If you close your eyes and think of Heart, you probably hear that menacing acoustic gallop of "Crazy on You" or the stadium-shaking roar of "Barracuda." You definitely see the Wilson sisters. Ann, with a voice that could crack granite, and Nancy, the blonde whirlwind with the signature power chord kick. They are the band. But honestly, if you look at the rotating door of band members of Heart over the last five decades, you realize the group has functioned more like a high-stakes musical collective than a static four-piece. It’s been a wild ride of brothers, boyfriends, session legends, and some pretty painful breakups.
It started in Seattle, but not really. The roots of the band actually trace back to a group called The Army in 1967, featuring bassist Steve Fossen. They went through names like White Heart and Hocus Pocus before settling on the name we know. By the time they decamped to Vancouver to avoid the Vietnam draft—guitarist Roger Fisher was a draft dodger—the lineup was beginning to solidify into the classic era. This period wasn't just about music; it was about family and romance. You had the Fisher brothers (Roger and Mike) and the Wilson sisters. It was a literal "fleetwood mac" situation before that was even a cliché.
The Classic Era: Magic Man and the Fisher Brothers
The mid-70s lineup is what most purists consider the "real" Heart. You had Ann and Nancy, Roger Fisher on lead guitar, Steve Fossen on bass, Howard Leese on keyboards and guitar, and Michael Derosier on drums. This was the crew that recorded Dreamboat Annie and Little Queen.
Roger Fisher’s guitar style was the perfect foil for Ann's vocals. It was raw, slightly psychedelic, and deeply aggressive. But the internal dynamics were a powder charge. Ann was dating Mike Fisher (the band’s manager), and Nancy was dating Roger. When those relationships disintegrated, the band's original chemistry went with them. Roger was essentially voted out of the group in 1979 during the Bebe le Strange sessions.
"It was the first time we realized the dream could actually break," Nancy Wilson later reflected on that era.
Fossen and Derosier stuck around for a bit longer, but by 1982, the foundation had crumbled. They left to join a band called Sheriff (and later Alias), leaving the Wilson sisters to figure out if Heart was actually a band or just a brand.
📖 Related: Why American Beauty by the Grateful Dead is Still the Gold Standard of Americana
The 80s Pivot: Big Hair and Global Dominance
A lot of people forget how close Heart came to fading away in the early 80s. Their 1983 album Passionworks didn't exactly set the world on fire. To survive, they had to change. This meant a new look, a new label (Capitol), and a mostly new roster of band members of Heart.
Enter the MTV era.
Mark Andes, formerly of Spirit and Firefall, took over bass duties. Denny Carmassi, a powerhouse drummer who had played with Montrose, joined up. Howard Leese remained the constant—the glue holding the musical arrangements together. This lineup became the face of the "Hair Heart" years. While the 70s were about Led Zeppelin-esque folk-rock, the 80s were about power ballads and polished production.
They weren't writing all their own hits anymore—Bernie Taupin and Holly Knight were sending them songs like "These Dreams" and "Alone"—but the musicianship was undeniable. Andes and Carmassi provided a heavier, more consistent backbeat that allowed the sisters to lean into the arena-rock spectacle. This version of the band lasted nearly a decade, a feat of longevity in a decade known for one-hit wonders.
The 90s Grunge Shift and the Lovemongers
By the time the 90s rolled around, the gloss of the 80s was dead. Heart was from Seattle, the epicenter of the grunge explosion, but they were seen as the "old guard." Interestingly, the local scene respected them immensely. Members of Alice in Chains and Pearl Jam looked up to Ann and Nancy.
👉 See also: Why October London Make Me Wanna Is the Soul Revival We Actually Needed
The band started stripping things back. They formed an acoustic side project called The Lovemongers, which featured Frank Cox and Sue Ennis. This signaled a shift away from the "big band" feel of the 80s. The lineup of band members of Heart became more fluid. Howard Leese finally departed in 1998 after an incredible 23-year run. Think about that. He survived every trend from disco to grunge.
