Rod Stewart has long credited a wide range of singers for shaping his own distinctive voice, from Frank Sinatra to Sam Cooke and Otis Redding. Growing up, Stewart listened closely to Sinatra because his parents were fans, studying the way he phrased songs and treated singing as a form of emotional expression. That early influence helped Stewart approach his voice not just as a rock instrument, but as a tool that could shift between rough power and softer, more controlled delivery.
In the early years of his career, Stewart was able to imitate many of his favorite vocal styles with ease. He would move between his trademark raspy belt and a warmer, gentler croon depending on the song and the mood of the performance. As his career developed, however, he realized that singing required discipline and care, much like athletic training. Protecting his vocal cords became important to preserving the sound that had made him famous. Stewart has also noted that he never smoked cigarettes, which likely helped him maintain the character of his voice despite the hard-edged, rock-and-roll image associated with much of his music.
Although Stewart explored different musical directions over the years, including softer material and interpretations of the Great American Songbook, he has consistently been strongest in rock music. Whether fronting Faces or experimenting with other styles later in his career, his most powerful performances have remained rooted in rock. Still, the artists he admired were not all from the same genre. Buddy Holly inspired him with his energy and helped fuel the excitement he felt for music. Sinatra, meanwhile, gave him a model for phrasing and emotional depth. But it was Sam Cooke and Otis Redding who became especially important blueprints as Stewart searched for a voice that would stand out from the rest.
Stewart has said that he wanted to sound like Cooke and Redding, not because he wanted to copy them directly, but because he saw in them a path toward individuality. Redding in particular left a deep impression on him. Stewart has described being moved to tears while watching Redding perform live, especially during performances of “Try a Little Tenderness,” a song that showed the full force of his emotional power. Cooke and Redding influenced Stewart’s sense of melody, phrasing, grit, and soul, all of which became part of his own style.
The result is one of rock’s most versatile and recognizable voices. Stewart’s singing reflects the smoothness of Cooke, the emotional intensity of Redding, the elegance of Sinatra, and the raw excitement of rock and roll. Over time, these influences helped shape a performer whose voice remains immediately identifiable while drawing on some of the greatest singers in popular music history.
