3 Musicians Who Took a Leap of Faith by Leaving Their Bands

Being a professional musician is a risky vocation. Not only is it risky because it is hard to make a living from, but even if one is making a living as a working musician, it is still risky. It is still risky because musicians never know when the fans will get tired of them, and consequently, they never really know how long their careers will last. However, when it comes to industries such as this, you need to take risks to flourish—Even if that means leaving a successful band.

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One of the largest risks a musician can seemingly make is leaving an already successful band to pursue their own creative endeavors. It is a story that is as old as the music industry itself, and many have seemingly failed by doing it. Though these three musicians didn’t, they took a leap of faith by leaving their successful bands and benefited from it greatly.

Michael Jackson

Before Michael Jackson was a solo pop sensation, he was a member of the family band, The Jackson Five. The brotherly quintet was incredibly successful, as they acquired four No. 1 hits and a total of 11 top 10 hits. Needless to say, Jackson’s career as a working musician would have been more than just fine if he’d continued to play with his brothers. Especially when you remember that he released the infamous Thriller in 1982. Though the infamous Michael Jackson wanted something more.

In 1984, at 25 years old, Michael Jackson made arguably the most pivotal decision of his career. That decision was to leave the Jackson 5, then known as the Jacksons, to pursue a solo career. The Jacksons continued on without Michael, and well, Michael Jackson further became the King of Pop.

Eric Clapton

In the early 60s, Eric Clapton had yet to become the widely known guitar virtuoso we know him as today. However, everyone needs to start somewhere, and one of Eric Clapton’s starts came with the band, The Yardbirds, who had a successful run in the early 60s thanks to songs such as “I’m A Man”, “Smokestack Lightning”, and “The Train Kept A-Rollin”.

Though Clapton’s run with The Yardbirds didn’t last long, as Clapton departed from the band in 1965 to see out his own creative visions. The result of this decision was the founding of the rock ‘n’ roll supergroup, Cream.

Ronnie Wood

Before Ronnie Wood became a member of the Rolling Stones, he was a member of The Faces. Now, before Wood was a member of The Faces, he was a member of The Jeff Beck Group. Formed in 1967, the original lineup of the Jeff Beck group was Ronnie Wood, Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart, and Mick Waller. Though that original lineup ended in 1969, when Wood and Stewart left to start The Faces.

The Faces’ career in rock ‘n’ roll wasn’t incredibly long, as it ended in 1975. However, it was incredibly successful, and that success comes as a result of Wood’s decision to leave The Jeff Beck group and found The Faces alongside Rod Stewart.

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