Pat Benatar
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Patricia Mae Giraldo (''
née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...
'' Andrzejewski, formerly Benatar; born January 10, 1953), known professionally as Pat Benatar, is an American rock singer and songwriter. In the United States, she has had two multi-platinum albums, five platinum albums, and 15 ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' top 40 singles, while in Canada she had eight straight platinum albums, and she has sold over 35 million albums worldwide. She is also a four-time
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
winner. She was inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...
in November 2022. Her 1979 debut album, '' In the Heat of the Night'', was her breakthrough in North America, especially in Canada where it reached No. 3 on the album chart. Two singles from it were hits: "
Heartbreaker Heartbreaker(s) or The Heart Breaker(s) may refer to: Film and television *''The Heart Breakers'', a 1916 film starring Andrew Arbuckle *''The Heart Breaker'', a 1925 film directed by Benjamin Stoloff * ''Heartbreaker'' (1983 film), an American f ...
" and "We Live for Love", the latter written by her lead guitarist and future husband,
Neil Giraldo Neil Thomas Giraldo (born December 29, 1955) is an American musician, record producer, arranger, and songwriter best known as the musical partner of Pat Benatar since 1979and spouse since 1982. He has also performed, written and produced for art ...
. Her second album, 1980's ''
Crimes of Passion A crime of passion (French: ''crime passionnel''), in popular usage, refers to a violent crime, especially homicide, in which the perpetrator commits the act against someone because of sudden strong impulse such as anger rather than as a premed ...
'', was her most successful work, peaking at No. 2 in North America and France, being certified 4× and 5× platinum in the US and Canada, respectively. Its single " Hit Me with Your Best Shot" reached the top 10 in the US and Canada and is considered to be her best-known song. Her third album, '' Precious Time'' (1981), was another success, topping the US Album Chart and becoming her first top 10 album in Australia. Its single " Fire and Ice" charted highly in the US and Canada. Her next release, '' Get Nervous'' (1982), sold less well than her previous two albums, but did include the North American hit "
Shadows of the Night "Shadows of the Night" is a song composed by D.L. Byron explicitly for the 1980 film ''Times Square'', which tells the story of two young runaways in New York City. The song did not make it into the movie and Byron's own record label rejected it ...
". Her sound began to move towards more atmospheric pop in 1983. The single "
Love Is a Battlefield "Love Is a Battlefield" is a song by American singer Pat Benatar, recorded and released on September 12, 1983, as a single from Benatar's live album '' Live from Earth'' (1983), though the song itself was a studio recording. It was written by Ho ...
" (1983) was her biggest hit in most countries, reaching No. 1 in the Netherlands, Australia and on the US Rock Tracks chart, and No. 5 on the US Hot 100. The live album it came from, '' Live from Earth'', was her biggest seller in Australia, Germany and the Netherlands. In 1984, she released '' Tropico'' and its lead single "
We Belong "We Belong" is a song recorded by American rock singer Pat Benatar, released through Legacy Music Group on October 16, 1984, as the lead single from her sixth studio album, '' Tropico'' (1984). The song written by songwriting duo Eric Lowen an ...
", which reached the top 10 in several countries, including No. 5 on the US Hot 100. Her 1985 album, '' Seven the Hard Way'', sold less well but it yielded two singles harking back to the rock vein: "
Invincible Invincible may refer to: Film and television * ''Invincible'' (2001 drama film), a drama by Werner Herzog about Jewish cabaret during the rise of Nazism * ''Invincible'' (2001 TV film), a fantasy / martial arts TV movie starring Billy Zane ...
", a top 10 hit in North America, and "
Sex as a Weapon Sex is the trait that determines whether a sexually reproducing animal or plant produces male or female gametes. Male plants and animals produce smaller mobile gametes (spermatozoa, sperm, pollen), while females produce larger ones (ova, o ...
". Her follow-up, ''
Wide Awake in Dreamland ''Wide Awake in Dreamland'' is the seventh studio album by American rock music, rock singer Pat Benatar, and her eighth album overall, released in 1988. After a string of successful albums, this was her last rock-oriented album of the 1980s, bef ...
'' (1988), marked a resurgence in sales in Canada and Australia, and was her biggest hit in the UK. Its rocker, " All Fired Up", was a significant hit in Canada, Australia and the US. She released four additional albums between 1991 and 2003.


