Ian Stewart: The Sixth Stone Who Kept the Band Grounded

Ian Stewart was a founding member of the Rolling Stones, but manager Andrew Loog Oldham kicked him out of the official lineup in 1963 because he didn’t fit the “teen idol” look—he was too burly, too plain. Instead of quitting, Stewart stayed on as road manager and session pianist, and he ended up shaping the band’s sound more than nearly anyone who was in the photos.

His piano gave early recordings a raw boogie-woogie backbone—listen to “Little Red Rooster” or “Honky Tonk Women.” He also kept the Stones grounded during the chaos of the ’60s, acting as a steady hand when Brian Jones unraveled and when Mick and Keith almost split. Without Stewart on the payroll and behind the keys, the band’s early coherence and later stability would have fallen apart a lot sooner.