Aerosmith performing live in 2003 (top) and 2017 (bottom).

Aerosmith is an American hard rock band from Boston, Massachusetts. Formed in October 1970, the group originally included vocalist Steven Tyler, lead guitarist Joe Perry, rhythm guitarist Ray Tabano, bassist Tom Hamilton and drummer Joey Kramer, although Tabano was replaced by Brad Whitford early the following year.^[1] The band's lineup has remained constant for much of its tenure, save for a five-year period between 1979 and 1984. First, Perry left the band after a show on July 28, 1979, when a confrontation between his then-wife Elyssa and Hamilton's wife Terry led to an argument between the guitarist and Tyler, resulting in the former's departure.^[2] After contributing to Night in the Ruts as a session guitarist, Jimmy Crespo was invited to replace Perry in Aerosmith in October 1979.^[3] Whitford also left Aerosmith in 1981 to work on a solo project with former Ted Nugent singer Derek St. Holmes.^[4] He was replaced by Rick Dufay, before both Perry and Whitford returned to the band in the spring of 1984.^[5]

In addition to the band's regular five-piece lineup, Aerosmith has added several touring musicians since its inception. David Woodford performed saxophone on the band's 1973 self-titled album, and was added to its touring lineup for the subsequent promotional tour.^[6] Similarly, keyboardist Scott Cushnie performed on 1975's Toys in the Attic and remained for the album's touring cycle.^[7][8] Mark Radice briefly took on the role of touring keyboardist in early 1978,^[9] followed by frequent collaborator Richard Supa in 1980, Bobby Mayo between 1982 and 1983,^[10][11] and Clayton Bruce Ost in 1987.^[12] Thom Gimbel joined as Aerosmith's first long-term keyboardist in 1989, remaining with the band until 1995.^[13] He was replaced by Russ Irwin beginning with the Nine Lives Tour in 1997,^[14] who toured with the band until he was replaced by Buck Johnson in 2014.^[15] The 2012–2013 Global Warming Tour featured saxophonist Mindi Abair,^[16] percussionist Jesse Sky Kramer (Joey's son) and backing vocalist Melanie Taylor.^[17]

Official members

Current members

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions
	Steven Tyler	1970–present	lead vocals keyboards harmonica percussion	all Aerosmith releases
	Tom Hamilton		bass backing vocals
	Joey Kramer		drums percussion
	Joe Perry	1970–1979 1984–present	lead and rhythm guitar backing and occasional lead vocals	all Aerosmith releases except Rock in a Hard Place (1982)
	Brad Whitford	1971–1981 1984–present	rhythm and lead guitar	all Aerosmith releases – one track session contribution on Rock in a Hard Place (1982)

