Deborah Ann Harry (born Angela Trimble; July 1, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter and actress, best known as the lead vocalist of the band Blondie. Four of her songs with the band reached on the US charts between 1979 and 1981. Born in Miami, Florida, Harry was adopted as an infant and raised in

Hawthorne, New Jersey Hawthorne is a borough in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 18,791Playboy Bunny and a secretary (including at the BBC in New York)—before her breakthrough in the music industry. Harry co-formed Blondie in 1974 in New York City. The band released its eponymous debut album in 1976, and released a further three albums between then and 1979, including '' Parallel Lines'', which spawned six singles, including " Heart of Glass". Their fifth album, '' Autoamerican'' (1980), afforded Harry and the band further attention, spawning such hits as a cover of "

The Tide Is High "The Tide Is High" is a 1967 rocksteady song written by John Holt, originally produced by Duke Reid and performed by the Jamaican group the Paragons, with Holt as lead singer. The song gained international attention in 1980, when a cover ver ...

", and " Rapture", the latter of which is considered the first rap song to chart at number one in the United States. Harry released her debut solo album, '' KooKoo'', in 1981. During a Blondie hiatus, she embarked on an acting career, appearing in lead roles in the neo-noir '' Union City'' (1980) and in David Cronenberg's

body horror Body horror or biological horror is a subgenre of horror that intentionally showcases grotesque or psychologically disturbing violations of the human body. These violations may manifest through aberrant sex, mutations, mutilation, zombification, ...

film '' Videodrome'' (1983). She released her second solo album, 1986's ''

Rockbird ''Rockbird'' is the second solo studio album by American singer Debbie Harry. It was released in November 1986 by Geffen Records in the United States and Chrysalis Records in the United Kingdom. Background ''Rockbird'' was released four years ...

'', and starred in John Waters's cult dance film '' Hairspray'' (1988). Harry went on to release two more solo albums between then and 1993, after which she returned to film with roles in a John Carpenter-directed segment of the horror film '' Body Bags'' (1993), and in the drama '' Heavy'' (1995). Blondie reunited in the late 1990s, releasing ''

No Exit ''No Exit'' (french: Huis clos, links=no, ) is a 1944 existentialist French play by Jean-Paul Sartre. The play was first performed at the Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier in May 1944. The play begins with three characters who find themselves waiting ...

'' (1999), followed by ''

The Curse of Blondie ''The Curse of Blondie'' is the eighth studio album from the American rock band Blondie. It was released in October 2003, and peaked at #36 in the UK. Background and recording The band departed from bankrupt Beyond Records and signed with So ...

'' (2003). Harry continued to appear in independent films throughout the 2000s, including '' Deuces Wild'' (2002), '' My Life Without Me'' (2003) and '' Elegy'' (2008). With Blondie, she released the group's ninth studio album, ''

Panic of Girls ''Panic of Girls'' is the ninth studio album by the American rock band Blondie. It was the band's first album of new material in nearly 8 years, since 2003's '' The Curse of Blondie''. The album was first released digitally on May 30, 2011, follo ...

'', in 2011, followed by ''

Ghosts of Download ''Blondie 4(0) Ever'' is a double album by American rock band Blondie. It was released on May 12, 2014, by Noble ID in celebration of the band's 40th anniversary. The two-disc package consists of ''Greatest Hits Deluxe Redux'', a collection of r ...

'' (2014). The band's eleventh studio album, 2017's ''

Pollinator A pollinator is an animal that moves pollen from the male anther of a flower to the female stigma of a flower. This helps to bring about fertilization of the ovules in the flower by the male gametes from the pollen grains. Insects are the m ...

'', charted at number 4 in the United Kingdom.

Life and career

1945–1965: Early life

Harry was born Angela Trimble on July 1, 1945, in Miami, Florida. At the age of three months, she was adopted by Catherine (née Peters) and Richard Harry, gift shop proprietors in

Hawthorne, New Jersey Hawthorne is a borough in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 18,791Hawthorne High School, graduating in 1963. She graduated from Centenary College in Hackettstown, New Jersey, with an Associate of Arts degree in 1965. Before beginning her singing career, she moved to New York City in the late 1960s, and worked there as a secretary at BBC Radio's office for one year. Later, she was a waitress at

Max's Kansas City Max's Kansas City was a nightclub and restaurant at 213 Park Avenue South in New York City, which became a gathering spot for musicians, poets, artists and politicians in the 1960s and 1970s. It was opened by Mickey Ruskin (1933–1983) in Decem ...

