Rod Stewart is the Madonna of male musical artists. He just keeps reinventing himself. After being drawn to folk and R&B as a young musical artist, he was eventually "discovered" while playing harmonica on a London train platform by Long John Baldry. This led to a gig with the Hoochie Coochie Men, and his eventual signing to the Decca Records label in 1964. After bouncing around from group to group throughout the late 60s, he was invited to join the Jeff Beck Group as a vocalist. The Jeff Beck Group was a success with their blues and funk-influenced early heavy metal sound, and they toured successfully for a few years. Then Mercury Records came calling with a solo contract, and Stewart signed with them, while also becoming the lead vocalist for the group, Faces. His debut solo album, a mixture of folk, rock, and blues was successful, as was the first album released by Faces, which had a more rock edge. For the next 30 years, he would achieve success after success, both with Faces and as a solo artist. In 2002, he shifted gears away from his rock and soul inspired tracks, and began performing American standards from the 30s and 40s. His "new" old sound proved to be nearly as successful as his rock tracks had been. After signing a new recording contract with Universal Music Group in 2012, he announced that he will be releasing a new rock album in early 2013. All of his years of steady achievement, with multiple audiences, has made him rather wealthy, and recently, he took some of that hard-earned cash and poured it into a stunning mansion in Essex.
Rod Stewart's house is known as the Durrington House. The home has ten bedrooms and five bathrooms, and sits on 46 acres of land ten miles outside of London. In addition to the large number of bedrooms, Rod Stewart's house also features four external cottages, a carriage house with its own clock tower – built in the 18th century, a greenhouse, a wine cellar, and an orchard. The home also features floor-to-ceiling windows, three fireplaces, four rooms for receiving guests, outdoor dining spaces, a tennis court, a croquet lawn, and a rose garden. Rod Stewart's house was on the market for approximately $7.24 million, but there is no word just yet on how much it actually cost him. What do you bet the owners gave him their rock star discount?
Read more: Rod Stewart: The Male Answer to Madonna Reinvents Himself Again and Buys a New House