet and Roger Rosenberg and Walt Weiskopf (saxophone).[27]
Jamalot Ever After, their 2014 United States tour, ran from July 2 in Portland, Oregon to September 20 in Port Chester, New York.[28] Its band included Keith Carlock on drums, Freddie Washington on bass, Jim Beard on keyboards, Jon Herington on guitar, Michael Leonhart on trumpet and keys, Jim Pugh on trombone, Roger Rosenberg on baritone saxophone, Walt Weiskopf on saxophone and vocalists La Tanya Hall, Carolyn Leonhart, and Cindy Mizelle.[29] 2015's Rockabye Gollie Angel Tour included opening act Elvis Costello and the Imposters and dates at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, it featured the same band as previous tours.[30] The Dan Who Knew Too Much tour followed in 2016, with Steve Winwood opening. Steely Dan also performed at The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles with an accompanying orchestra, the tour band was the same.[31]
Becker died from complications of esophageal cancer on September 3, 2017.[32] In a note released to the media, Fagen remembered his longtime friend and bandmate, and promised to "keep the music we created together alive as long as I can with the Steely Dan band."[33] After Becker's death, Steely Dan honored commitments to perform a short North American tour in October 2017 and three concert dates in the United Kingdom and Ireland for Bluesfest on a double bill with the Doobie Brothers.[34] The band played its first concert following Becker's death in Thackerville, Oklahoma, on October 13. In tribute to Becker, they performed his solo song "Book of Liars", with Fagen singing the lead vocals, at several concerts on the tour.[35] The backing band was retained.[36]
In 2018, Steely Dan performed on a summer tour of the United States with The Doobie Brothers as co-headliners.[37] The band also played a nine-show residency at the Beacon Theatre in New York City that October.[38] the band included Jim Beard (keys), Freddie Washington (bass), Jon Herrington (guitar), and Keith Carlock (drums).[39] In February 2019, the band embarked on a tour of Great Britain with Steve Winwood,[40] the included Ari Ambrose, Roger Rosenberg and Walt Weiskopf (saxophone), Carolyn Leonhart, Catherine Russell, Jamie Leonhart, La Tanya Hall and Nicki Richards (vocals), Connor Kennedy of The Nightflyers (guitar, vocals), Freddie Washington (bass), Jim Beard (keys), Jim Pugh (trombone), Jon Herrington (guitar, electric sitar) and Keith Carlock (drums).[41]
In July 2023, the Eagles announced Steely Dan would be the special guest of their The Long Farewell tour running from September to November 2023.[42]
On March 2, 2024, long-time touring keyboardist Jim Beard died.[43]
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walter Becker | all releases to Everything Must Go (2003) | ||||
| Denny Dias | 1972–1974 [44] [45] | ||||
| Jeff "Skunk" Baxter | 1972–1974 | ||||
| Jim Hodder | 1972–1974 | ||||
| David Palmer | 1972–1973 | backing and lead vocals | |||
| Royce Jones | 1973–1974 | Countdown to Ecstasy (1973) | |||
| Michael McDonald | 1974 | ||||
| Jeff Porcaro | 1974 | drums |
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catherine Russell | ||||
| Carolyn Leonhart | 1996–present | backing vocals | ||
| Michael Leonhart | ||||
| Jon Herington | 1999–present | |||
