Maynard James Keenan is a singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, winemaker, comedian, actor, and martial artist. Although he has enjoyed aspects in many different fields, he is best known as the lead singer of the rock bands Tool and A Perfect Circle. His career began in 1984, and he has enjoyed both professional and financial success. It is estimated that Maynard James Keenan now has a net worth of $60 million, and here is how he became so rich.
His Early Life
According to Wikipedia, Keenan was born as James Herbert Keenan in Ohio on April 17, 1964. His parents divorced when he was four, and Keenan saw very little of his father throughout the rest of his childhood. However, after his mother remarried and then suffered a cerebral aneurysm that left her partially paralyzed, his mother persuaded Keenan to live with his father. Keenan spent some time in the United States Army before attending West Point Prep School. He took part in many extra-curricular activities, including wrestling and cross country. Keenan also began singing when he joined the glee club. It was this that inspired him to pursue a music career.
Maynard James Keenan’s Career in Music
Although he is best known for his role as lead singer in Tool and A Perfect Circle, Keenan was a member of several other bands before he became famous. He first played bass guitar for TexA N.S. before singing for Children of the Anachronistic Dynasty. While he was performing with these bands, he wrote ‘Sober,’ which later became Tool’s first hit single. Tool was formed in 1990 after Keenan moved to Los Angeles and met Adam Jones. Keenan was the lead singer, and Jones was the guitarist. To complete the line-up, they recruited drummer Danny Carey and bassist Paul D’Amour. Later, D’Amour was replaced by Justin Chancellor.
The band released their debut album ‘Undertow’ in 1993, and it was certified platinum within a year. It also won the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance. After a legal battle with their record label, Tool took time out of the music industry. During this time, Keenan collaborated with other artists. They did not release their second album ‘Enima’ until 2006. This album was also a success, peaking at number two in the US album charts. It became three-times platinum-certified. In 2001, Tool released the album ‘Lateralus’, followed by ’10,000 Days’ in 2006.
After a long break, Tool released their most recent album ‘Fear Inoculum’ in 2019. Thanks to the band having a cult following, this album reached the top spot in the US, Australian, Canadian, Norwegian, and New Zealand album charts. During Tool’s hiatus, Keenan and Billy Howerdel began working together and formed a Perfect Circle. However, they did not begin performing together until 1999. The following year, they released their debut album ‘Mer de Noms.’ Three years later, they released the album ‘Thirteenth Step’, and the following year, ‘eMOTIVe.’ In 2004, A Perfect Circle released a CD and DVD box set titled ‘aMotion.’
Keened has also performed and recorded as a solo artist under the name Puscifer. His first album, ‘V for Vagina,’ was self-financed. He then released a further four albums, all of which were under his own label Puscifer Entertainment. His most recent album was ‘Money Shot’ in 2015. Keenan has also recorded multiple singles and albums in collaboration with other artists.
His Comedy and Acting Careers
Although he is usually associated with the music industry, Keenan has also ventured into acting and comedy. It has involved him appearing on comedy sketch shows and music videos. Keenan made his film debut in 2002 when he played Satan in the film ‘Bikini Bandits.’ He resumed this role for the 2004 sequel ‘Bikini Bandits 2: Golden Rod’. He also made a cameo appearance in 2009 in the film ‘Crank: High Voltage’.
Other Ventures
There is a tradition of winemaking in Keenan’s family, as his grandparents made wine in North Italy. It is a family tradition that Keenan has continued, as he has several business ventures linked to winemaking. Keenan owns a produce market, Caduceus Cellars, and Merkin Vineyards, all of which are in Arizona. He is also a co-owner of Stronghold Vineyards in Sulfur Springs Valley, Arizona. Stronghold Vineyards is an 80-acre site, and the company is dedicated to producing affordable wines. Keenan’s partner at Stronghold Vineyards is Eric Glomski, and the pair have toured Nevada and California to promote their wines. Keenan also opened an organic market featuring a tasting room and a food court in 2009. His links to the wine industry led to Keenan appearing in a winemaking documentary in 2010. ‘Blood Into Wine: The Arizona Stronghold’ chronicles the efforts of Keenan and Glomski to produce wine in the desert conditions of the Verde Valley in Arizona.
Maynard James Keenan’s Net Worth
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Maynard James Keenan’s estimated net worth is $60 million. He has made most of this money as the lead singer of the rock bands Tool and A Perfect Circle. However, he has also made money from his acting, comedy, and other ventures, including winemaking.
His Personal Life
Keenan has a son called Devo from a former relationship. His son provided backing vocals for one of A Perfect Circle’s single, and he was also the cellist on another single. The singer does not enjoy his celebrity status and believes that celebrity worshipping is distasteful. Over the years, he has struggled with stalkers coming onto his property, and he deters them by firing at them with a paintball gun. Keenan is now married to Lei Li, a Caduceus lab manager. They announced their engagement in 2010. Although it is unknown when their wedding took place, Keenan referred to Lei Li as his wife in an article he wrote for Phoenix New Times in September 2012. The couple now has a daughter, Lei Lie Agostina Maria, who was born in July 2014.
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