Neil Peart Canadian musician and writer, drummer for the band Rush Date of Birth: 12.09.1952 Country: Canada

Biography of Neil Ellwood Peart

Neil Ellwood Peart, a Canadian musician and writer, is best known as the drummer of the band 'Rush'. Born on September 12, 1952, in Hamilton, Peart spent his early years on a family farm in Hagersville, on the outskirts of Hamilton. He was the oldest child, and his siblings Danny, Judy, and Nancy were born after the family moved to St. Catharines. Peart's father worked as a parts manager at 'Dalziel Equipment'.

Peart recalls having a happy childhood and warm relationships with his family. As a teenager, he became interested in music and acquired a transistor radio, through which he listened to music stations in Toronto, Hamilton, Welland, and Buffalo. His first involvement in music education was taking piano lessons, although he later admitted that they did not have a significant impact on him.

His parents noticed his inclination to drumming with eating utensils, so on his 13th birthday, Peart received a pair of drumsticks and some drum lessons. They promised him that if he did not quit within a year, they would buy him a drum kit for his next birthday. Peart didn't quit, and his parents fulfilled their promise. At the age of 14, he became the owner of his own drums and started taking lessons from Don George at the Peninsula Conservatory of Music.

Peart's first public performance took place on Christmas of the same year at St. John's Anglican Church in Port Dalhousie. He later performed a drum solo at school with his first band 'The Eternal Triangle'. After moving from one local band to another in search of a permanent drummer position, Peart went to England at the age of 18, hoping to gain mastery and achieve success as a professional musician. However, he had no luck in London, and after a year and a half without progress, Peart put his dreams on hold and returned home, taking his father's place in the tractor parts business at 'Dalziel Equipment'.

In the summer of 1974, Peart joined the band 'Rush' from Toronto, unaware that it would be the beginning of the success he had been striving for all those years. Working with 'Rush' brought Peart recognition as one of the best drummers in rock music. While initially influenced by prominent British hard rock drummers such as Keith Moon and John Bonham, Peart began emulating jazz musicians like Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich. In 1994, Peart became friends and a student of jazz instructor Freddie Gruber, which led to him incorporating jazz and swing components into his playing.

Peart, known for his impeccable technical skill and endurance, has received numerous awards throughout his career. In addition to being a talented musician and lyricist for 'Rush', he is a prolific writer and author of several memoirs about his travels. He draws inspiration for his lyrics from various themes, including science fiction, fantasy, and philosophical books.

In August 1997, Peart experienced a devastating tragedy when his only daughter, 19-year-old Selena Taylor, died in a car accident. Ten months later, his common-law wife, Jacqueline Taylor, who had been with him for 22 years, passed away from cancer. Currently, Peart resides in Santa Monica, California, with his wife, photographer Carrie Nuttall, and their daughter Olivia Louise, born in 2009. He also has a home in the Laurentian Mountains in Quebec and frequently spends time in Toronto for recording.