Early life

Pat Benatar was born Patricia Mae Andrzejewski on January 10, 1953, in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York City. Her mother, Mildred (née Knapp; 1928–2016), was a
beautician Cosmetology (from Greek , ''kosmētikos'', "beautifying"; and , ''-logia'') is the study and application of beauty treatment. Branches of specialty include hairstyling, skin care, cosmetics, manicures/ pedicures, non-permanent hair removal such a ...
, and her father, Andrew () Andrzejewski (1926–2009), was a sheet-metal worker. Her father was of
Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...
descent and her mother was of
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...
,
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
, and
Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
ancestry. Her family moved to North Hamilton Avenue in
Lindenhurst, New York Lindenhurst is a village in Suffolk County, New York, United States, on the southern shore of Long Island in the town of Babylon. The population was 27,253 at the 2010 census. The village is officially known as the Incorporated Village of Lin ...
, a village in the
Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...
town of
Babylon ''Bābili(m)'' * sux, 𒆍𒀭𒊏𒆠 * arc, 𐡁𐡁𐡋 ''Bāḇel'' * syc, ܒܒܠ ''Bāḇel'' * grc-gre, Βαβυλών ''Babylṓn'' * he, בָּבֶל ''Bāvel'' * peo, 𐎲𐎠𐎲𐎡𐎽𐎢 ''Bābiru'' * elx, 𒀸𒁀𒉿𒇷 ''Babi ...
.James, Carolyn. Pat Benatar gets key to Babylon Town: Former resident honored for outstanding achievement" ''The Beacon'', August 22, 2002 She became interested in theater and began voice lessons, singing her first solo at the age of eight, at Daniel Street Elementary School, a song called "It Must Be Spring". At
Lindenhurst Senior High School Lindenhurst Senior High School (LHS) is a public high school in Lindenhurst, New York on the South Shore of Long Island. The high school is the sole high school of the Lindenhurst Union Free School District, which includes the Village of Lindenhu ...
(1967–1970), she participated in
musical theatre Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movemen ...
, playing
Queen Guinevere Guinevere ( ; cy, Gwenhwyfar ; br, Gwenivar, kw, Gwynnever), also often written in Modern English as Guenevere or Guenever, was, according to Arthurian legend, an early-medieval queen of Great Britain and the wife of King Arthur. First ment ...
in the school production of ''Camelot'', marching in the homecoming parade, singing at the annual Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony, and performing a solo of "
The Christmas Song "The Christmas Song" (commonly subtitled "Chestnuts Roasting by an Open Fire" or, as it was originally subtitled, "Merry Christmas to You") is a classic Christmas song written in 1945 by Robert Wells and Mel Tormé. The Nat King Cole Trio f ...
" on a holiday recording of the Lindenhurst High School Choir in her senior year. She trained as a coloratura with plans to attend the
Juilliard School The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Established in 1905, the school trains about 850 undergraduate and graduate students in dance, drama, and music. It is widely regarded as one of the most el ...
, but decided instead to pursue health education at
Stony Brook University Stony Brook University (SBU), officially the State University of New York at Stony Brook, is a public research university in Stony Brook, New York. Along with the University at Buffalo, it is one of the State University of New York system's ...
. At 19, after one year at Stony Brook, she dropped out to marry her first husband, high school sweetheart Dennis Benatar, a
U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...
draftee who trained at
Fort Jackson, South Carolina Fort Jackson is a United States Army installation, which TRADOC operates on for Basic Combat Training (BCT), and is located within the city of Columbia, South Carolina. This installation is named for Andrew Jackson, a United States Army gene ...
, then served with the Army Security Agency at
Fort Devens, Massachusetts Fort Devens is a United States Army Reserve military installation in the towns of Ayer and Shirley, in Middlesex County and Harvard in Worcester County in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. Due to extensive environmental contamination it was li ...
, before being stationed at
Fort Lee, Virginia Fort Lee, in Prince George County, Virginia, United States, is a United States Army post and headquarters of the United States Army Combined Arms Support Command (CASCOM)/ Sustainment Center of Excellence (SCoE), the U.S. Army Quartermaster Sc ...
, starting in 1973. She worked as a bank teller near
Richmond, Virginia (Thus do we reach the stars) , image_map = , mapsize = 250 px , map_caption = Location within Virginia , pushpin_map = Virginia#USA , pushpin_label = Richmond , pushpin_m ...
.


