Styx Tickets

Styx News and Information Styx is in the books as the first band to ever have four consecutive albums certified multi-platinum by the RIAA. From the time they came onto the scene in the 1970s, they were churning out hits and changing the shape of the music industry.

The group started when twin brothers Chuck and John Panozzo came together with some neighbors in the Chicago, Illinois, area in 1961 as "The Tradewinds." This earliest line-up of the group included brothers Chuck and John Panozzo on guitar and drums, respectively; and vocalist, pianist, keyboardist, and accordion player Dennis DeYoung. Changing their name briefly to "TW4", Chuck switched to bass guitar and the band added guitarists/vocalists James "J.Y." Young and John Curulewski.

As the band developed Chuck went into the seminary and the members increased. The band members decided to choose a new name when they signed to Wooden Nickel Records in 1972; several suggestions were made and, says DeYoung, Styx was chosen because it was "the only one that none of us hated." From there, they produced songs that got a lot of play in local clubs and schools throughout the Chicago area. Their most famous recording up to that point was the power ballad "Lady."

After releasing moderately successful recordings, the group hit the big time with "The Grand Illusion" in 1977. The collection included the hits "Come Sail Away" and "Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)." The following year the band found a more pop sound with "Pieces of Eight," which included the hits "Renegade," "Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)" and "Sing for the Day."

"Cornerstone" in 1979 included one of the group's most popular songs, "Babe." The band released a number of other successful singles but parted ways in 1984 after the release of its first live album, "Caught in the Act." Many of the artists went on to pursue solo careers, and they found moderate success.

The band reunited in 1995 to re-record "Lady" for "Styx Greatest Hits" and they released the live set "Return to Paradise" the following year. They have been touring regularly through the last several summers.