, a go-go dancer in a discothèque in Union City, New Jersey, and a Playboy Bunny.

1966–1975: Early projects; formation of Blondie

In the late 1960s, Harry began her musical career as a backing singer for the

folk rock Folk rock is a hybrid music genre that combines the elements of folk and rock music, which arose in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock emerged from the folk music revival. Performers s ...

group The Wind in the Willows, which released an eponymous album in 1968 on

Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of not ...

. In 1973, Harry joined the Stilettoes with Elda Gentile and Amanda Jones. Shortly thereafter, the band added guitarist

Chris Stein Christopher Stein (born January 5, 1950) is an American musician known as the co-founder and guitarist of the new wave band Blondie. He is also a producer and performer for the classic soundtrack of the hip hop film ''Wild Style'', and writer ...

, who became her boyfriend. In her memoir, ''Face It'', Harry describes having been

rape Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or ...

d at knifepoint during a burglary of the home she shared with Stein. In 1974 Harry and Stein left the Stilletos (along with the band's bassist and drummer) and formed Angel and the Snake with Tish Bellomo and Snooky Bellomo. Shortly thereafter, they changed the name of the band to Blondie, named after the catcall men often directed at Harry after she bleached her hair

blond Blond (male) or blonde (female), also referred to as fair hair, is a hair color characterized by low levels of the dark pigment eumelanin. The resultant visible hue depends on various factors, but always has some yellowish color. The color ...

e. The band quickly became regulars at Max's Kansas City and

CBGB CBGB was a New York City music club opened in 1973 by Hilly Kristal in Manhattan's East Village. The club was previously a biker bar and before that was a dive bar. The letters ''CBGB'' were for '' Country'', '' BlueGrass'', and '' Blues'', Kri ...

in New York City. Blondie (Debbie Harry) (12215548)

1976–1980: Global success

With her beauty, daring choice of clothing, and two-tone bleached-blonde hair, Harry quickly became a punk icon. Blondie released their self-titled debut album in 1976; it peaked at in Australia and (later, in 1979) in the United Kingdom. Their second album, '' Plastic Letters'', garnered some success outside the United States, but their third album, '' Parallel Lines'' (1978), was a worldwide hit and catapulted the group to international success. It included the global hit single " Heart of Glass". Riding the crest of disco's domination, the track made in the US and sold nearly two million copies. It also reached in the UK and was the second highest-selling single of 1979. In June 1979, Blondie was featured on the cover of ''Rolling Stone''. Harry's persona, combining cool sexuality with streetwise style, became so closely associated with the group's name that many came to believe "Blondie" was the singer's name. The difference between the individual Harry and the band Blondie was emphasized by a "Blondie is a group" button campaign by the band in 1979. The band's success continued with the release of the platinum-selling '' Eat to the Beat'' album (UK , US ) in September. '' Autoamerican'' (UK , US ) was released in 1980. Blondie had further hits with " Call Me" ( ''American Gigolo'' soundtrack) (US and UK ), " Atomic" (''Eat to the Beat'' album) (UK ), "

" (US and UK ), and " Rapture" (US ). During this time, both Harry and Stein befriended

graffiti Graffiti (plural; singular ''graffiti'' or ''graffito'', the latter rarely used except in archeology) is art that is written, painted or drawn on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from s ...

artist Fab Five Freddy, who introduced them to the emerging hip-hop scene in the Bronx. Freddy is mentioned in "Rapture" and appears in the video. Through Fab Five Freddy they were also able to connect with Grandmaster Flash who is played by Jean-Michel Basquiat in the video as his label did not allow him to appear. "Rapture" became the first rap-oriented song to reach in the US ''Billboard'' charts. Harry was immortalized by

Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (; born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director, and producer who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. His works explore the relationsh ...

in 1980, who produced a number of artworks of her image from a single photoshoot at

the Factory The Factory was Andy Warhol's studio in New York City, which had four locations between 1963 and 1987. The Factory became famed for its parties in the 1960s. It was the hip hangout spot for artists, musicians, celebrities and Warhol's superstar ...