Career


Career beginnings

Benatar quit her job to pursue a singing career after being inspired by a
Liza Minnelli Liza May Minnelli ( ; born March 12, 1946) is an American actress, singer, dancer, and choreographer. Known for her commanding stage presence and powerful alto singing voice, Minnelli is among a rare group of performers awarded an Emmy, Grammy ...
concert she saw in Richmond. She had a gig at a Holiday Inn and got a job as a singing waitress at a nightclub named the Roaring Twenties. At the Roaring Twenties, she met and formed a duo with pianist Phil Coxon, which soon expanded to a ten-person lounge band called Coxon's Army, a regular at Sam Miller's basement club. The band gained in popularity and was the subject of a never-aired
PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...
special; its bassist Roger Capps was later the original bass player for the Pat Benatar Band. The period also yielded Benatar's first and only single until her eventual 1979 single (taken from the album ''In the Heat of the Night'' on Chrysalis Records): "Day Gig" (1974), Trace Records, written and produced by Coxon and locally released in Richmond. Her last significant gig in Richmond was a two-hour performance at Thomas Jefferson High School. Dennis Benatar was discharged from the Army and the couple moved to New York in May 1975 so she could pursue a singing career. She performed at an amateur night at the
comedy club A comedy club is a venue—typically a nightclub, bar, hotel, casino, or restaurant—where people watch or listen to performances, including stand-up comedians, improvisational comedians, impersonators, impressionists, magicians, ventriloquist ...
Catch a Rising Star in New York. Her rendition of
Judy Garland Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922June 22, 1969) was an American actress and singer. While critically acclaimed for many different roles throughout her career, she is widely known for playing the part of Dorothy Gale in '' The ...
's "
Rock-a-Bye Your Baby With a Dixie Melody "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody" is a popular song written by Jean Schwartz, with lyrics by Sam M. Lewis and Joe Young. The song was introduced by Al Jolson in the Broadway musical '' Sinbad'' and published in 1918. Probably the best- ...
" earned her a callback by club owner Rick Newman, who then became her manager; she became a regular performer at Catch a Rising Star for the next three years. In late 1975 she landed the part of Zephyr in
Harry Chapin Harold Forster Chapin (; December 7, 1942 – July 16, 1981) was an American singer-songwriter, philanthropist, and hunger activist best known for his folk rock and pop rock songs. He achieved worldwide success in the 1970s. Chapin, a Grammy A ...
's futuristic rock musical, ''The Zinger'', which ran for a month in 1976 at the Performing Arts Foundation's (PAF) Playhouse in Huntington Station,
Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...
.
Halloween Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observanc ...
1977 proved a pivotal night in her early,
spandex Spandex, Lycra, or elastane is a synthetic fiber known for its exceptional elasticity. It is a polyether-polyurea copolymer that was invented in 1958 by chemist Joseph Shivers at DuPont's Benger Laboratory in Waynesboro, Virginia, US. The g ...
ed stage persona. She entered a Halloween contest at the Cafe Figaro in
Greenwich Village Greenwich Village ( , , ) is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street to the north, Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the south, and the Hudson River to the west. Greenwich Village ...
dressed as a character from the film ''
Cat-Women of the Moon ''Cat-Women of the Moon'' is an independently made 1953 American black-and-white three-dimensional science-fiction film, produced by Jack Rabin and Al Zimbalist, directed by Arthur Hilton, that stars Sonny Tufts, Victor Jory, and Marie Winds ...
''. Later that evening, she went onstage at Catch a Rising Star still in costume. Between appearances at Catch a Rising Star, she recorded commercial jingles for
Pepsi Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by PepsiCo. Originally created and developed in 1893 by Caleb Bradham and introduced as Brad's Drink, it was renamed as Pepsi-Cola in 1898, and then shortened to Pepsi in 1961. History Pepsi was ...
-Cola and a number of regional brands. She headlined New York City's Tramps nightclub over four days in spring 1978, where her performance was heard by representatives from several record companies. She was signed to Chrysalis Records by co-founder
Terry Ellis Terry is a unisex given name, derived from French Thierry and Theodoric. It can also be used as a diminutive nickname for the names Teresa or Theresa (feminine) or Terence or Terrier (masculine). People Male * Terry Albritton (1955–2005), A ...
the following week. She and Dennis divorced shortly after, although she kept his surname.


