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It is almost impossible to capture the remarkable life and career of Bebe Buell in a few paragraphs.
Her lengthy and respected musical career has shown her to be an important artist with razor sharp musical instincts; a singer, songwriter and performer with a power and command rarely seen in entertainers. Bebe has the unequaled gift of being able to delve into a song and spark it to life with immediacy and poignant raw emotion; whether performing her own works or her always groundbreaking choices of songs by other writers. Bebe's unique, multi-faceted talent manifested itself at an early age.
At ten years old she began singing in the Villa Maria Academy choir sporting an "alto", a very unusual vocal range for a young girl, that caught everyone's ear.
Upon graduating from high school she was discovered by super- agent Eileen Ford of Ford Models. She was whisked away from Virginia to New York City and hit the Manhattan music scene as soon as she arrived. She soon became involved with legendary rock musician Todd Rundgren. At the time, she was living in a woman’s residence run by nuns.
Bebe was Playboy magazine’s Playmate of the Month in the November 1974 issue. She was the first fashion model to appear in the pages of the magazine and the controversy led her being dropped by Ford Models. She signed with equally prestigious Wilhelmina and continued to work in the US and Europe, often appearing in Cosmopolitan magazine as well as international editions of Vogue, Harpers & Queen, numerous advertisements and campaigns for Wella and Britain’s Innoxa Cosmetics.
In 1977 Bebe gave birth to her daughter Liv.
Affectionately called "Friend To The Stars", Bebe earned that title because of her closeness to everyone from Jack Nicholson to Andy Warhol, and her carte blanche access to rock's elite royalty.
She was frequently dubbed a "legendary beauty" by photographers and peers alike. Mick Jagger was once quoted as saying that he could bring Bebe "when I dine with royalty."
Bebe's musical career jumpstarted with her first release, "Covers Girl" (1981) produced by Ric Ocasek and Rick Derringer. It was a four song EP of obscure cover songs featuring legendary group The Cars backing her on two of the tracks, which was also, coincidentally, one of Rhino Records first mainstream releases. Bebe's pure love of music and natural sense of cool come through on these recordings.
After this Bebe formed a new group, the B-Sides who released a pure pop 12 inch picture disc "A Side of the B-Sides" (1983) produced by Bebe's former beau Todd Rundgren.
Following this, Bebe formed a new, tougher group, The Gargoyles; the female fronted hard rock unit was somewhat ahead of its time. They released the influential underground singles "Jacuzzi Jungle" and "Gargoyle" (1987) and toured heavily. These performances cemented Bebe's reputation as a front person to be reckoned with. After spending some time in Portland, Maine during the 80's she moved back to her beloved New York City in 1989.
The Gargoyles caught the ear of Joey Ramone. He had the band open for The Ramones and offers of record deals followed. But at this time, someone in Bebe's personal life was about to take center stage.
When Bebe's daughter Liv found out her father was really Steven Tyler, not Todd Rundgren, 1991 became a year of big changes. Well documented in the media, Bebe has said in interviews that she didn't want to tell Liv who her real father was because of Steven's heavy drug addiction at the time. Todd had known that he was not the biological father of Liv but had kept the secret in
order to give both Bebe and Liv some semblance of a stable home. Steven got sober and the news of Liv's parentage was no longer a secret.
Bebe withdrew from performing at this time, turning down a lucrative recording contract, to focus on her daughter during the ensuing media frenzy. Utilizing her unparalleled entertainment business savvy, Bebe began managing her daughter’s career. She launched Liv as an extremely successful international fashion model and then actress. She also managed her good friend Deborah Harry, for a short time, as well as working as the “creative consultant” for the James Mangold directed film, Heavy.
In 1994 she blazed back into the music world, released a CD and coined a new word with "Retrosexual" a punk/hard rock underground classic. The record was a forceful, fun, rocking return to form for Bebe with a mix of hip, impeccable cover choices and catchy original songs.
As 1998 began, a series of live shows at famed downtown mecca Don Hill's brought Bebe a new crop of musicians and The Bebe Buell Band was born. They then recorded the four song EP "Free To Rock" with famed producer Don Fleming. She received rave reviews for her powerful performances in both New York and Los Angeles.