. The artist created a small series of four acrylic and silkscreen ink on canvas portraits of the star in different colors, as well as Polaroids and a small number of rare silver gelatin prints from the shoot. Stein was also present that day to capture Warhol photographing Harry in a series of his own photographs, exhibited in 2013 in London. Her collaboration and friendship with Warhol continued and she was his first guest on the MTV show '' Andy Warhol's Fifteen Minutes''. The first episode opened with Harry announcing the theme: "Sex, Vegetables, Brothers and Sisters". Harry said of her relationship with Warhol, "I think the best thing ndy Warholtaught me was always to be open to new things, new music, new style, new bands, new technology and just go with it. Never get mired in the past and always accept new things whatever age you are."

1981–1996: Solo work and acting

In 1981, Harry issued a press release to clarify that her name was not "Debbie Blondie" or "Debbie Harry" but rather Deborah Harry, though Harry later described her character in the band as being named "Blondie", as in this quote from the ''No Exit'' tour book: Harry began her solo career with the album '' KooKoo'' (1981). Produced by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of Chic, the album peaked at in the US and in the UK; and was later certified gold in the US and silver in the UK. The album's cover art was controversial, and many stores refused to stock it. "

Backfired "Backfired" is the debut solo single from American singer and Blondie vocalist Debbie Harry. Released in 1981, it was taken from her debut solo studio album, ''KooKoo''. Song information "Backfired" peaked at number 32 in the UK, and number 43 ...

", the first single from the album, had a video directed by H.R. Giger (who also created the album's front cover featuring Harry's face with metal skewers through it). The single reached on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, on the

Hot Dance Club Songs Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as t ...

, and on the UK Singles Chart. "

The Jam Was Moving "The Jam Was Moving" is the second single from Debbie Harry's debut solo album, ''KooKoo''. It was released in 1981 with no video and little promotion after Harry's debut solo single, "Backfired", failed to become a big hit. Background The single ...

" was lifted as the second single and peaked at No. 82 in the US. After a year-long hiatus, Blondie regrouped and released their sixth studio album, '' The Hunter'' (1982). The album was not as successful as their previous works, and a world tour was cut short due to slow ticket sales. It was around this time that Stein also fell seriously ill with the rare autoimmune disease

pemphigus Pemphigus ( or ) is a rare group of blistering autoimmune diseases that affect the skin and mucous membranes. The name is derived from the Greek root ''pemphix'', meaning "pustule". In pemphigus, autoantibodies form against desmoglein, whic ...

. His illness, along with declining record sales and internal struggles, caused the band to split up. In June 1982, Harry contributed backing vocals to The Gun Club's second album ''

Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...

'', being credited as 'D.H. Lawrence Jr' while Chris Stein also produced the record, and is credited as 'bongos' and 'cover photos/design'. The Gun Club's singer

Jeffrey Lee Pierce Jeffrey Lee Pierce (June 27, 1958 – March 31, 1996) was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and author. He was one of the founding members of the band The Gun Club, and released material as a solo artist. Biography Early life Pierce ...

was an ardent fan, emulating Harry's hairstyle and founding the West Coast Blondie Fan Club, before becoming friends with the band in New York. After Blondie split up in 1982, Harry's solo output slowed down as she cared for ailing partner Chris Stein. She released the single "Rush Rush" in 1983 (produced by Giorgio Moroder and taken from the film '' Scarface''), but it was commercially unsuccessful. The same year, Harry had a leading role in David Cronenberg's

film '' Videodrome'' (1983), playing the sadomasochistic lover of a television producer who uncovers an underground video output of snuff films. Harry received rave reviews for her performance in the film. Critic Howard Hampton noted in a retrospective that Harry "carries herself with the wry, burned-out, but still titillated instincts of a voyager buying a one-way ticket for the outer limits. A vivid, smallish part can either anchor or undo a risky, conceptually spiky film like David Cronenberg's viscerally deranged phantasia: Harry's presence grounds it in acute, self-aware reality." A new single, "Feel The Spin" (taken from the film '' Krush Groove''), was released as a limited 12" single in 1985, but it was unsuccessful. In 1986, Harry released her second solo album, called ''

'', which peaked at in the US, and in the UK (where it has been certified gold for 100,000 sales by the BPI). The single " French Kissin' in the USA" gave Harry her only UK solo top 10 hit () and became a moderate US hit (). Other singles released from the album were "

Free to Fall "Free to Fall" is a song by American singer Debbie Harry from her second solo studio album, ''Rockbird'' (1986). It was released as the second single in the United States and the United Kingdom. Suffering from lack of record company promotion, th ...

