‘I Just Wanted My Name Next To Steven Tyler’s,’ Holly Knight Defends Aerosmith Decision

Holly Knight recently chatted with Goldmine, recalling how she helped Aerosmith to create a hit and why she agreed not to split the songwriting credits equally.

Knight teamed up with the band in the 80s, helping them pen down the 1988 track, ‘Rag Doll.’ However, while discussing the song in her upcoming memoir, ‘I Am the Warrior,’ the rocker revealed how she received only 10% of songwriting credits; so, when the host asked her why there were no equal splits, Holly decided to share what went down behind the scenes, recalling:

“I wasn’t going to argue with Steven Tyler [on sharing credits equally]. I would have done it for free. I just wanted the writing credit because I wanted my name next to his I was just a big fan of Aerosmith. I’ve never done that before or since. I have no regrets.

The bulk of the song was written before I ever met them. I tightened the most important screws to take it to the next level. I don’t like to do that. I like to be there from the beginning because I am, first and foremost, a musician.”

Since Tyler and co. had penned down the basis of ‘Rag Doll’s lyrics before Knight arrived, the rocker had no problems with receiving only %10 of the songwriting credits. Still, from not sharing credits equally in this particular case to once trying to sabotage Kansas on stage, it might be safe to speculate that the Aerosmith frontman doesn’t like sharing the spotlight a lot.

Going back to Holly’s career, the Boston natives weren’t the only figures the rocker collaborated over the years, as she landed her songwriting skills to names such as Tina Turner [on several occasions], Pat Benatar [who won a Grammy for her Knight-penned track], Ann Wilson, and even Ozzy Osbourne.