Ron Onesti: One Man’s Musical ‘Journey’

From 1977-1987, the rock band Journey rose to be one of the most popular and commercially successful musical acts in history. “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Open Arms,” “Faithfully” and several other of the band’s tunes have become anthems in the live music world, cherished by young and the young at heart.

But as Journey’s popular lead singer, Steve Perry suffered from health challenges and band conflicts, he left the group in 1987, and Journey went on a live-touring hiatus. For the next few years, the band worked on commercial projects including its “Greatest Hits” compilation album, winding up with over 800 weeks on the Billboard Charts, and went 18-times platinum.

Meanwhile at that time, vocalist Steve Augeri helped form the New York City band “Tall Stories” in 1988. Its self-titled record was nominated for “Best Debut Album,” and Augeri for “Best Debut Male Vocalist,” at the 1992 New York Music Awards. Tall Stories disbanded in 1995.

As news of Perry’s departure from Journey spread, Augeri submitted an audition tape to the band at the suggestion of mutual friend, Joe Cefalu. Steve was working as a maintenance manager at the GAP clothing store, a slot he got from his cousin. As he was about to hit his one-year mark with the store and eligible for a 401(k) benefit, he received a phone call that would change his career path from maintenance man to magic man.

It was from Journey keyboardist and cowriter Jonathan Cain and band founder and guitarist Neal Schon offering him an audition. With butterflies in his stomach, he auditioned live for the guys and he won them over with his charm, stage presence and vocal range. Augeri joined Journey as lead vocalist in 1998. Although it was a career-making move, replacing Perry was, in his words, “Incredibly daunting.”

“I went from fixing toilets to fronting one of the biggest bands on the planet,” Steve recalled. “I remember my first show. It was June of 1998 in California. Before the show, there was a garbage receptacle. I stuck my head in there and relieved myself. I never had that happen to me before. My stomach was in jitters and butterflies. Once I was done, I cleaned up and hit the stage. I was fine for the first minute or so, but then I locked eyes with my son and my wife in the 20th row. That’s when the waterworks happened. That’s where the reality crept in. That’s where the emotions started. This is really true. This is happening,” Steve fondly remembered.

For the next eight years, Augeri toured and recorded with the band. Jonathan Cain has stated, “Without Steve Augeri, Journey would not have continued.”

On a sidenote, Jonathan Cain was born in Chicago and was a survivor of the tragic Our Lady of the Angels School fire that claimed the lives of 92 students and three nuns.

As one of six lead vocalists in Journey’s 50-plus year history, Steve’s physical similarity to Perry and his command of the Journey catalog has made him one of the most memorable. But the fact that he was the official “replacement” for Perry made it exponentially difficult for Augeri.

“I was getting death threats, folks protested at the concerts … it was tough in the beginning,” Steve said. “I took it one day at a time, one concert at a time. Eventually, the fans came around. It speaks volumes about the power of the songs themselves.”

In 2006, Steve was forced to leave the band due to vocal cord damage. “They never really told me,” Steve said. They sent me to doctors and soon after replaced me with Jeff Scott Soto. I understood, though. The touring train had to keep going,” Steve said.

After extensive therapy and healing time, the “Steve Augeri Band” was born in 2012 as a salute to the music he performed with Journey.

Steve Augeri was born in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. His father Joseph was Sicilian and his mother, Emma was Calabrese. His grandfather came to America and was a proud “Sanitation Engineer.”

“My grandfather worked hard as a garbageman,” Steve said. “But he was the first guy on the block to have a car. If someone was having a baby and had to get to the hospital, he took them!”

Steve worked at Martino’s Dairy when he was 13 years old. “Mr. Martino made the best mozzarella in New York. I would make deliveries on my bike. I was busy! There was a pizzeria on every block, and a café on every other block. I visited every one of them!” Steve told me.

“I grew up in a close-knit, very Italian neighborhood. As we would walk to St. Rosalia Church on Sundays, we would smell the aroma of red sauce being made from every house we passed. To this day I could still smell the garlic in the air,” said Steve.

I have been lucky enough to work with Steve on many occasions. He has performed his show at The Arcada Theatre several times as well as at festivals and private events. He has been one of our most popular acts with one of the most electrifying shows we have presented.

It is no secret that the songs of Journey are vocally taxing with a huge range and high notes. The band’s power ballads are difficult to perform, especially continuously for a two-hour show. I have found it truly incredible that he not only “nails” the songs, but to do that after the permanent damage was done to his vocal cords is truly a magical feat.

These days, he continues to perform, and we still do shows together. When we talk, it’s evident that his early upbringing and lessons learned back in his Bensonhurst neighborhood still resonate with him. He is always generous with the fans and never shies away from young future-stars when it comes to advice.

Aside from working hard, be professional and maintain your vocal health, his words of wisdom always comes down to three: “Don’t Stop Believin’!”

The Steve Augeri Band performs Live! At The Arcada Theatre in St. Charles on Friday, July 11. For tickets, log onto oshows.com.

• Ron Onesti is president and CEO of The Onesti Entertainment Corp., the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles and the Des Plaines Theatre. Celebrity questions and comments? Email ron@oshows.com.