The Kids of Rock: When Fame Goes From One Generation to the Next

Being the child of a rock star seems to be every teenager’s dream, right? But if you ask an actual teenager of a rock star, they might tell you that sure, it’s cool, but it can also get pretty weird. Take this rather extreme example: Trixie Garcia (the daughter of The Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia) had her first psychedelic experience when she was, oh, one and a half! A baggie of mushrooms was left sitting out…

Then, there are kids like Anna Gabriel (the daughter of Peter Gabriel), who grew up in a modest cottage in the English countryside. Her father insisted he’d never done drugs and made his daughter promise not to smoke cigarettes until her 18th birthday. And if she held up her part of the deal, she’d get a car.

So, it goes to show that being the kid of a rock star has its ups and downs. Here’s a look at some famous kids that grew up with rock star parents.

Stella Santana

Rock Star Parent: Carlos Santana

Stella is the daughter of Carlos Santana, the legendary guitar icon of the Latin blues-rock band Santana. Her stage name is Stella, and, yes, that means that she followed in her father’s footsteps and went into music, too. It’s no surprise that her dad’s talent is in her genes.

Stella has a different vibe, though. She focuses on sultry R&B music rather than the Latin-blues rock infusion she grew up hearing at home. She actually has been playing piano and guitar since the young age of five. She grew up in San Francisco and moved to New York to pursue her career in music. Thanks to her dad, she learned how to write songs “with soul and transparency.”

Zak Starkey

Rock Star Parent: Ringo Starr

Any Beatles fan knows that Zak’s last name is the the same as his famous father. As the son of Ringo Starr (Richard Starkey), Zak inherited his father’s rhythm. But, believe it or not, Ringo only gave one drum lesson to his son. He actually preferred that his son become a doctor or a lawyer – and steer clear of the music business.

Zak didn’t go to med or law school. No, he taught himself how to play the drums instead. Luckily, his godfather, Keith Moon (the drummer of The Who), gave him his first drum kit at age eight. Then, when Moon passed away, Zak took his place in the band. He’s played with The Who as well as Oasis for decades.

Brooklyn Layla Allman

Rock Star Parent: Gregg Allman

The Allman Brothers Band’s Gregg Allman has a daughter named Brooklyn Layla, who absorbed her dad’s world of music from a very young age. Despite her famous last name, she didn’t want to capitalize on being the daughter of a famous musician. Instead of following in his blues-rock footsteps, she took an almost entirely different path.

Brooklyn ended up going full-on metal as the lead singer and keyboardist of Picture Me Broken, a heavy metal band. In 2009, her band earned an MTV Video Music Award for Best Breakout Bay Area Artist. Brooklyn has also been nominated as one of the “Hottest Chicks in Metal.”

Sean Lennon

Rock Star Parent: John Lennon

Sean Lennon is John Lennon’s only child with his second wife, Yoko Ono. Like his half-brother Julian, Sean also went into the music business, but he was more into exploring experimental rock and avant garde music.

Sean has collaborated with big names in the biz, such as Lenny Kravitz, The Flaming Lips, Albert Hammond Jr. (from The Strokes), and even with his own mother. He started his own record label, too, called Chimera Music, and released three solo albums. Unlike some other rock star kids, Sean isn’t defensive when speaking about being the kid of an absent parent. “When you’ve never experienced anything else, it’s not weird – it’s simply your life,” he said.

Julian Lennon

Rock Star Parent: John Lennon

John Lennon’s sons don’t just look like him. They sound like him too! The eldest, Julian, was the son of Lennon and his first wife Cynthia and showed off his musical talents at 11 years old when he played drums on the track Ya-Ya from his father’s album, Walls and Bridges.

He also happens to be the inspiration behind “Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds,” “Hey Jude,” and “Good Night.” His father was the one who gave him his first guitar and taught him how to play. Julian’s debut album from 1994, Valotte, went platinum and was nominated for a Grammy Award.

Carnie and Wendy Wilson

Rock Star Parent: Brian Wilson

Beach Boys founder and lead singer Brian Wilson has two famous girls who absolutely followed in his musical path. Carnie and Wendy are two-thirds of the ‘90s trio, Wilson Phillips, along with their childhood friend Chynna Phillips (the daughter of John and Michelle Phillips of The Mamas & The Papas).

After selling 12 million copies of their first two albums, they broke up in 1993. For the band’s 20th anniversary, Wilson Phillips released an album featuring covers of songs by their parents’ bands. (A little cheesy, but also pretty cute.)

