Bebe Buell, Rock Star Arm Candy And Liv Tyler's Mom, Then And Now

Photo of Bebe Buell circa 1980. Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Bebe Buell, mother of Liv Tyler, never liked the word "groupie" -- she prefers to describe herself as a "muse" when discussing her serial romantic relationships with rock stars. Mick Jagger, Rod Stewart, Todd Rundgren, Iggy Pop, Elvis Costello, David Bowie and Jimmy Page all fell under Buell's spell, with Aerosmith's Steven Tyler fathering Buell's famous actress daughter. 

Rock and roll means many things to its various practitioners, but for decades now one of the key reasons a teenaged boy will pick up a guitar is to get girls. In this admittedly sexist arrangement, the girls can end up being quite influential, inspiring the love or lust that comes blaring out of speakers turned to 11 -- thus Buell's preference for "muse." Numerous songs were written about her by her rock star lovers, including Rundgren's "Can We Still Be Friends?" and Costello's "I Want You." While charming her way into the hearts of the most prominent musicians, the "Mother of Rock and Roll" was also tending to her own career as a model and singer. As a symbol of the 1970s, Buell led a life of success, excess and public controversy.