Former members

Other contributors

Session musicians

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions
	Steve Hunter	1973–1974	lead guitar	Get Your Wings (1974)[18]
	Dick Wagner	1973–1974 (died 2014)
	Michael Brecker	1973–1974 (died 2007)	tenor saxophone
	Randy Brecker	1973–1974	trumpet
	Jon Pearson		trombone
	Stan Bronstein	1973–1974 1977	saxophones	Get Your Wings (1974) Draw the Line (1977) [18][19]
	Jay Messina	1975	bass marimba	Toys in the Attic (1975)[20]
	Mike Mainieri		conductor
	Uncredited		horn section
	Paul Prestopino	1976, 1977	banjo, acoustic guitar, banjo guitar	Rocks (1976), Draw the Line (1977) [21][19]
	Jack Douglas	1976 1977 2011–2012	backing vocals mandolin percussion keyboards synthesizer organ piano	Rocks (1976) Draw the Line (1977) Rock in a Hard Place (1982) Music from Another Dimension! (2012) [21][19][22][23]
	Karen Lawrence	1977	backing vocals	Draw the Line (1977)[19]
	Mary Weiss	1979		Night in the Ruts (1979)[24]
	George Young		alto saxophone
	Louis del Gatto		baritone saxophone
	Lou Marini		tenor saxophone
	Barry Rogers	1979 (died 1991)	trombone
	Neil Thompson	1979	guitar
	Paul Harris	1981–1982	piano	Rock in a Hard Place (1982)[22]
	John Turi		saxophone
	Reinhard Straub		violin
	John Lievano		acoustic guitar
	Drew Arnott	1987	mellotron	Permanent Vacation (1987)[25]
	Ian Putz		baritone saxophone
	Henry Christian		trumpet
	Scott Fairbairn		cello
	Mike Fraser		plunger mute
	Morgan Rael		steel drums
	Jim Vallance		organ
	Christine Arnott		backing vocals
	Bob Rogers	1987 1992	trombone	Permanent Vacation (1987) Get a Grip (1993) [25][26]
	Tom Keenlyside	1987 1989 1992	clarinet saxophones horn arrangements	Permanent Vacation (1987) Pump (1989) Get a Grip (1993) [25][27][26]
	Bruce Fairbairn	1987 1989 1992 (died 1999)	trumpet cello backing vocals
	Bob Dowd	1989	backing vocals	Pump (1989)[27]
	Catherine Epps		voice
	Randy Raine-Reusch		glass harmonica Appalachian dulcimer didgeridoo Thai khaen gourd mouth organ of the Lahu people of Northern Thailand
	Henry Christian		brass instruments saxophones
	Ian Putz	1989 1992		Pump (1989) Get a Grip (1993) [27][26]
	John Webster	1989 1992 1996	keyboards backing vocals	Pump (1989) Get a Grip (1993) Nine Lives (1997) [27][26][28]
	Desmond Child	1992 2011–2012	keyboards piano	Get a Grip (1993) Music from Another Dimension! (2012) [26][23]
	Paul Baron	1992	trumpet	Get a Grip (1993)[26]
	Don Henley		backing vocals
	Lenny Kravitz
	Sandy Kanaeholo		log drums
	Melvin Liufau
	Wesey Mamea
	Liainaiala Tagaloa
	Mapuhi T. Tekurio
	Aladd Alationa Teofilo
	David Campbell	1992 1996 2000	arrangements conductor	Get a Grip (1993) Nine Lives (1997) Just Push Play (2001) [26][28][29]
	Ramesh Mishra	1996	sarangi	Nine Lives (1997)[28]
	Suzie Katayama		strings conductor
	Paul Santo	2000 2003 2011–2012	keyboards Kurzweil Hammond organ piano electric piano organ	Just Push Play (2001) Honkin' on Bobo (2004) Music from Another Dimension! (2012) [29][30][23]
	Tower of Power	2000	horns	Just Push Play (2001)[29]
	Dan Higgins		clarinet saxophone
	Chelsea Tyler		backing vocals
	Paul Caruso	2000 (died 2006)	loop programming
	Liv Tyler	2000	whispering
	Tony Perry		scratching
	Jim Cox		piano
	Johnnie Johnson	2003 (died 2005)		Honkin' on Bobo (2004)[30]
	Tracy Bonham	2003	vocals
	The Memphis Horns		brass
	Julian Lennon	2011–2012	backing vocals	Music from Another Dimension! (2012)[23]
	Sharlotte Gibson
	Laura Jones
	Mia Tyler
	Johnny Depp
	Bruce Witkin
	Warren Huart
	Marti Frederiksen		backing vocals keyboards and guitar synthesizer
	Tom Scott		tenor saxophone
	Jessy J
	John Mitchell		baritone saxophone
	Bill Reichenbach Jr.		trombone
	Gary Grant		trumpet
	Larry Hall
	Carrie Underwood		vocals
	Dr. Rudy Tanzi		Hammond organ
	Jesse Kotansky		violin
	Daphne Chen
	Eric Gorfain
	Lauren Chipman		viola
	Richard Dodd		cello
	Zac Rae		piano synthesizer electric piano
	Daniel J. Coe		synthesizer
	Dan Potruch		percussion

Touring musicians

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions
	David Woodford	1972–1973	saxophone	Aerosmith (1973) – two tracks only Live! Bootleg (1978) – one track only [31][32]
	Ray Colcord	1973–1974 (died 2016)	keyboards	Get Your Wings (1974) – three tracks only[18]
	Scott Cushnie	1975 1977	keyboards piano	Toys in the Attic (1975) – two tracks only Draw the Line (1977) – three tracks only [20][19]
	Mark Radice	1978	keyboards backing vocals	Live! Bootleg (1978) Live Texxas Jam '78 (1989) [32]
	Richard Supa	1980	keyboards backing vocals additional guitars (sessions only)	Night in the Ruts (1979) – two tracks only Get a Grip (1993) – one track only [24][26]
	Bobby Mayo	1982–1983 (died 2004)	keyboards backing vocals	none
	Clayton Bruce Ost	1987–1988	keyboards
	Thom Gimbel	1989–1995	keyboards saxophone percussion backing vocals	A Little South of Sanity (1998)[33]
	Russ Irwin	1997–2014	keyboards piano percussion rhythm guitar backing vocals	A Little South of Sanity (1998) You Gotta Move (2004) Rockin' the Joint (2005) Music from Another Dimension! (2012) – two tracks only Rock for the Rising Sun (2013) [33][34][23]
	Jesse Sky Kramer	2005 (substitute) 2012–2013 2014 (substitute)	percussion additional drums (session only) drums (substitute only)	Music from Another Dimension! (2012) – one track only Kramer has also substituted for his father at shows in 2005 and 2014 due to surgery recovery and illness.[35][36] [23]
	Mindi Abair	2012	saxophone	none
	Melanie Taylor		backing vocals	Music from Another Dimension! (2012) – two tracks only[23]
	Buck Johnson	2014–present	keyboards piano rhythm guitar backing vocals	Aerosmith Rocks Donington 2014 (2015)[37]

Live substitutes

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Notes
	David Minehan	1994	guitar	Minehan substituted for Whitford, who was grieving a family member's death, on a Japanese tour in 1994.[38]
	David Hull	2006 2009 2013	bass	Hull substituted for Hamilton at shows in 2006, 2009 and 2013 due to illness and cancer treatment.[39][40][41]
	Bobby Schneck	2009	guitar	Schneck substituted for Whitford, who was recovering from surgery, at shows in June and July 2009.[42]
	John Douglas	2019–2020 2022–present	drums	Douglas substituted for Kramer during the band's Las Vegas residency in 2019, while Kramer was injured.[43]

Timeline

Lineups