1979–1981: ''In the Heat of the Night'' and ''Crimes of Passion''

Benatar's debut album, '' In the Heat of the Night'', was released in August 1979, but only debuted on the US ''Billboard'' 200 album chart in October, eventually peaking at number 12 in the US in March 1980.
Mike Chapman Michael Donald Chapman (born 13 April 1947) is an Australian-American record producer and songwriter who was a major force in the British pop music industry in the 1970s. He created a string of hit singles for artists including The Sweet, Suz ...
produced three tracks on the album, while engineer Peter Coleman oversaw the rest. In addition, Chapman and his songwriting partner,
Nicky Chinn Nicholas Barry Chinn (born 16 May 1945) is an English-American songwriter and record producer. Together with Mike Chapman he had a long string of hit singles in the UK and US in the 1970s and early 1980s, including several international number- ...
, wrote three songs that appear on the LP: "In the Heat of the Night" and "If You Think You Know How to Love Me" which were previously recorded by Smokie, and a rearranged version of a song they wrote for
Sweet Sweetness is a basic taste most commonly perceived when eating foods rich in sugars. Sweet tastes are generally regarded as pleasurable. In addition to sugars like sucrose, many other chemical compounds are sweet, including aldehydes, ketones ...
, "No You Don't". The album also featured two songs written by Roger Capps and her; "
I Need a Lover "I Need a Lover" is the debut single by John Mellencamp, first released in 1978 under the stage name "Johnny Cougar". Background The song appeared on his 1978 album '' A Biography'', which was not released in the United States. After becoming a ...
", written by
John Mellencamp John J. Mellencamp (born October 7, 1951), previously known as Johnny Cougar, John Cougar, and John Cougar Mellencamp, is an American singer-songwriter. He is known for his catchy brand of heartland rock, which emphasizes traditional instrument ...
; and "Don't Let It Show", written by
Alan Parsons Alan Parsons (born 20 December 1948) is an English audio engineer, songwriter, musician and record producer. Parsons was involved with the production of several notable albums, including the Beatles' ''Abbey Road'' (1969) and '' Let It Be'' ...
and
Eric Woolfson Eric Norman Woolfson (18 March 1945 – 2 December 2009) was a Scottish songwriter, lyricist, vocalist, executive producer, pianist, and co-creator of The Alan Parsons Project. Together with Parsons they sold over 50 million albums worldwide. ...
. The album was certified
Platinum Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver". Platinu ...
by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
in December 1980. Canada became the album's most successful market as it certified 4× Platinum there with chart peak of number 3 on the RPM albums chart. While it was a moderate success in Australia, reaching number 25, and very successful in New Zealand, reaching number 8, it barely made the Top 100 in the UK. Unusual for an English-language album, its most successful European market was France where it went to number 20. "If You Think You Know How to Love Me" was the first single to be released on September 14, 1979. However, it was unsuccessful. Her second single "
Heartbreaker Heartbreaker(s) or The Heart Breaker(s) may refer to: Film and television *''The Heart Breakers'', a 1916 film starring Andrew Arbuckle *''The Heart Breaker'', a 1925 film directed by Benjamin Stoloff * ''Heartbreaker'' (1983 film), an American f ...
" was released on October 26, 1979, and became a sleeper hit, eventually climbing to number 23 in the US, number 16 in Canada and number 14 in New Zealand. It was later listed at No. 72 on VH1's list of the Greatest Hard Rock songs of all-time. A third single "We Live for Love", which was written by her future husband
Neil Giraldo Neil Thomas Giraldo (born December 29, 1955) is an American musician, record producer, arranger, and songwriter best known as the musical partner of Pat Benatar since 1979and spouse since 1982. He has also performed, written and produced for art ...
, was released in February 1980, and became her first Top 10 hit anywhere by reaching number 8 in Canada, while reaching number 27 in the US, number 26 in New Zealand, and number 28 in Australia, her first hit there. In August 1980, she released her second LP, ''
Crimes of Passion A crime of passion (French: ''crime passionnel''), in popular usage, refers to a violent crime, especially homicide, in which the perpetrator commits the act against someone because of sudden strong impulse such as anger rather than as a premed ...