" and "

In Love with Love "In Love with Love" is a 1987 song recorded by the American singer Debbie Harry. It was taken from her second solo album ''Rockbird'' and released as the third single in 1987. Song information Lyrically, the song is the sequel to Blondie's " He ...

", with the latter completely re-recorded in London with hit British producers Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW). The track hit on the US Dance Charts and was released with several remixes. Harry also recorded another track with SAW during the same sessions, "Mind Over Matter", which was never officially released. In 1987, Harry starred opposite

Alec Baldwin Alexander Rae Baldwin III (born April 3, 1958) is an American actor, comedian, and producer. In his early career, Baldwin played both leading and supporting roles in a variety of films such as Tim Burton's '' Beetlejuice'' (1988), Mike Nic ...

in the comedy mystery film '' Forever, Lulu'', playing the title character. "Liar, Liar" was recorded by Harry for the soundtrack album '' Married to the Mob'' in 1988 and was produced by Mike Chapman. It was their first collaboration since the 1982 Blondie album ''The Hunter''. The same year, Harry starred as Velma Von Tussle in John Waters's satirical dance film '' Hairspray''. Her next solo venture was the album '' Def, Dumb and Blonde'' in 1989. At this point Harry reverted from "Debbie" to "Deborah" as her professional name. The first single "

I Want That Man "I Want That Man" is a song by American singer Deborah Harry. The song was released as the lead single from her third solo album, ''Def, Dumb & Blonde'', and was the first record Harry released in which she reverted to using Deborah as her name in ...

" was a hit in Europe and Australia and on the US Modern Rock Charts. The success of the single propelled the album to on the UK chart, where it earned a silver disc. However, with little promotion from her record company in the US, it peaked at . She followed this up with the ballad "

Brite Side ''Brite Side'' is a 1989 song by the American singer-songwriter Deborah Harry, taken from her third solo album, ''Def, Dumb & Blonde''. The single was only released in the UK, where it peaked at #59. The song is featured prominently in the second ...

" and the club hit " Sweet and Low". " Maybe for Sure", a reworked version of "Angel's Song" she'd recorded for the ''

Rock and Rule Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wal ...

'' animated film, was the fourth single released from the album in June 1990 to coincide with a UK tour (her second in six months). The track "

Kiss It Better "Kiss It Better" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna for her eighth studio album, '' Anti'' (2016). It was written and produced by Jeff Bhasker and Glass John, with additional writing by Teddy Sinclair and Rihanna. The song was serviced to ...

" was also a Top 15 Modern Rock single in the US. Harry also appeared in film during this time, with a supporting part in '' Tales from the Darkside: The Movie'' (1990). From 1989 to 1991, Harry toured extensively across the world with former Blondie guitarist Chris Stein,

Underworld The underworld, also known as the netherworld or hell, is the supernatural world of the dead in various religious traditions and myths, located below the world of the living. Chthonic is the technical adjective for things of the underwo ...

's Karl Hyde, and future Blondie bassist Leigh Foxx. In July 1991 she played Wembley Stadium, supporting

INXS INXS (a phonetic play on "in excess") were an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. The band's founding members were bassist Garry Gary Beers, main composer and keyboardist Andrew Farriss ...

. In 1991, Chrysalis released a new "best of" compilation in Europe entitled '' The Complete Picture: The Very Best of Deborah Harry and Blondie'', containing hits with Blondie as well as her solo hits. The collection reached in the UK album chart and earned a gold disc. The album also included her duet with Iggy Pop of the

Cole Porter Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway and in film. Born to ...

song " Well, Did You Evah!" from the 1990 '' Red Hot + Blue'' AIDS charity album. In 1992, Harry collaborated with German

post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde sensibilities and non-r ...

band Die Haut on the track "Don't Cross My Mind" and released the song " Prelude to a Kiss" on the soundtrack to the film of the same name. She also released a cover of " Summertime Blues" from the soundtrack to the film '' That Night'' in Australia. Her fourth solo album, '' Debravation'', was released in July 1993. The album peaked at #24 in the UK, but was less successful in the US. The album's first single was "

I Can See Clearly "I Can See Clearly" is a song by American singer Debbie Harry, released in June 1993 as the first single from her fourth solo album, '' Debravation'' (1993). Release After taking a brief hiatus from her solo music career, Harry released the tr ...

