Neil Peart was an iconic and highly respected rock drummer, renowned for his extraordinary, pyrotechnic drumming skills and his intellectual, thought-provoking lyrics for the rock band Rush.
As a member of Rush, Neil served as both drummer and lyricist since 1974, alongside bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson. Rush's lineup remained unchanged since Neil's arrival in 1974, and the band has been recognized as the most successful Canadian music group in history, as well as the third most prolific seller of consecutive Gold and Platinum Records and videos in the United States, behind only The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.
Tragedy struck Neil in 1997, when his daughter died in a car accident, followed by the loss of his wife to cancer just 10 months later. This led to Rush's indefinite hiatus for the first time and prompted Neil to write his second book, "Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road".
Neil married Los Angeles photographer Carrie Nuttall in September 2000, and they had a daughter, Oliva, in 2009.
In 2002, Neil rejoined Rush in the studio for their 17th studio album, "Vapor Trails", which received high praise and marked a successful comeback for the band. The album was followed by a highly successful tour that brought Rush to the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil, where they played to 125,000 fans in three nights.
The final performance of the 2002 tour was captured on DVD as "Rush in Rio" (2003),which was certified double-platinum within weeks of its release.
After the "Vapor Trails" album and tour, Neil's writing became more personal, and his subsequent live performances, including his trademark percussion solos, were regarded as his best to date.
Neil's final tour with Rush was the 2015 "R40" tour, which marked forty years since he joined the band. Following the tour, Neil announced his retirement due to arthritis and tendinitis.
Sadly, Neil was diagnosed with brain cancer shortly after his retirement and fought it privately for three and a half years before passing away on January 7, 2020.
