Dennis DeYoung is a founding member of the rock group Styx. The Chicago-based band originated in 1962 when 14 year old DeYoung and brothers John and Chuck Panozzo joined Dennis in the basement of his childhood home to form one of America's most successful and enduring bands. Styx has sold over 35 million albums worldwide and DeYoung has written eight of their nine top ten singles. Styx was the only band to ever record four consecutive triple platinum albums.
For over four decades, DeYoung has been a singer, songwriter, keyboardist and record producer. He wrote and sang several classics including: Lady, Come Sail Away, Best of Times, Mr. Roboto, Show Me the Way, Desert Moon, Don't Let It End, and the 1979 Peoples Choice Award winner, Babe. His singing talents have made his voice one of the most recognizable in the world. DeYoung has recorded 7 solo albums including Desert Moon, whose title track achieved Top Ten status. DeYoung continues to tour with his rock band around the world.
In 2007, DeYoung recorded his seventh solo album for DEP Universal Canada. The title track for this CD, One Hundred Years From Now was released as a single and reached #1 on the Pop, Rock and AC charts in Quebec. In 2008, this CD will be released in the The United States on Rounder Records and will feature two additional tracks. In May of 2008 DeYoung's musical The Hunchback of Notre Dame will be staged in Chicago at the Bailiwick Repertory Theater.
In 2006, DeYoung performed live on CANADIAN IDOL. DeYoung also performed live on three episodes of the Fox Network's CELEBRITY DUETS with celebrity duet partner Hal Sparks and was selected as one of three artists along with legends Smokey Robinson and Gladys Knight for the finale. DeYoung was also selected to perform live on VH1's BIG IN 06 Awards show along with THE KILLERS, THE FRAY, FERGIE, and WEIRD AL.
In 2003, DeYoung performed and recorded an expanded version of his Rock Symphony show at the historic Chicago Theater. This CD, Dennis DeYoung and the Music of Styx Live with Symphony Orchestra, has been certified platinum in Canada.
In 2002, WTTW PBS Chicago taped DeYoung performing with his rock band and 50 piece symphony orchestra with The Chicago's Children's Choir for the pilot of the PBS' Soundstage series. The Soundstage pledge program is currently airing nationwide on PBS stations around the country and have raised in excess of two million dollars. The Soundstage DVD, DENNIS DEYOUNG AND THE MUSIC OF STYX LIVE WITH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA has been certified triple platinum in Canada. Both the CD and DVD are available at www.dennisdeyoung.com.
In recent years DeYoung's songs have continued to enjoy remarkable popularity. His compositions have been featured in over 30 television shows including: The Simpson's, Freeks & Geeks, Dharma and Gregg, E.R., King of Queens, Sex in the City, Will and Grace, Las Vegas, Cold Case, That 70's Show, Saturday Night Live and numerous others. The piece de resistance however was when Cartman sang Come Sail Away on the groundbreaking series South Park.
DeYoung's songs have been featured in 15 major motion pictures including; Virgin Suicides, Big Daddy, Detroit Rock City, Disney's Atlantis, and The Wild, The Karate Kid II, the Shrek II DVD, Mr. Woodcock, , Underdog and Fun With Dick and Jane etc. Four songs of DeYoung's were used in The Perfect Man in which he also made a cameo appearance.
Volkswagen turned Mr. Roboto into a hit national commercial, featuring two Wayne's World like guys jamming to the words "Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto." In 1999, Hippo Records released The Ultimate Collection, a compilation of select songs from DeYoung's solo albums Desert Moon, Back to the Word and Boomchild. In 2005, Universal Music Group re-released Desert Moon on CD and a DVD of DeYoung's videos entitled, The Best Of Dennis DeYoung, The 20th Century Masters.
DeYoung made his Broadway debut in 1993, starring as Pontius Pilate in Andrew Lloyd Weber's Jesus Christ Superstar's 25th Anniversary Reunion Tour. His performance earned a Joseph Jefferson Award nomination for best supporting actor in a musical. While performing in Superstar, DeYoung was approached by Atlantic Records to sing and produce 10 On Broadway, a compilation of his favorite Broadway songs.
DeYoung's passion for American musical theater and composers like George Gershwin and Lerner and Lowe inspired him to write a musical based on Victor Hugo's classic novel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Nashville Tennessee Repertory Theater mounted a full production of Hunchback in the fall of 1997 to glowing reviews. In 2006 DeYoung received the Just Plain Folks Music Awards for Best Theater Album, The Hunchback of Notre Dame...A Musical, and for Best Contemporary Song, Who Will Love This Child.
In 2007 the Baliwick theater in Chicago staged the Hunchback to the delight and enthusiasm of both audiences and critics resulting in an extension of the run. This production won the prestigious Joseph Jefferson Award for best musical.
The German Night of the Proms tour came calling in 2008 and Dennis joined an array of artists including Tears for Fears, 10CC, Kim Wilde and Bee Gee's Robin Gibb and the 60 piece Novocento Orchestra. The tour sold out 20 shows in arena's throughout Germany.
2010 brought the formation of a new band dedicated to the legacy of Styx which features August Zadra, Jimmy Leahy, Tom Sharpe, Craig Carter, John Blasucci and Suzanne De Young. To date this group has performed over 150 concerts worldwide focusing on the greatest hits of Styx. This year DeYoung was named by DigitalDreamDoor.com as the #22 greatest rock keyboardist and #38 greatest rock vocalist of all time.
DeYoung is a native of Chicago. In January of 2014 DeYoung will celebrate 44 years of marriage to his high school sweetheart Suzanne. He and Suzanne have raised two children and continue to live in the Chicago area.