'', featuring her signature song " Hit Me with Your Best Shot" along with the controversial song " Hell Is for Children", which was inspired by reading a series of articles in ''The New York Times'' about child abuse in America. "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" (US number 9) was her first single to break the US Top 10 and sold more than one million copies (Gold status) in the United States. It was also a Top 10 hit in Canada and a moderate hit in Australia where it reached number 33. The album peaked for five consecutive weeks at number 2 in the US in January 1981 (behind
John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...
's and
Yoko Ono Yoko Ono ( ; ja, 小野 洋子, Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana ; born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking. Ono grew up i ...
's ''
Double Fantasy ''Double Fantasy'' is the fifth album by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, released in November 1980 on Geffen Records. Produced by Lennon, Ono and Jack Douglas, it was the seventh and final studio album released by Lennon during his lifetime. The al ...
'') and a month later, she won her first
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
for "
Best Female Rock Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to female recording artists for works (songs or albums) conta ...
" of 1980 for the album. Other singles released from ''Crimes of Passion'' were " Treat Me Right" (US number 18 and Canada number 12) and the Rascals' cover, "
You Better Run "You Better Run" is a song by the Young Rascals. Written by group members Eddie Brigati and Felix Cavaliere, it was released as the band's third single in 1966 and reached the top 20 in the United States. This song is noted for its repeated rolle ...
" (US number 42 but did not chart in Canada), which was the second music video ever played on
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
, after
the Buggles The Buggles were an English new wave band formed in London in 1977 by singer and bassist Trevor Horn and keyboardist Geoff Downes. They are best known for their 1979 debut single " Video Killed the Radio Star", which topped the UK Singles Cha ...
' "
Video Killed the Radio Star "Video Killed the Radio Star" is a song written by Trevor Horn, Geoff Downes and Bruce Woolley in 1979. It was recorded concurrently by Bruce Woolley and the Camera Club (with Thomas Dolby on keyboards) for their album '' English Garden'' an ...
".''
Trouser Press ''Trouser Press'' was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow fan of the Who Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" (a reference ...
'' claims that the second video on MTV was by
Todd Rundgren Todd Harry Rundgren (born June 22, 1948) is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, multimedia artist, sound engineer and record producer who has performed a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of the band Ut ...
.
The album also featured a changed-tempo cover of
Kate Bush Catherine Bush (born 30 July 1958) is an English singer, songwriter, record producer and dancer. In 1978, at the age of 19, she topped the UK Singles Chart for four weeks with her debut single "Wuthering Heights (song), Wuthering Heights", ...
's "
Wuthering Heights ''Wuthering Heights'' is an 1847 novel by Emily Brontë, initially published under her pen name Ellis Bell. It concerns two families of the landed gentry living on the West Yorkshire moorland, moors, the Earnshaws and the Lintons, and their tur ...
". Produced by
Keith Olsen Keith Alan Olsen (May 12, 1945 – March 9, 2020) was an American record producer and sound engineer, who worked with Magnum, Rick Springfield, Fleetwood Mac, Ozzy Osbourne, the Grateful Dead, Whitesnake, Pat Benatar, Heart, Santana, Saga, ...
, ''Crimes of Passion'' remained on the US album charts for 93 weeks and in the top 10 for more than six months, becoming her first Platinum certification by the RIAA, and was later certified as being 4× Platinum, her biggest selling album in the US. In October 1980, she (along with future husband Neil Giraldo) appeared on the cover of ''Rolling Stone'' magazine. The album was certified 5× Platinum in Canada, her best selling album in that country, where it peaked at number 2 on the album charts. It was also successful in New Zealand (number 6), France (number 2) and Australia (number 16) but did not chart in the UK.


