Despite a childhood marked by fear, hardship, and violence, he rose from the Midwest to become a music icon the world celebrates.

From a Troubled Childhood to Rock Legend: The Rise of Axl Rose

William Bruce Rose, known worldwide as Axl Rose, was born William Bruce Bailey on February 6, 1962, in Lafayette, Indiana. His early life was marred by instability: his mother, Constance Rose, was only 16, and his biological father, a 20-year-old troubled local delinquent, disappeared after allegedly abducting and abusing him. William …