What Is Art Alexakis' Net Worth?
Art Alexakis is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, music video director, and actor who has a net worth of $2 million. He is best known as the lead singer and guitarist for the rock band Everclear. With Everclear, Art has released nine studio albums, including 'World of Noise' (1993), 'Sparkle and Fade' (1995), 'So Much for the Afterglow' (1997), 'Welcome to the Drama Club' (2006), and 'Black Is the New Black' (2015). The band is well-known for singles such as 'Santa Monica,' 'Everything to Everyone,' 'I Will Buy You a New Life,' and 'Wonderful.' Alexakis has also written and produced tracks for other artists, launched his own record labels, and worked as an A&R rep for Capitol Records.
Art directed several Everclear music videos, including 'Everything to Everyone' (1997), 'Wonderful' (2000), 'AM Radio' (2000), 'When It All Goes Wrong Again' (2001), and 'Brown Eyed Girl' (2001). He has appeared in feature films like 'Committed' (2000), 'Dishdogz' (2005), 'Rid of Me' (2011), 'Rogue River' (2012), 'Wild' (2014), and 'Dead 7' (2016). Additionally, he was in short films 'Room to Breathe' (2006) and 'Father's Day' (2017), and TV series such as 'The Chris Isaak Show' (2002), 'American Dreams' (2005), and 'Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide' (2006). He released the solo album 'Sun Songs' in 2019 and hosted a weekly show on Sirius XM's 'Lithium' channel from 2017 to 2019.
Early Life
Art Alexakis was born Arthur Paul Alexakis on April 12, 1962, in Los Angeles, California. Following his father’s departure when he was 5, his mother moved the family to Mar Vista Gardens, a Los Angeles housing project. Art grew up with four older siblings and experienced significant tragedies; his brother George died from a heroin overdose when Art was 12, and his 15-year-old girlfriend committed suicide the same year. Art himself attempted to end his life by jumping off the Santa Monica Pier with his pockets filled with weights, only to be compelled to survive by his brother’s vision.
Alexakis faced physical and sexual abuse from older kids in his neighborhood and became addicted to crystal meth, cocaine, and heroin by the age of 13. He overdosed on cocaine at 22 and quit drugs in 1984. Reflecting on his struggles, Art told the 'London Free Press' in 1998, 'I was depressed, suicidal, and hated my life, but hitting bottom was the beginning for me.' He later studied film at Los Angeles Community College.
Career
In the '80s, Art was in a Los Angeles-based band called Shakin' Brave. After moving to San Francisco, he launched Shindig Records and released 'Tragic Songs of Life' in 1989 with his band the Easy Hoes. He formed the band Colorfinger, which released the EP 'Demonstration' and the album 'Deep in the Heart of the Beast in the Sun' in 1990. Some Colorfinger songs were later re-recorded by Everclear, including 'Heartspark Dollarsign,' 'Invisible,' and 'Hateful.'
After moving to Portland in 1992, Art formed Everclear with Scott Cuthbert and Craig Montoya. They released the EP 'Nervous & Weird' and the album 'World of Noise' in 1993. Everclear's 1995 album 'Sparkle and Fade' went Platinum in the U.S., Canada, and Australia and reached #25 on the 'Billboard' 200 chart, featuring hit singles such as 'Heroin Girl,' 'Santa Monica,' and 'Heartspark Dollarsign.' The band’s 1997 album 'So Much for the Afterglow' was certified 2x Platinum in the U.S. and Canada. They also released Platinum and Gold albums in 2000, followed by several more successful albums over the next decade.
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Everclear's later releases include 'In a Different Light' (2009) and 'Return to Santa Monica' (2011), both featuring re-recorded tracks. 'Invisible Stars' (2012) reached #5 on the Official New Zealand Music Chart, and 'Black Is the New Black' (2015) reached #11 on the 'Billboard' Independent Albums chart. Alexakis's solo album 'Sun Songs' was released in 2019, expressing his desire for a new solo venture. Beyond Everclear, Art produced the 1996 Frogpond album 'Count to Ten' and founded Popularity Recordings in the early 2000s. He co-wrote and dueted with Marion Raven on 'At the End of the Day,' featured on her albums 'Here I Am' (2005) and 'Set Me Free' (2007). In 2022, Everclear celebrated its 30th Anniversary with a tour.
Personal Life
Art married Jenny Dodson in 1995, and together they had a daughter named Annabella Rose in 1993. Following their divorce in 1999, Art was married to Stephanie Greig from 2000 to 2004. In 2007, he welcomed daughter Arizona Star with fiancée Vanessa Crawford, marrying her in 2009. Once an atheist, Alexakis opened up about his Christian faith during a 2000 'Spin' interview, saying it has positively influenced his life.
In March 2019, Art revealed he had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He shared his diagnosis in a letter on the Everclear website, describing the journey of discovering his condition post a car accident and the subsequent tests confirming he had RRMS. Despite the diagnosis, Art remains committed to music, thankful for his career.
In 2000, Alexakis testified before the House of Representatives Sub-Committee in support of the Compassion for Children and Child Support Enforcement Act (HR 1488). He was honored with the Golden Heart Award by the Association for Children for Enforcement of Support (ACES) in 1999. In 2004, he served as a delegate for the Democratic National Convention and campaigned for John Edwards. He is a staunch supporter of gay rights and has voiced support for equal rights in interviews.
Awards and Nominations
In 1996, Everclear earned an MTV Video Music Award nomination for Best Alternative Video for 'Santa Monica.' In 1998, the band received a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance for 'El Distorto de Melodica' and won a 'Billboard' Modern Rock Artist of the Year Award.
Real Estate
In 1996, Art paid $600,000 for a 5,519 square foot home in Portland. He sold the five-bedroom, four-bathroom home for $1.265 million in 2002. In October 2020, the home went on the market for $1.95 million, famously noted for being owned by Art Alexakis of Everclear.