Dhani Harrison

Rock Star Parent: George Harrison

Dhani is the only child of Beatles guitarist George Harrison and his wife, Olivia. He didn’t really have a choice but to become a musician himself. His father chose to name him after the sixth and seventh notes in the Indian music scale, after all.

Dhani grew up to be a multi-instrumentalist musician and singer-songwriter. He co-founded the indie rock group thenewno2 and is part of the rock trio Fistful of Mercy with Ben Harper and Joseph Arthur. After his father died, Dhani helped complete Harrison’s final album, Brainwashed, with Jeff Lynne.

Aimee Rachel Osbourne

Rock Star Parent: Ozzy Osbourne

You can call her the “secret Osbourne daughter,” considering she wasn’t on the family’s super popular reality show, The Osbournes. Aimee Rachel is Ozzy and Sharon’s eldest child, and, in 2001, she refused to be part of the show, so she moved out of the house when filming started.

She eventually decided to come out of the shadows and launch the music career she’s always wanted. She goes by the stage name ARO, a choice she made purposefully to avoid the association of her last name. She prefers to make a name for herself on her own terms. Her music is also different, with a Baroque pop style similar to Lana Del Rey.

Kelly Osbourne

Rock Star Parent: Ozzy Osbourne

Kelly’s the famous daughter of Ozzy and Sharon, but because we included Aimee, it’s only fair to include Kelly as well. Kelly happened to have a very troubled teenage life, which became a public one. After the reality show filmed in her own home, Kelly pursued a career in music.

She scored a record contract with Epic Records when she was 17 years old and released a cover of Madonna’s Papa Don’t Preach. She then went grunge-pop-punk with her debut album titled Shut Up! (How “rock star” of her). Kelly did, however, say once, “My music career is, for me, a regret…”

Wolfgang Van Halen

Rock Star Parent: Eddie Van Halen

The only child of guitar god Eddie Van Halen, it’s no wonder Wolfgang became a rock star, too. Van Halen’s son with his first wife Valerie Bertinelli not only has an iconic last name, but he’s also the bassist for his father’s band Van Halen.

Wolfgang started playing instruments at a young age, which his dad testified to in an interview, saying, “I don’t see how he won’t somehow be into music, being exposed to it all the time. But I’m not going to force him to play the piano or take music lessons like my parents did to me.” He was announced as the new bass player of his dad’s band when he was only 16 after Michael Anthony left in 2006.

Chelsea Tyler

Rock Star Parent: Steven Tyler

Steven Tyler of Aerosmith has four kids (by three different mothers), with Liv being the most famous. But his youngest daughter Chelsea was the one who got his musical genes. Chelsea fronts the blues-EDM duo Kaneholler (formerly called BadBad) with her husband, Jon Foster.

Her music isn’t like dad’s, though. She opts for a pure and soulful sound without all the growls and screams of Aerosmith. But Chelsea says her father still guides and supports her and gives her advice despite the major contrast in musical style.

Dash Cooper

Rock Star Parent: Alice Cooper

Alice Cooper can rest assured that his last name will continue his legacy in the music world, thanks to his son Dash. Cooper’s second child provided vocals for the band Runaway Phoenix which released an album in 2012.

After this, he became the lead singer of the Christian hard rock band CO-OP. It may come as a bit of a shock to some, but Dash stated that he loves being a part of a band and learned from the “Godfather of Shock Rock” himself. “For me, it just kind of came naturally. You know, I learned from the best. It came naturally to me and I’m having fun doing it,” Dash said.

Lucy Walsh

Rock Star Parent: Joe Walsh

Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh has a daughter named Lucy, who clearly took after her dad’s musical talents by becoming a singer, songwriter, and pianist. Lucy is Walsh’s daughter from his third wife, Jody Boyer. Lucy’s solo album She was released in 2007 and called Lost in the Lights.

She was also on Rock the Cradle, a reality singing competition where kids of famous musicians competed with each other. Lucy got to tour with Maroon 5 and One Republic. “I’ve been immersed in the performing arts since I was a really young kid. It’s just the way I came into this world. Music is the love of my life, and it’s wonderful to make it my paying job,” she stated.

Adrian and Tony Perry

Rock Star Parent: Joe Perry

Turning up the music was always encouraged at the Perry house, considering Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry was the head of the household. His sons could be heard jamming in their basement studio as they were growing up.

