Daryl Stuermer

In the early 1970s, Stuermer formed his Milwaukee-based jazz rock band Sweetbottom, playing local gigs five nights a week.[4] It was during one of these gigs in 1975 that keyboardist George Duke, then of The Mothers of Invention with Frank Zappa, noticed him[4] and suggested his name to jazz violinist Jean-Luc Ponty, who was looking for a guitarist to join his own band. After a successful audition, Stuermer became a full time member and is featured on three of their albums released between 1975 and 1977: Aurora, Imaginary Voyage, and Enigmatic Ocean.[4][2]

In addition to Ponty, he played on Duke's solo albums I Love the Blues, She Heard My Cry and Liberated Fantasies.[5]

Stuermer in 1980 performing with Genesis

In late 1977, Stuermer, on insistence of friend Alphonso Johnson, was recommended as a replacement for Steve Hackett to support Genesis for live performances. Johnson's audition was unsuccessful, and he put Stuermer's name forward.[6] Stuermer's only exposure to the band was when Ponty played him A Trick of the Tail, and a television clip showing Gabriel singing in costume.[5] A chance meeting with drummer Chester Thompson, who had replaced Bill Bruford as their touring drummer in 1976, convinced Stuermer to go for the audition.[5] His audition with Rutherford took place in early 1978 in New York City, and landed the spot on the same day.[5] He retained the role of lead guitarist and bass player with the band from 1978 to 1992: he also rejoined them for the 2007 Turn It On Again Tour, and has been tapped to return for The Last Domino? Tour in early 2021.

During Genesis's break in activity for much of 1979, Stuermer secured work by touring North America with singer Gino Vannelli in support of his album Brother to Brother.[4][5]

In 1981, Stuermer followed Genesis frontman Phil Collins as lead guitarist for Collins' solo career, with a speaking part in the clip for "One More Night" and being mentioned by name in the music video for "Don't Lose My Number". In doing so, he transitioned from what Collins called a "permanent-temporary-part-time member" of Genesis to a "permanent-touring-recording member" of Collins' new group.[2] Stuermer is credited as a writer on several songs that Collins recorded, including "I Don't Wanna Know" on No Jacket Required which evolved from one of Stuermer's demos.[4]

In 1987, Stuermer released his debut solo album Steppin' Out. He considered making it a more vocal-oriented album having performed with Collins throughout the decade, but he opted to produce a rock instrumental album.[4]

Stuermer went on to record Live and Learn, Another Side of Genesis, Waiting in the Wings, Retrofit, The Nylon String Sampler, Rewired: the Electric Collection and Go!. Released in 2002 was a Sweetbottom live reunion album, recorded at Shank Hall in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Stuermer's album Go! was released in early 2007. It contains many older tracks from Stuermer's Sweetbottom days, and includes appearances from Alphonso Johnson, Kostia, John Calarco, and Eric Hervey. Stuermer released the album on Inside Out Records as they offered him greater freedom to explore a musical direction that he wished to pursue. His current project is called Daryl Stuermer - Symphony Concert, which involves band members Kostia, Alan Arber and Eric Hervey and singer Forrest "Woody" Mankowski, recreating classic Genesis material mixed with instrumentals from his solo career.[7]