Dennis DeYoung is the former keyboardist and vocalist for Styx, with whom he had five top-ten albums in the 1970s and early 1980s. DeYoung was the writer of some of the band’s most enduring hits, including “Babe,” “Come Sail Away,” “Lady” and “Mr. Roboto.” Since leaving Styx in the mid-1980s, he has released several successful solo albums, and continues to write, record and tour regularly.
Dennis DeYoung, former lead singer of the rock group Styx, talks about what it takes and what it means to be a songwriter. Writing quality material takes time and determination and a songwriter must be able to criticize their own work in order to separate the bad from the good.