Chris Daughtry Could Have Been The Lead Singer of Aerosmith

Aerosmith‘s dynamic took an unexpected turn in 2009 when a clash with Steven Tyler led guitarist Joe Perry to explore potential musical partners. At that time, Tyler was eying a solo career, prompting Perry to reach out to various vocalists, one of whom was Chris Daughtry. The details of this intriguing chapter were recently shared by Daughtry himself during an episode of The Dave Rickards Podcast.

Though Tyler eventually reconciled with Aerosmith and the band persisted with their iconic lineup, there was a turbulent phase marked by disagreements about Tyler’s solo ambitions. Faced with Tyler’s two-year hiatus plan, the band began contemplating alternative avenues. It was during this period that Perry made contact with Chris Daughtry.

At the time, Daughtry was riding a wave of success, having made his mark with a rock-infused presence during his compelling 2006 run on American Idol. His band released their debut album that year, followed by the 2009 record “Leave This Town.”

Daughtry recounted his unexpected interaction with Joe Perry, saying, “Out of the blue, I get this call from Joe Perry. It was during the very public period when Joe and Steven were at odds, especially with Steven’s involvement in American Idol.” He continued, “I was quite taken aback. I didn’t even know Joe Perry had my number. I thought it was a prank at first, but he jumped right into the reason for his call. ‘We’re not sure what Steven’s up to, but we’re looking to keep the music going. How would you feel about hitting the road with us? We could even feature some of your own cool songs.'”

Daughtry admitted he was momentarily stunned, saying, “First of all, I never thought someone like Joe Perry would have my number. That alone was incredible. But he wasted no time and went straight into his proposal. However, I knew I couldn’t fill Steven Tyler’s shoes as a singer. He’s irreplaceable in my eyes. Plus, he was still around and active. The thought of potentially upsetting one of my heroes was overwhelming. So, I had to decline, Joe.”

The vocalist added, “It was an incredibly daunting idea, one that still resonates with me to this day.” Despite declining the offer, Daughtry cherishes the memory, sharing, “It’s a tale that will remain close to my heart forever.”

When asked if he could tackle Aerosmith’s classic “Dream On,” Daughtry revealed, “On a good day, when my voice is in top shape, I can hit those high notes at the end, but that’s maybe one out of every five tries. Other times, I’d just have to bail out.”

Fortunately, the turbulence subsided. Tyler sought rehabilitation in late 2009, and by 2010, Aerosmith had resumed touring, eventually releasing the album “Music From Another Dimension” in 2012.

As for Daughtry, he ventured forward, crafting an impressive discography of six studio albums. Just this week, he unveiled his latest single “Artificial.” Currently, he’s on tour, with Ayron Jones providing support on select dates.