Tony and Adrian created their own indie rock band called TAB with their high school friends. Both brothers admit that their father’s band is one of their biggest influences, yet it’s The Who that has an even bigger musical impact on them. “The group that we model ourselves on most, though, is The Who. We love their raw attack.”

James McCartney

Rock Star Parent: Paul McCartney

The Beatles’ legacy will forever live on, thanks (partly) to their kids. The only son of Paul McCartney and his first wife Linda McCartney, has been in the world of music since he was just a tot. James is a musician and songwriter in his own right.

He’s released two EPs and a couple of albums so far. Obviously, his dad’s music influenced him, but he cites Nirvana, The Cure, PJ Harvey, and Radiohead as his other musical influences. Carrying the McCartney name has been an advantage, but it seems that James wants to drop the association as he tends to refuse to answer questions about his father and their relationship.

Lisa Marie Presley

Rock Star Parent: Elvis Presley

A rock star kids list without mentioning Lisa Marie Presley would be a disgrace. The King had only one princess (and heir to his multi-million dollar estate). Elvis’s daughter Lisa Marie decided to seek solace in her father’s music after a troubled youth.

In 2003, she released her debut album, To Whom It May Concern, to a well-received reception. Her next album was a hit as well, reaching No. 9 on the Billboard charts. Both were certified gold. It took seven years to release her third album, Storm and Grace.

Jakob Dylan

Rock Star Parent: Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan’s youngest son took on the musical legacy in the family. Jakob is also a Grammy-winning singer and songwriter and the lead singer for the rock band The Wallflowers, who have released six albums since 1992.

His name isn’t as much of a household name as his father’s name, but growing up, he was surrounded by real-life musical influences. It wasn’t just because of his father that he started playing music, as he was particularly influenced by The Clash. Jakob learned to play guitar and started writing his own songs.

Jason Bonham

Rock Star Parent: John Bonham

Led Zeppelin master drummer John Bonham lost his life early in 1980, but his legacy lives on with his son Jason. It seems as though Bonham got the whole parenting thing right when he exposed his son early on to his insane drumming skills.

At four years old, Jason was recorded as he played a toddler-sized drum kit in the film The Song Remains the Same with his father. Jason has drummed for countless bands, his first one being Airrace at the age of 17. At 22, he joined Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page for their Outrider tour.

Frances Bean Cobain

Rock Star Parents: Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain

Frances Bean was – whether she likes it or not – born into grunge royalty as the only child of Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain and Hole’s Courtney Love. With troubled parents like hers, it makes sense that she stayed away from the rock world for many years.

She chose to focus her attention on other things, such as modeling and drawing. By 2018, she began uploading her own music –covers and originals – to her social media pages. Naturally, her music created a buzz, but she has yet to officially release a single or album.

Jade, Karis, James, Lizzy, Georgia, and Gabriel Jagger

Rock Star Parent: Mick Jagger

Mick Jagger has eight children from five different women, and only one of them went into the music business. His eldest daughter, Karis, is a production assistant; Jade is a jewelry designer, model, and creative director; and Lizzy is an actress and model.

James is the only of the Jagger kids to follow his dad into the music business. He’s the frontman for the punk-rock band Turbogeist. His sister Georgia is a model, and Gabriel is trying his hand at modeling, too. There’s also Lucas, who’s in his early 20s, and Mick’s youngest, Deveraux, who’s only four years old.

Romeo Miller

Rap Star Parent: Master P

He’s not a rock star, but the rapper and businessman Master P is one of the biggest names in the biz. He was among the highest-grossing entertainers of the ‘90s. His son, Romeo Miller (formerly known as Lil’ Romeo), dipped his toes into the hip hop world and was signed to his father’s label, No Limit Records.

Miller also landed a #3 hit on the Hot 100 when he was only 12 years old with his song My Baby. He hasn’t been able to recreate that success since, but he’s still making music and releasing it under various stage names.

Anais Gallagher

Rock Star Parent: Noel Gallagher

Anais is the daughter of Oasis’ Noel Gallagher and his ex-wife, Meg Mathews. She hasn’t made a name for herself in the music industry, but she has become known for being a model. The 20-year-old has been the face of Accessorize.

She’s also walked the runway at Dolce & Gabbana’s secret SS18 show as a part of Milan Fashion Week and starred in Reebok’s fall campaign. Apparently, Anais has very recently modeled for Bluebella’s sexy lingerie campaign, and her father has no idea. Well, he’s going to find out soon.