1982–1983: ''Precious Time'', ''Get Nervous'', and ''Live from Earth''

In July 1981, Benatar released her third studio album, '' Precious Time'', which became her first album to hit number one on the Billboard 200. In Canada it was certified double Platinum and peaked at number 2 on the album chart. It was also her first to chart in the UK, reaching number 30, and became her biggest success in Australia and New Zealand, reaching number 8 and number 2, respectively, while once again being highly successful in France, peaking at number 3. The album's lead single, " Fire and Ice" (co-written by band member Scott Sheets), was another hit (US number 17 and number 2 on the new Rock Tracks chart, Canada number 4, Top 30 Australia and New Zealand) and won Benatar her second
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
for "Best Female Rock Vocal Performance" and her third consecutive RIAA certified Platinum album, eventually being certified double Platinum. " Promises in the Dark" (US number 38 and Canada number 31) was also released as a single. '' Get Nervous'' was released in 1982, led by a hit single and MTV video, "
Shadows of the Night "Shadows of the Night" is a song composed by D.L. Byron explicitly for the 1980 film ''Times Square'', which tells the story of two young runaways in New York City. The song did not make it into the movie and Byron's own record label rejected it ...
", which sold well: US Hot 100 number 13 and Rock Tracks chart number 3, Canada number 12, and AUS number 19. The album was another success, reaching number 4 in the US, although it sold less well in most other countries, generally only reaching the Top 20 (Canada number 16), and only reached number 73 in the UK. It was her fourth consecutive RIAA and CRIA Platinum certification, and "Shadows of the Night" garnered Benatar her third Grammy, again for "Best Female Rock Vocal Performance". The follow-up singles, "Little Too Late" and "Looking for a Stranger", were also successful in the US, hitting number 20 and number 39 (plus number 4 on the Rock Tracks chart) but did not chart outside the US, even in Canada. The WWII-themed music video for "Shadows of the Night" featured then-unknown actors
Judge Reinhold Edward Ernest "Judge" Reinhold Jr. (born May 21, 1957) is an American actor who has starred in several Hollywood movies, such as ''Ruthless People'', ''Fast Times at Ridgemont High'', ''Stripes'' and ''Gremlins'', and co-starred in all of the fil ...
as an American fighter copilot and
Bill Paxton William Paxton (May 17, 1955 – February 25, 2017) was an American actor and filmmaker. He appeared in films such as '' Weird Science'' (1985), ''Aliens'' (1986), '' Near Dark'' (1987), '' Tombstone'' (1993), ''True Lies'' (1994), '' Apollo 1 ...
as a German radio operator. By 1983 she had established a reputation for singing about "tough" subject matters, best exemplified by one of the biggest hits of her career, "
Love Is a Battlefield "Love Is a Battlefield" is a song by American singer Pat Benatar, recorded and released on September 12, 1983, as a single from Benatar's live album '' Live from Earth'' (1983), though the song itself was a studio recording. It was written by Ho ...
" (penned by noted hit songwriter
Holly Knight ''Ilex'' (), or holly, is a genus of over 570 species of flowering plants in the family Aquifoliaceae, and the only living genus in that family. ''Ilex'' has the most species of any woody dioecious angiosperm genus. The species are evergreen o ...
with
Mike Chapman Michael Donald Chapman (born 13 April 1947) is an Australian-American record producer and songwriter who was a major force in the British pop music industry in the 1970s. He created a string of hit singles for artists including The Sweet, Suz ...
), released in December 1983. By then, her sound had mellowed from hard rock to more atmospheric pop and the story-based video clip for "Love Is a Battlefield" was aimed squarely at MTV, even featuring Benatar in a
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
-inspired group dance number, using Jackson's Beat It director Bob Giraldi and choreographer Michael Peters. This new pop/rock direction was a huge commercial success, with the single remaining today as her biggest hit in most countries. This included it peaking at number 5 on the US Hot 100, number 1 for four weeks on the US Rock Tracks chart, number 2 in Canada, number 1 in the Netherlands (for four weeks ending as the number 2 song for the year), her first Top 30 hit there, and at number 1 in Australia for seven consecutive weeks, her first Top 25 hit there, number 3 in West Germany, number 5 in Switzerland, number 6 in New Zealand, and number 17 in the UK, her first Top 50 song there. It was became her first song to chart in Switzerland reaching number 11 there. The song also netted Benatar her fourth consecutive Grammy Award for "Best Female Rock Vocal Performance". "Love Is a Battlefield" was one of two studio tracks included on the live album, '' Live from Earth'', which was recorded during her sold-out 'Get Nervous' world tour of America and Europe in 1982 and 1983, the other being "Lipstick Lies". The album had mixed success in different countries: it peaked at number 2 in Australia, number 12 in New Zealand, number 13 in the US, and became her first hit album in Germany (number 7) and the Netherlands (number 4), but only made the Top 25 in Canada and France, and number 60 in the UK. It became her fifth consecutive RIAA and CRIA Platinum album.