", which peaked at in the UK and on the US dance charts. This was followed by "

Strike Me Pink "Strike Me Pink" is a song by American singer-songwriter Debbie Harry, released in 1993 as the second single from her fourth solo album, '' Debravation'' (1993). The song was written by Harry, Anne Dudley and Jonathan Bernstein, and produced by ...

" in September. Controversy surrounded the latter track's promotional video, which featured a man drowning in a water tank, resulting in its being banned. US editions of the album feature two additional tracks recorded with prerecorded music by R.E.M.: "Tear Drops" and a cover of Skeeter Davis's 1961 hit "

My Last Date (with You) "My Last Date (with You)" is a song written by Boudleaux Bryant, Floyd Cramer, and Skeeter Davis. In 1960, Skeeter Davis recorded and released the song as a single for RCA Victor. The song was an answer song to Floyd Cramer's country pop crossover ...

". Also in 1993, Harry had a supporting role in a John Carpenter-directed segment of the anthology horror film '' Body Bags''. In November 1993, Harry toured the UK with Stein, guitarist Peter Min, bassist Greta Brinkman, and drummer James Murphy. The set list of the Debravation Tour featured an offbeat selection of Harry material including the previously unreleased track "Close Your Eyes" (from 1989) and "Ordinary Bummer" (from the Stein-produced Iggy Pop album '' Zombie Birdhouse'', a track that, under the moniker Adolph's Dog, Blondie covered in 1997). Tentative plans to record these shows and release them as a live double CD never came to fruition. However, covers of

the Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically dr ...

' "

Wild Horses Wild horse (''Equus ferus'') is a species of the genus ''Equus'' that includes domesticated and undomesticated subspecies. * Przewalski's wild horse (''Equus ferus przewalskii'' or ''Equus przewalskii''), a rare and endangered subspecies of wild ...

" and David Oliver's " Love TKO" exist as bootlegs. In early 1994, Harry took the Debravation tour to the US. In the UK, Harry's long tenure with Chrysalis Records also came to an end after ''Debravation'' lackluster sales, but the label released all of Blondie's albums and Harry's ''KooKoo'' album (for the first time on CD) as remastered editions with bonus tracks. In the mid 1990s, Harry worked as a guest vocalist on several projects: She joined the avant-garde jazz ensemble the Jazz Passengers in 1994, appearing on their album ''In Love'' (1994). Harry also reunited with Blondie keyboardist Jimmy Destri for a cover of

Otis Blackwell Otis Blackwell (February 16, 1931 – May 6, 2002) was an American songwriter whose work influenced rock and roll. His compositions include " Fever" (recorded by Little Willie John), " Great Balls of Fire" and " Breathless" (recorded by Jerr ...

's "Don't Be Cruel" for the 1995 album ''Brace Yourself! A Tribute to Otis Blackwell''. During this period, she also recorded a duet with actor Robert Jacks titled "Der Einziger Weg (The Only Way)", a theme for the horror film '' Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation'' (1994), which was recorded in German and in English. Harry also served as a vocalist in the

Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American rock band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991.Talki ...

' side project the Heads' 1996 release '' No Talking, Just Head'', followed by the Jazz Passengers' ''Individually Twisted'' (1997). The same year, she collaborated with Jazz Passengers' Bill Ware in his side project Groove Thing, singing lead vocals on the club hit "Command and Obey". Another Jazz Passengers collaboration, "

The City in the Sea :The City in the Sea ''is also the title of a science fiction novel by Wilson Tucker'' "The City in the Sea" is a poem by Edgar Allan Poe. The final version was published in 1845, but an earlier version was published as "The Doomed City" in 1831 a ...

", appeared on the

Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe (; Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is wid ...

tribute album ''

Closed on Account of Rabies ''Closed On Account of Rabies'' (1997) is a double- CD with poems and tales of Edgar Allan Poe performed by various artists, and produced by Hal Willner. It is one of numerous multi-artist tribute albums that Willner has produced, as well as one ...

