Roderick "Rod" David Stewart, CBE (born January 10, 1945), is a singer and songwriter born and raised in London, England and currently residing in Epping. He has Scottish and English parentage. With a distinctive, raspy voice, Stewart came to prominence in the late 1960s and early '70s with The Jeff Beck Group and then The Faces before beginning a solo career in 1969, with his debut album An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down. His work with The Jeff Beck Group and The Faces proved to be influential on the formation of the heavy metal and punk rock genres, respectively.Both bands were also pioneers of blues-rock. With his career in its fifth decade, Stewart has achieved numerous solo hit singles worldwide, most notably in the UK. His most-known solo hit singles are "Maggie May," "You Wear It Well," and "Forever Young."