Steve Augeri, the son of Joseph and Emma Augeri, was born on January 30, 1959, and raised in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn.
The challenge of balancing life at home as a husband to Lydia Augeri (née Cirillo), and on the road as a musician, became even more complicated as 1996 drew to a close and he and Lydia welcomed their son Adam to the world. Augeri decided to stay closer to home and return to his father’s profession of carpentry by accepting a position with the GAP as a maintenance manager for their network of stores in New York City.
In 1997, just short of his one-year anniversary with the corporate clothing giant, and after an introduction from Guitarist Joe Cefalu, Augeri received a phone call from both Jonathan Cain and Neal Schon and was offered an audition to front the legendary rock band Journey.
In 1998, Augeri was officially named the group’s fourth lead vocalist and the first "official" lead vocalist since the departure of Steve Perry. For the next eight years Augeri and the band toured almost constantly to reclaim their standing as one of America’s premier rock bands. The song "Remember Me", from the seven-times-platinum Soundtrack album from the movie Armageddon, represents Augeri’s recording debut with the band, followed by the album Arrival in 2001, and the EP "Red 13", in 2002. The album Generations, released in 2005, would be his last studio album with the group, after his departure due to recurring vocal problems (from which he had been suffering since 2003) mid-tour in 2006. Before the departure there had for years been rumours about the singer lip syncing during live performances. A final testament to his and the band’s success is attained when the live DVD of their Las Vegas concert, recorded in December 2000, titled Journey 2001, acquired platinum status.
In 2010, Steve released the single "Riverside". He released another single entitled "Photograph" in September 2011. A third single "Hours In The Day" was released in September 2012. Two more singles - "For The Rest Of My Life" and "Behind The Sun" - were released in August 2013. "Home Again" was released January 2014.
Attending, and then teaching at, French Woods Festival for the Performing Arts summer camp, he supervised children from ages 6–16 for their Rock Band classes which as he states, was surely the original “School of Rock.” When Augeri’s tuition check for college bounced, he returned home to start a rock and roll band. Working as a session vocalist, as well as bartending and waiting tables, it was not until 1984 when Augeri received his first break and was hired as background vocalist for one of the world’s most renowned hard rock guitarists, Michael Schenker of UFO and Scorpions fame.
Augeri’s departure did not diminish the requests of the many charities both he and wife Lydia supported over the past decade, all of which receive continued support with personal appearances and live performances: Journey to the Cure (Breast Cancer Foundation), Little Baby Face Foundation, Diamond Angels (Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital), and March of Dimes.