'' (1997). In film, Harry co-starred with Pruitt Taylor Vince and Liv Tyler in

James Mangold James Allen Mangold (born December 16, 1963) is an American filmmaker. He is best known for the films ''Cop Land'' (1997), '' Girl, Interrupted'' (1999), '' Walk the Line'' (2005), '' 3:10 to Yuma'' (2007), '' The Wolverine'' (2013) and '' Logan' ...

's directorial debut '' Heavy'' (1995), playing a misanthropic waitress at an upstate New York restaurant. The following year, she filmed Mangold's ''

Cop Land ''Cop Land'' is a 1997 American neo-noir crime drama film written and directed by James Mangold. It stars an ensemble cast that includes Sylvester Stallone, Harvey Keitel, Ray Liotta, and Robert De Niro, with Peter Berg, Janeane Garofalo, ...

'' (1997), a neo-noir thriller in which she portrayed a bartender.

1997–2007: Blondie reformation and solo output

Blondie (Roskilde Festival 1999) (3668215198)

In 1997, Blondie began working together again for the first time in 15 years. The four original members (Harry, Stein, Clem Burke and Jimmy Destri) began sessions for what would become Blondie's seventh studio album, ''

'' (1999). The lead single from the album, " Maria", debuted at in the UK, giving Blondie their sixth UK hit. "Maria" also reached in 14 countries, the top 10 on the US Dance Charts, and Top 20 on the US Adult Top 40 Charts. ''No Exit'' debuted at in the UK and in the US. Harry appears on the 2001

Bill Ware Bill Ware III born William Anthony Ware III (b. January 28, 1959, East Orange, New Jersey) is an American jazz vibraphone, vibraphonist. Musical career Ware played bass and piano early in his career, playing at the Harlem Jazzmobile. After spend ...

album ''Vibes 4'' singing the track "Me and You" as well as on former

Police The police are a Law enforcement organization, constituted body of Law enforcement officer, persons empowered by a State (polity), state, with the aim to law enforcement, enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citize ...

guitarist Andy Summers's album ''Peggy's Blue Skylight'' on the track "Weird Nightmare". A

techno Techno is a Music genre, genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally music production, produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempo often varying between 120 and 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central Drum beat, rhythm is typ ...

cover of Stan Jones' " Ghost Riders in the Sky" was featured on the soundtrack to the 1998 film '' Three Businessmen'', and was available on her website to download. Harry sings on two tracks on Andrea Griminelli's ''Cinema Italiano'' project: "You'll Come to Me" (inspired by ''

Amarcord ''Amarcord'' () is a 1973 comedy-drama film directed by Federico Fellini, a semi- autobiographical tale about Titta, an adolescent boy growing up among an eccentric cast of characters in the village of Borgo San Giuliano (situated near the anci ...

s main theme) and "When Love Comes By" (from ''

Il Postino ''Il Postino: The Postman'' ( it, Il postino, lit, 'The Postman'; the title used for the original US release) is a 1994 comedy-drama film co-written by and starring Massimo Troisi and directed by English filmmaker Michael Radford. Based on th ...

''), as well as on a tribute album reinterpreting the music of Harold Arlen, on which she sings the title track " Stormy Weather". In May 2002, she accompanied the Jazz Passengers and the BBC Concert Orchestra in a performance of her jazz material at the Barbican Centre in London. In 2003, she was featured vocalist on the song "Uncontrollable Love" by DJ duo Blow-Up. She also sang on the version of "

Waltzing Matilda "Waltzing Matilda" is a song developed in the Australian style of poetry and folk music called a bush ballad. It has been described as the country's "unofficial national anthem". The title was Australian slang for travelling on foot (waltzing) ...

" recorded by

Dan Zanes and Friends Daniel Edgerly Zanes (born November 8, 1961) is an American former member of the popular 1980s band the Del Fuegos and is now the front man of the Grammy-winning group Dan Zanes and Friends. History Zanes's father was a teacher, as well as a po ...

