Jeff Gutt
The journeyman singer who endured decades of near-misses before finally securing the mic for the iconic rock band Stone Temple Pilots.
Born 1976 (age 50)·American musician·Birthday: May 2·Generation X
Biography
Jeff Gutt fronted the nu-metal band Dry Cell in the early 2000s, landing a record deal that collapsed just before their album's release. For years he worked day jobs and performed wherever he could. His Scott Weiland-esque voice led to multiple auditions for Stone Temple Pilots after Weiland's departure; he was passed over twice. He reached the finals of 'The X Factor' in 2012. In 2017, after a third audition, he became STP's permanent lead singer. His tenure has steered the band forward, bridging its grunge past with a new chapter.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Jeff was born in 1976, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jeff Was Born
The biggest hits of 1976
#1 Movie
Rocky
Best Picture
Rocky
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Jeff's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1976Born
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1981Started school
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1989Became a teenager
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Could drive
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1994Could vote
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Turned 21
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2006Turned 30
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 40
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 50
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Selected as the lead vocalist for Stone Temple Pilots in 2017, following an extensive search.
- Released the album 'Stone Temple Pilots (2018)' with the band, their first with Gutt on vocals.
- Previously served as the lead vocalist for the Warner Bros.-signed band Dry Cell.
- Was the runner-up on the second season of the US version of 'The X Factor' in 2012.
Did You Know?
He worked as a telemarketer and a karaoke host to support himself while pursuing music.
Gutt is a trained martial artist and has studied various disciplines.
He originally auditioned for Stone Temple Pilots in 2013 but the spot went to Chester Bennington.
He performed the national anthem at a Detroit Pistons NBA game in 2018.
“I've been through the ringer, but I'm still standing here with a microphone.”