Zoe Kravitz

Rock Star Parent: Lenny Kravitz

As the daughter of rock star Lenny Kravitz and The Cosby Show star Lisa Bonet, Zoe has inherited both her parents’ coolness as well as their good looks. Zoe is mostly known for being an actress, starring in Big Little Lies, for one.

But she’s also kept in touch with her musical roots by being the singer of the band Lolawolf. Lolawolf has collaborated with another rock star kid, Miley Cyrus, among others. Zoe has also been in the films X-Men: First Class (2011) and Mad Max: Fury Road (2015).

Lily Collins

Rock Star Parent: Phil Collins

As the daughter of Genesis’ Phil Collins, Lily is used to the limelight. She’s been in the films Mirror Mirror, Love, Rosie, and Les Misérables, and even earned a Golden Globe nomination for 2016’s Rules Don’t Apply.

Phil Collins has other children who have gone into music or acting. The eldest is Simon, who was the drummer for the progressive rock group Sound of Contact. Then there’s Joely, who’s been in many Canadian movies and shows. Nic Collins has been playing drums in his father’s band since Phil returned to live performances in 2016.

Theodora Richards

Rock Star Parent: Keith Richards

The daughter of Rolling Stones legend Keith Richards, Theodora didn’t surprise us when she showed that she too has a wild streak. It was reported in 2011 that she vandalized a convent, carrying illegal drugs. However, Theodora found her way and is working as a model.

At 16, she and her sister Alexandra, as well as Elizabeth Jagger (Mick’s daughter), were asked to model for Tommy Hilfiger. Theodora is now a host of her own SiriusXM show called Off The Cuff. She even interviewed her father on air.

Jessica Rae Springsteen

Rock Star Parent: Bruce Springsteen

Jessica Rae is the Boss’ daughter who opted not to pursue a music career. Instead, she became a showjumper (riding horses as a sport). She told Women’s Health in 2018: “My dad always reminded me that it’s so rare in life to find something you’re so passionate about, that brings you so much joy. And when you find that, you have to really respect it and pursue it.”

Jessica has been riding since she was four with the horses kept on the Springsteen’s 300-acre Stone Hill Farm in New Jersey. In fact, she got her first pony when she was six.

Sophie Simmons

Rock Star Parent: Gene Simmons

Sophie, the daughter of Kiss’ Gene Simmons, has been in the spotlight from a young age. She was only 11 when she made her debut on the reality TV show Gene Simmons Family Jewels with her mom Shannon Tweed and her father.

Now a grown woman, she’s a model who also speaks out on body positivity. She said she initially avoided her parents’ career path, saying, “I avoided the music and modeling world for a long time because I didn’t want the comparisons between my parents and myself.”

Ziggy Marley

Reggae Star Parent: Bob Marley

Reggae icon Bob Marley was the father of at least 12 children (some have been debated). The most famous is his first-born, Ziggy. Ziggy has been a prolific music artist in his own right, having released 17 studio albums, including those he recorded with his siblings as the group Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers.

Ziggy is also the artist behind the theme song for the Arthur TV series. He recorded his first song with his siblings when he was just 11. After his father died two years later, Ziggy took his place in Bob Marley’s band, The Wailers.

Norah Jones

Sitar Star Parent: Ravi Shankar

She’s the daughter of Indian sitar master Ravi Shankar. Norah Jones has become one of the world’s most successful jazz artists, selling over 50 million albums and taking home nine Grammy Awards. Her 2002 debut album, Come Away with Me, alone sold 27 million and won five Grammys.

Jones was born Geethali Norah Jones Shankar. Her mother is the American concert producer Sue Jones. When Nora’s parents separated in 1986, Jones grew up with her mother in Grapevine, Texas. She began singing in church and taking piano and voice lessons when she was still a child.

Duncan Jones

Rock Star Parent: David Bowie

David Bowie’s son was born Duncan Zowie Haywood Jones, but before he started going as Duncan Jones, he was known for a long time as Zowie Bowie (it is pretty catchy). He even named his daughter Zowie. The film director has made some popular movies, like Moon and Source Code.

Jones is the only child of David Bowie and his first wife, Angela. It is said that Jones’ birth prompted his father to write the songs Kooks and Oh! You Pretty Things for his album Hunky Dory in 1971.

Alexa Ray Joel

Rock Star Parent: Billy Joel

In 1993, Alexa Ray’s father, Billy Joel, released a song called Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel). He wrote it for her. Now, Alexa is all grown up and writing her own songs, but not without a little advice from her dad.