, released on the 2003 album ''House Party''. The same year, Blondie released the album ''

'' (2003). In 2006, Harry started work in New York City on her fifth solo album, '' Necessary Evil'' (released in 2007). Working with production duo Super Buddha (who produced the remix of Blondie's "

In the Flesh In the Flesh may refer to: Books * ''In the Flesh'' (2009 graphic novel), a collection of stories by Koren Shadmi Film and TV * ''In the Flesh'' (1998 film), an American gay-themed murder mystery film * ''In the Flesh'' (2003 film), an Indian ...

" for the 2005 '' Sound and Vision'' compilation), the first music to surface in was a hip-hop track titled "Dirty and Deep" in which she spoke out against rapper

Lil' Kim Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1974), Those giving 1974 include: * * * * * better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and reality television personality. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, she lived much of h ...

's incarceration. Throughout 2006, a number of new tracks surfaced on Harry's Myspace page, including "Charm Alarm", "Deep End", "Love with a Vengeance", "School for Scandal", and "Necessary Evil", as well as duets she recorded with Miss Guy (of Toilet Böys fame), "God Save New York" and "New York Groove". A streaming version of the lead single, "

Two Times Blue "Two Times Blue" is a song by American singer Deborah Harry, released as the lead single from her fifth solo studio album, ''Necessary Evil'' (2007). The pop rock song, produced by Super Buddha, finds Harry responding to a critical lover but confe ...

", was added to Harry's Myspace page in May 2007. On June 6, 2007, a downloadable version was released via her official website. In 2007, Harry delineated the different personae (Blondie the band, her role in the band, and Deborah Harry the singer) to an interviewer who asked why she played only solo music on the 2007 True Colors World Tour with Cyndi Lauper: "I've put together a new trio with no Blondie members in it. I really want to make a clear definition between Debbie's solo projects and Blondie, and I hope that the audience can appreciate that and also appreciate this other material." Harry's fifth solo album, '' Necessary Evil'' (2007), was released after she completed the True Colors World Tour. The first single, "Two Times Blue", peaked at on the US Dance Club Play chart. The album peaked at in the UK and in the US Billboard Top Independent Albums chart. Harry performed "Two Times Blue" on various talk shows to promote the album. She also started a 22-date US tour on November 8, lasting until December 9, playing small venues and clubs across the country. On January 18, 2008, an official music video for " If I Had You" was released.

2008–present: Further musical endeavors

Harry contributed to

Fall Out Boy Fall Out Boy is an American rock band formed in Wilmette, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Patrick Stump, bassist Pete Wentz, lead guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hur ...

's 2008 album ''

Folie à Deux Folie à deux ('folly of two', or 'madness haredby two'), also known as shared psychosis or shared delusional disorder (SDD), is a collection of rare psychiatric syndromes in which symptoms of a delusional belief, and sometimes hallucination ...

'', singing on the chorus of the album's closer "West Coast Smoker". In 2010, Harry began a series recordings (featuring solo songs and duets with

Nick Cave Nicholas Edward Cave (born 22 September 1957) is an Australian singer, songwriter, poet, lyricist, author, screenwriter, composer and occasional actor. Known for his baritone voice and for fronting the rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, ...

and others) for The Jeffrey Lee Pierce Sessions Project. Blondie released their ninth studio album, ''

'', in July 2011. In 2014, Harry made a guest appearance with

Arcade Fire Arcade Fire is a Canadian indie rock band, consisting of husband and wife Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, alongside Richard Reed Parry, Tim Kingsbury and Jeremy Gara. The band's current touring line-up also includes former core mem ...

at the

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (commonly called the Coachella Festival or simply Coachella) is an annual music and arts festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Coachella Valley in the Colorado Desert. ...

, The following month, Blondie released their tenth studio album ''

'' (2014). In 2015, Blondie members Debbie Harry and Chris Stein made a guest appearance alongside The Gregory Brothers in an episode of '' Songify the News'', and they collaborated again to parody the United States presidential election debates, 2016. In March 2015, Harry held a residency of several weeks at the Café Carlyle in New York. Blondie's eleventh studio album, ''

'', was released in May 2017, and debuted at in the UK. In October 2019, Harry released a memoir, ''Face It'', through

Dey Street Books HarperCollins Publishers LLC is one of the Big Five English-language publishing companies, alongside Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Hachette, and Macmillan. The company is headquartered in New York City and is a subsidiary of News Cor ...