| Jim Pugh | 2000–present | trombone | ||
| Roger Rosenberg | ||||
| Walt Weiskopf | 2002–present | tenor saxophone | Everything Must Go (2003) | |
| Keith Carlock | 2003–present | |||
| Freddie Washington | 2006–present | bass | none to date | |
| La Tanya Hall | 2014–present | backing vocals | ||
| Adam Rogers | 2022–present | guitar |
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gloria "Porky" Granola[46] | 1973–1974[47] [48] | backing vocals | none | |
| Jenny "Bucky" Soule[49] | ||||
| 1993–2003 | bass | |||
| Cornelius Bumpus | 1993–2003 | tenor saxophone | ||
| alto and tenor saxophone | ||||
| Bob Sheppard | soprano and tenor saxophone | Alive in America (1995) | ||
| Warren Bernhardt | 1993–1994 | piano | ||
| Georg Wadenius | 1993–1994 | guitar | ||
| Drew Zingg | ||||
| Diane Garisto | backing vocals | |||
| Brenda White-King | ||||
| Peter Erskine | 1993 | drums | ||
| Dennis Chambers | 1994 | |||
| Ari Ambrose | saxophone | none | ||
| Ricky Lawson | 1996–2000 | drums | ||
| John Beasley | 1996 | none | ||
| Wayne Krantz | guitar | |||
| Michelle Wiley | backing vocals | |||
| Cynthia Calhoun | 2000–2003 | Plush TV Jazz-Rock Party (2000) | ||
| Ted Baker | ||||
| Victoria Cave | 2000 | backing vocals | Plush TV Jazz-Rock Party (2000) | |
| Cindy Mizelle | Everything Must Go (2003) | |||
| Jeff Young | 2006–2008 [50] | none | ||
| Jim Beard | 2008–2024 | keyboards | ||
| Tawatha Agee | 2008–2009 | backing vocals | Everything Must Go (2003) | |
| Nelson Foltz | 2008 | trumpet | none | |
| Jamie Leonhart | 2018–2019 | backing vocals | ||
| Nicki Richards | ||||
| Connor Kennedy |
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor Feldman | 1972–1980 | all releases from Can't Buy a Thrill (1972) to Gaucho (1980) | ||
| Jerome Richardson | tenor saxophone | |||
| Sherlie Matthews | backing vocals | |||
| Myrna Matthews | ||||
| Clydie King | ||||
| Snooky Young | 1972 | flugelhorn | Can't Buy a Thrill (1972) | |
| Chuck Rainey | 1973–1980 | bass | ||
| Dean Parks | 1973–1977 | |||
| Michael Omartian | ||||
| David Paich | 1973–1975 | |||
| Wilton Felder | 1973–1975 | bass | ||
| Plas Johnson | ||||
| Timothy B. Schmit | backing vocals | |||
| Ben Benay | 1973–1974 | |||
| Ernie Watts | saxophone | |||
| Lew McCreary | trombone | |||
| Ollie Mitchell | 1973–1974 | trumpet | Pretzel Logic (1974) | |
| 1973–1974 | drums | |||
| 1973–1974 | gong | |||
| Rick Derringer | ||||
| Bill Perkins | saxophone | |||
| Patricia Hall | 1973 | backing vocals | Countdown to Ecstasy (1973) | |
| James Rolleston | ||||
| Michael Fennelly | ||||
| Lanny Morgan | saxophone | |||
| Johnny Rotella | 1973 | |||
| Ray Brown | 1973 | string bass | ||
| Larry Carlton | 1974–1980 | |||
| Hugh McCracken | guitar | |||
| 1974–1975 | drums | Katy Lied (1975) | ||
| Phil Woods | 1974–1975 | alto saxophone | ||
| 1974–1975 | horn arrangement | |||
| Don Grolnick | 1975–1980 | |||
| Paul Griffin | 1975–1980 | |||
| Rick Marotta | 1975–1980 | drums | ||
| Bernard Purdie | ||||
| Chuck Findley | 1975–1977 | trumpet | ||
| Jim Horn | saxophone | |||
| Dick "Slyde" Hyde | 1975–1977 | trombone | ||
| Gary Coleman | 1975–1976 | percussion | The Royal Scam (1976) | |
| Bob Findley | trumpet | |||
| saxophone | ||||
| Tom Scott | 1976–1980 | |||
| Steve Khan | guitars | |||