The 21st Century: A Family Affair and a Family Feud
Since 2000, Heart has operated with a revolving door of elite touring musicians. Ben Smith became the long-term drummer, often joined by bassist Kristian Attard and guitarist Craig Bartock. Bartock, in particular, became a key collaborator, co-writing songs with the sisters and helping them return to their hard-rock roots on albums like Red Velvet Car and Fanatic.
However, you can't talk about the band members without addressing the 2016 incident that nearly ended it all. During a tour, Ann’s husband, Dean Wetter, was arrested for assaulting Nancy’s teenage sons backstage. The fallout was devastating. The sisters stopped speaking. They toured separately—Ann as "Ann Wilson of Heart" and Nancy with her new band, "Roadcase Royale."
For three years, the "band members" were essentially two different camps. It was a cold war played out on stages across the country. Fans thought it was over. But sisters are sisters. They eventually reconciled for the "Love Alive" tour in 2019, bringing in a hybrid lineup that blended their solo bands.
Current Status: The 2024-2025 Royal Flush Lineup
As of 2025, Heart is back in a big way, though health scares have made the schedule a bit unpredictable. The current lineup is a "best-of" collection of world-class players who understand the specific DNA of the Heart sound.
✨ Don't miss: How to Watch The Wolf and the Lion Without Getting Lost in the Wild
- Ann Wilson: Lead vocals, flute. (The undisputed queen).
- Nancy Wilson: Rhythm and lead guitar, vocals. (The soul of the band).
- Ryan Wariner: Lead guitar. A Nashville-based pro who brings a gritty, modern edge to the classic solos.
- Ryan Waters: Guitars. He’s worked with Sade and Prince, bringing a soulful precision.
- Paul Moak: Keyboards and guitars. A multi-instrumentalist who covers the vast atmospheric needs of the 80s catalog.
- Tony Lucido: Bass.
- Sean T. Lane: Drums.
This version of the band is arguably the most technically proficient they’ve ever had. They have to be. Ann’s voice, even in her 70s, demands a certain level of power behind it.
Why the Personnel Changes Matter
People often complain when a band changes members, but with Heart, it was necessary for survival. The transition from the Fisher brothers to the Andes/Carmassi era saved them from irrelevance. The shift to the current group of session aces allows them to play "Mistral Wind" and "Alone" in the same set without either song sounding out of place.
The most important thing to realize about the band members of Heart is that while the names change, the requirement doesn't. You have to be able to play acoustic folk with the delicacy of a glass blower and then immediately pivot to heavy metal thunder. Not many musicians can do both.
How to Track the Legacy
If you're a fan trying to dig deeper into the various eras, don't just stick to the Greatest Hits. To truly hear what different members brought to the table, you need to listen to the live records.
- Listen to "The Road Home" (1995): This captures the transitional period where they stripped away the 80s production to see who could actually play.
- Watch the 2012 Kennedy Center Honors: While not the official touring band, the "band" that performed "Stairway to Heaven" (including Jason Bonham) showed how the Wilsons can lead any group of musicians to greatness.
- Check out Ann and Nancy’s solo projects: To understand the different "poles" of the band, listen to Ann’s Fierce Bliss and Nancy’s You and Me. You’ll hear exactly what each sister contributes to the collective Heart sound.
The history of Heart is a story of resilience. They’ve survived lineup changes that would have killed any other band because the core—the sisterhood—is unbreakable. Whether it's 1975 or 2025, if those two are on stage, it's Heart.
Next Steps for Fans:
If you're looking to catch the current lineup, check the official Heart website for rescheduled "Royal Flush" tour dates. Many 2024 dates were pushed to 2025 to allow Ann Wilson time to recover from a medical procedure. It's a rare chance to see the current iteration of band members of Heart performing the deep cuts they haven't touched in decades. Also, keep an eye on Nancy's social media; she often posts "behind the scenes" clips of the new members rehearsing, which gives you a great look at the technical skill required to keep this ship sailing.