. In 2020, Harry cameoed on the third episode of the romantic comedy web television series '' High Fidelity''.

Personal life

Harry was in a relationship with the Blondie guitarist

. The pair split up in 1987, but remained friends. In 2011, Harry said that she and Stein were both drug users during their relationship, and that they had spent time in a rehabilitation clinic and no longer used drugs. Harry is godmother to Stein's two daughters. In 2014, Harry revealed that she had had several relationships with women in her youth. In her 2019 memoir, ''Face It'', Harry describes having been raped at knifepoint during a burglary of the home she shared with Stein. She also wrote in ''Face It'' that during the early 1970s, the

serial killer A serial killer is typically a person who murders three or more persons,A * * * * with the murders taking place over more than a month and including a significant period of time between them. While most authorities set a threshold of three ...

Ted Bundy lured her into his car in New York City, but she escaped. Harry's description of the white vehicle stripped on the inside and missing the passenger door handle matched the 1968 VW Bundy was driving, but authorities believed him to be in Florida at the time. Ann Rule, an author of the Bundy biography '' The Stranger Beside Me'', commented that erroneous claims of Bundy abductions are fairly common. As of 2019, Harry lives part-time in New York City and part-time in Monmouth County, New Jersey, together with her four dogs.

Philanthropy

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In a 2011 interview, Harry said that "After witnessing

Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...

and his tireless efforts against

HIV/AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ...

", she had been inspired to make philanthropy her top priority. She said, "These things are important to my life now. I have the privilege of being able to get involved, so I do. I applaud people like Elton John, who have used their position to do so much good." Some of Harry's preferred charities include those devoted to fighting cancer and

endometriosis Endometriosis is a disease of the female reproductive system in which cells similar to those in the endometrium, the layer of tissue that normally covers the inside of the uterus, grow outside the uterus. Most often this is on the ovaries, fa ...

Discography

Studio albums * '' KooKoo'' (1981) * ''

'' (1986) * ''

Def, Dumb & Blonde ''Def, Dumb & Blonde'' is the third solo studio album by the American singer Deborah Harry. Released in October 1989 on Sire Records in the US and Chrysalis Records in the UK, the album saw Harry reverting from "Debbie" to "Deborah" as her profes ...

'' (1989) * '' Debravation'' (1993) * '' Necessary Evil'' (2007) Compilations and other albums * '' Once More into the Bleach'' (1988, Debbie Harry and Blondie) * '' The Complete Picture: The Very Best of Deborah Harry and Blondie'' (1991, Deborah Harry and Blondie) * ''

Deborah Harry Collection ''Deborah Harry Collection'' is a compilation album of recordings by Deborah Harry, released by Dutch budget price label Disky Communications in 1998. ''Deborah Harry Collection'' was re-issued with new artwork by EMI EMI Group Limited (or ...

'' (1998) * '' Most of All: The Best of Deborah Harry'' (1999)

Filmography

Bibliography

* ''Making Tracks: The Rise of Blondie'' (1982) by Debbie Harry,

and Victor Bockris

ISBN The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a numeric commercial book identifier that is intended to be unique. Publishers purchase ISBNs from an affiliate of the International ISBN Agency. An ISBN is assigned to each separate edition a ...

-10: /-13: * Foreword to ''Debbie Harry and Blondie: Picture This'' (2011) * ''Face It'' (2019) by Debbie Harry, HarperCollins

-10: /-13:

References

Sources

* *

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Harry, Debbie Debbie Harry 1945 births Living people 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American women singers 21st-century American actresses 21st-century American women singers Actresses from Miami Actresses from New Jersey Actresses from New York City American adoptees American women pop singers American pop rock singers American women rock singers American women singer-songwriters American film actresses American new wave musicians American people of Scottish descent American punk rock singers American rock songwriters American television actresses American video game actresses American voice actresses American women in electronic music Bisexual women Blondie (band) members Centenary University alumni Chrysalis Records artists Women new wave singers Women punk rock singers Geffen Records artists Bisexual musicians Musicians from Miami People from Hackettstown, New Jersey People from Hawthorne, New Jersey Singer-songwriters from Florida Singer-songwriters from New Jersey Singers from New York City Sire Records artists The Jazz Passengers members 20th-century American singers 21st-century American singers Singer-songwriters from New York (state)