“He always says to treat your songs like they’re your babies and to not let anyone mess with them,” Alexa told American Songwriter in 2007. “I think that’s a huge part of why he’s the legend that he is.” The woman sure does have a point.

Rosanne Cash

Rock Star Parent: Johnny Cash

As the daughter of the Man in Black, Johnny Cash, Rosanne had big shoes to fill when she chose to go down the musician path. She succeeded, and, in 2015, she was welcomed into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

During her speech, she noted how she and her dad were the first father-daughter duo to have each received such a prestigious honor. Rosanne was Cash’s first-born child, and she went on to release 15 albums throughout her career and win four Grammy Awards. Not too shabby!

Daisy Lowe

Rock Star Parent: Gavin Rossdale

Daisy Lowe is the daughter of Bush lead singer Gavin Rossdale. But, no, she doesn’t belong to his famous ex-wife Gwen Stefani. Her mother is Pearl Lowe, who had an affair with Rossdale. As it turns out, Daisy had no idea that Rossdale was even her dad!

Pearl chose not to spill the beans to her daughter about who her famous dad was until Daisy turned 15 years old. While Daisy and Rossdale indeed share DNA, it took them a while to settle into a genuine father-daughter relationship.

Tigerlily Taylor

Rock Star Parent: Roger Taylor

Tigerlily is the daughter of Queen drummer Roger Taylor, and she has started to make waves in the world of fashion. Her mother is a famous model, Debbie Leng, so the apple didn’t fall too far. “My parents are very liberal and have always made sure not to put too much pressure on any of us,” Tigerlily said in 2016.

She went to school with Cara Delevingne and is now a regular at London Fashion Week. She said that the music industry has made the British style “cool.” Her hero is David Bowie: “How many designers have been influenced by his totally weird and original style?”

Tali Lennox

Rock Star Parent: Annie Lennox

The Scottish singer has a model daughter, Tali, who made a name for herself in the world of fashion, like some others on this list. Sadly, in 2015, tragedy hit when Tali’s long-term boyfriend, Ian Jones, died in a kayaking accident on the Hudson River.

Tali was with him at the time, which prompted her mother to appear on TV after the incident to reassure the public that her daughter was okay. Tali was rescued by strangers on a passing boat. Jones, however, couldn’t be found until two days later.

Eliot Sumner

Rock Star Parent: Sting

Eliot Sumner is the daughter of Sting, so it’s not surprising that she landed herself her own record deal by the age of 17. She’s also done some acting, appearing in the films Me Without You and Stardust.

In 2015, Eliot made an announcement to the Evening Standard that she doesn’t identify as either gender. She defines herself solely as “a musician.” On an unrelated note, Eliot had a brain injury in 2009 and ever since has lost their sense of smell. Eliot is now 30 years old.

Tracee Ellis Ross and Evan Ross

Rock Star Parent: Diana Ross

Diana Ross’ children Tracee Ellis and Evan Ross have grown to be successful in each of their careers. Tracee may be the more recognizable one as she’s been on TV for a while now. She’s on the popular series Black-ish.

As for her brother Evan, well, he followed in mom’s footsteps in the music industry. He recorded his debut R&B/pop album back in 2007. He’s acted himself, too, appearing in the two final Hunger Games movies as Messalla. He’s also married to Ashlee Simpson.

Pearl Aday

Rock Star Parent: Meatloaf

Pearl was actually Janis Joplin’s nickname, the legend after whom Pearl Aday was named. Pearl is the stepdaughter of rock icon Meatloaf (Michael Lee Aday). She explained that her Joplin connection actually started with her biological father, who was the drummer in Joplin’s Full Tilt Boogie Band.

It was due to her mother’s respect and friendship with Joplin that she chose to give her daughter the name. As for her stepdad, well, Pearl only knows him as “dad.” He adopted her when she was just a baby, so it only makes sense!

Miley Cyrus

Country Star Parent: Billy Rae Cyrus

There’s a reason why Miley is last on this list, and it’s because she makes the most noise. The daughter of the country star (some would call him a “has-been”) Billy Ray Cyrus, Miley was basically born into music. Her birth name, however, was Destiny Hope.

She legally changed her name to Miley Ray Cyrus in 2008. Something else that not everyone knows is that Dolly Parton is her godmother. She remains close to her to this day and continues to give her music and career advice every now and then.