| Steve Gadd | ||||
| Joe Sample | 1976–1980 | |||
| Wayne Shorter | 1976–1977 | tenor saxophone | Aja (1977) | |
| Pete Christlieb | 1976–1977 | |||
| Jackie Kelso | 1976–1977 | |||
| Rebecca Louis | 1976–1977 | backing vocals | ||
| guitars | ||||
| Jay Graydon | guitar solo | |||
| Lou McCreary | brass | |||
| Ed Greene | drums | |||
| Paul Humphrey | 1976–1977 | |||
| Dave Tofani | tenor saxophone | |||
| Wayne Andre | 1978–1980 | trombone | Gaucho (1980) | |
| Ronnie Cuber | 1978–1980 | baritone saxophone | ||
| 1978–1980 | tenor saxophone | |||
| David Sanborn | 1978–1980 | alto saxophone | ||
| George Marge | 1978–1980 | bass clarinets | ||
| Walter Kane | ||||
| Randy Brecker | ||||
| Lesley Miller | backing vocals | |||
| Patti Austin | ||||
| Toni Wine | ||||
| Lani Groves | ||||
| Diva Gray | ||||
| Gordon Grody | ||||
| Frank Floyd | ||||
| Zack Sanders | ||||
| Valerie Simpson | ||||
| Rob Mounsey | ||||
| Anthony Jackson | bass guitar | |||
| Hiram Bullock | 1978–1980 | guitar | ||
| Mark Knopfler | 1978–1980 | guitar solo | ||
| Pat Rebillot | electric piano | |||
| Nicholas Marrero | timbales | |||
| Errol "Crusher" Bennett | percussion | |||
| Ralph MacDonald | 1978–1980 | |||
| Gordon Gottlieb | ||||
| Michael Harvey | backing vocals | |||
| Paul Jackson Jr. | 1997–1999 | guitar | Two Against Nature (2000) | |
| Leroy Clouden | drums | |||
| Michael White | ||||
| Daniel Sadownick | ||||
| Steve Shapiro | vibraphone | |||
| whistle | ||||
| Lawrence Feldman | ||||
| Roy Hitchcock | clarinet | |||
| Lou Marini | ||||
| percussion | ||||
| Ada Dyer | 2001–2003 | backing vocals | Everything Must Go (2003) | |
| Ken Hitchcock | clarinet | |||
| Tony Kadleck | trumpet |
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boz Scaggs | 1993 | guitar | Scaggs made a guest appearance with the band on the song "Black Friday" on September 23, 1993.[51] [52] | ||
| Brian May | 2001 | May played guitar on "Do It Again" with the band at their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction on March 19, 2001.[53] | |||
| Bill Charlap | 2003 | piano | Charlap made a guest appearance with the band at Jones Beach in 2003.[54] He also played on two tracks on Everything Must Go (2003) | ||
| Steve Winwood | Winwood guested with the band in 2011, 2016,[55] and 2019. | ||||
| Elliot Randall | lead guitar | Randall, who had played on albums Can't Buy a Thrill, Katy Lied and The Royal Scam, made guest appearances in 2009[56] and 2019.[57] |
| Period | Members | Releases |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 |
| none |
| 1972 – 1973 |
|
|
| 1973 |
|
|
| 1973 – 1974 |
with:
|
|
| 1974 |
with:
| none |
| 1974 – 1981 |
with various session musicians, including:
|
|
| Band inactive 1981 – 1993 | ||
| 1993 |
with:
|
|
| 1994 |
with:
|
|
| 1996 |
with:
| none |
| January 2000 |
with:
|
|
| May – September 2000 |
with:
| none |
| July – October 2003 |
with:
|
|
| July 2006 – September 2007 |
with:
| none |
| June – November 2008 |
with:
| |
| June – November 2009 |
with:
| |
| July – September 2011 |
with:
| |
| July 2013 – October 2017 |
with:
| |
| October 2017 |
with:
| |
| May – October 2018 |
with:
| |
| February – December 2019 |
with:
| |
| October – November 2021 |
with:
| |
| May 2022 – March 2024 |
with:
| |
| March 2024 – present |
with:
| |