Music
Dean Fertita
born 1970 · multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter
Royal Oak–born guitarist and keyboardist who led Detroit's Waxwings, then joined Queens of the Stone Age and Jack White's the Dead Weather.
- Born
Royal Oak, Michigan
age 56- Birth name
- Dean Anthony Fertita
- Detroit years
- 1970–2000s
- Field
- Music
01 / The Detroit story
The Detroit story
Dean Fertita grew up in the Detroit suburbs and fronted the Waxwings, a melodic Detroit rock band, from its formation in 1997 until 2005, part of the same local circle as the White Stripes and Brendan Benson. He played guitar and keyboards on Benson's solo records and toured with the Raconteurs, the band Benson formed with Jack White. In 2007 Queens of the Stone Age hired him to replace the late Natasha Shneider on keyboards, and in 2009 he joined White, Alison Mosshart and Jack Lawrence in the Dead Weather. With Queens bandmate Josh Homme he played on Iggy Pop's Post Pop Depression (2016), bringing a Detroit musician into the latest chapter of a Detroit legend's career. He rejoined the Raconteurs as a sideman in 2019 and has released solo work as Hello=Fire (2009) and Tropical Gothclub (2022). He has also filled in with the Detroit band Blanche.
Highlights
- Singer and guitarist of the Waxwings (1997–2005)
- Queens of the Stone Age member since 2007
- Guitarist and keyboardist of the Dead Weather (from 2009)
- Played on Iggy Pop's Post Pop Depression (2016)