In 2000, the Oscar winning film "Almost Famous” was released. Writer/director Cameron Crowe based the film on elements of Bebe's life. Some of the film's dialogue is directly taken from quotes of Bebe's that Crowe had remembered from their friendship which began decades earlier in 1973 on the road with Todd Rundgren.
Bebe completed her autobiography, "Rebel Heart; An American Rock And Roll Journey" (St. Martin's Press) in 2001. It quickly
became a New York Times best seller. The following year she married Jim Wallerstein aka Jimmy Walls of Das Damen and Vacationland fame. In 2008 they bought a house in the New York City area and began the concept for Bebe's next musical chapter. The result was two critically acclaimed albums "Sugar" and "Hard Love" and performing for capacity audiences in New York City and the Northeast. Further cementing her pop culture legacy, the Pharrell Williams produced duo, Chester French released a tribute to Bebe, with their single “Bebe Buell”.
The ever popular and always evolving Buell now calls Nashville, TN (Music City) home. She came to Nashville in 2012 to sing on an Eddy Arnold tribute album for local label Plowboy Records. Being a Southern girl at heart (being born and raised in Virginia) she immediately fell in love with the city.
In her time in Music City, she has graced several local stages including four sold-out shows at the iconic Bluebird Café and recorded at famed studios, RCA Studio B and Sound Emporium. She has also been songwriting prolifically and regularly performs as guest vocalist with Thee Rock n’ Roll Residency and The Long Players, two local collectives of Nashville’s world class musicians.
In April of 2018, Bebe will be releasing her most cathartic and personal album to date, “Baring It All: Greetings From Nashbury Park”. The 12 song record was recorded in Buell’s two favorite music cities, Nashville and Asbury Park. Featured musicians include: drummer Sandy Gennaro (Cyndi Lauper, Joan Jett) bassist Dave Roe (Johnny Cash, Dan Auerbach) Peter Gallinari on keys and Hammond organ, plus PRODUCER Jim Wallerstein aka Jimmy Walls (Das Damen, DGeneration) on guitars.
Nashville has also inspired Bebe to assemble the live band she has always wanted, containing the players from her new album. Expect some epic performances in the coming months.
This year is shaping up to be one of Bebe Buell's most exciting yet. In addition to her new music, band and stage show, expect projects in film and a return to the literary world. Bebe has never allowed herself to be stereotyped or pigeonholed. A musician, mother, muse, model, celebrated lover, manager, best-selling author, and pop culture icon, music has always held her deepest passion.
Many artists' early work is their most powerful and resonating, while Bebe is just gearing up for the release of her most autobiographical and poignant work yet. Artistically bold and fearless while expressing true joy and sensitivity of the soul, singing her entire life, Bebe's memorable journey is just beginning to take full flight.
"A Princess, a Queen, a mom, a rocker, a model and of course, an amazing Singer!" -Juice Magazine
"The Queen of Cool"- Italian Rolling Stone
"She's cooler than Avril Lavigne, rocks better than Courtney Love, and has more fun than both of 'em put together", truth to tell,
Buell is a far more interesting vocalist than (Lady) Gaga" - AllMusic Guide
"Bebe is quickly going from rock muse to rock goddess" - Playboy magazine
...the real queen of Rock`n Roll! She probably breastfed the Runaways in her sleep on a bad Monday while inspiring artists like Andy Warhol, The Stones, Blondie, Ramones, Aerosmith & the rest of the rock`n roll elite worldwide. Model, Rocker, Legend... " -Rocknrolla (brazilian online mag)
Truly deserving of being called “an original”, don’t miss the chance to see this legendary muse do what she does best, rock the house with some pure rock n’ roll. -examiner.com
“The Bluebird Café was the setting, but I felt as if I was in Madison Square Garden watching the High Priestess of Rock & Roll do it better than Sir Mick Jagger”- Punk Globe Magazine
“...the standing ovations she received during her first performance at the
Bluebird Café reduced her to tears”. - The Tennessean