1984–1986: ''Tropico'' and ''Seven the Hard Way''

In August 1984, Benatar released her fifth studio album, '' Tropico'', which, aside from reaching number 7 in New Zealand and number 31 in the UK, was generally a step back in most other countries (US number 14, Canada number 21, AUS number 9, France number 16, Germany number 26, Netherlands number 23). The single "
We Belong "We Belong" is a song recorded by American rock singer Pat Benatar, released through Legacy Music Group on October 16, 1984, as the lead single from her sixth studio album, '' Tropico'' (1984). The song written by songwriting duo Eric Lowen an ...
", a slow-tempo pop song, released in October 1984, a month prior to the album's release, became another top 10 hit in the US peaking at number 5, reaching the Top 10 in several other countries, including number 7 in Australia, number 9 in West Germany, and number 5 in Switzerland, her most successful but last hit single there. It also peaked at number 22 in the UK. A second single release, "Ooh Ooh Song", reached number 36 in the US, but fared poorly in other countries. She and Giraldo said that this album is the first where they moved away from her famed "hard rock" sound and start experimenting with new, sometimes "gentler", styles and sounds. Despite not making the US Top 10, the album immediately earned her a sixth consecutive RIAA and CRIA Platinum-certified album. After the chart success of "We Belong" in the UK, "Love is a Battlefield" was re-released in the UK early 1985 and became her highest chart hit there, reaching number 17. "We Belong" was also nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1986, her first nomination in that category. In 1985, she released her sixth studio album, '' Seven the Hard Way''. She hit the US Top 10 (and number 4 on the US Rock Tracks chart) with the Grammy-nominated rock single "
Invincible Invincible may refer to: Film and television * ''Invincible'' (2001 drama film), a drama by Werner Herzog about Jewish cabaret during the rise of Nazism * ''Invincible'' (2001 TV film), a fantasy / martial arts TV movie starring Billy Zane ...
" (the theme from the movie ''
The Legend of Billie Jean ''The Legend of Billie Jean'' is a 1985 American drama film, directed by Matthew Robbins. It stars Helen Slater, Keith Gordon, Christian Slater, Dean Stockwell, Richard Bradford and Peter Coyote. Plot Billie Jean Davy, a teenager from Corpus ...
''), which was written by
Holly Knight ''Ilex'' (), or holly, is a genus of over 570 species of flowering plants in the family Aquifoliaceae, and the only living genus in that family. ''Ilex'' has the most species of any woody dioecious angiosperm genus. The species are evergreen o ...
(Love Is a Battlefield) and
Simon Climie Simon Climie (born 7 April 1957) is an English songwriter/producer and the former lead singer of the UK duo Climie Fisher. Biography Climie was born in London. Beginning his career primarily as a songwriter/session musician, Climie found him ...
, three full months before the album was released. The track also reached number 6 in Canada. Her other Grammy-nominated single from the album, the guitar-driven "Sex As a Weapon", climbed as high as number 28 on the US Hot 100 in January 1986, number 5 on the US Rock Tracks chart, and reached the Top 30 in Canada. Both the ''Seven and the Hard Way'' singles were less successful outside North America than the previous two "gentler" singles, generally reaching the Top 30 in Australia, West Germany, the Netherlands, and New Zealand (although ''Invincible'' went Top 15 there), but missing the Top 50 in the UK. A third single, the mellow "Le Bel Age", made it to number 54 on the US Hot 100. '' Seven the Hard Way'' peaked at number 26 in the US, earning an RIAA Gold certification (import CD). In Canada, it was her seventh consecutive Platinum certified album even though it only peaked at number 36 on the albums sales chart. It also reached number 19 in Australia and was a big success in New Zealand reaching number 2, but did not reach the Top 50 in West Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland or the UK, and for the first time, an album of hers failed to chart in France. In her autobiography, ''Between a Heart and a Rock Place'', she said, "Out of all the albums, ''Seven the Hard Way'' cost the most to make and sold the least." The album sold approximately 600,000 US copies.


1987–1988: ''Best Shots'' and ''Wide Awake in Dreamland''

In July 1988, Benatar released her seventh studio album, ''
Wide Awake in Dreamland ''Wide Awake in Dreamland'' is the seventh studio album by American rock music, rock singer Pat Benatar, and her eighth album overall, released in 1988. After a string of successful albums, this was her last rock-oriented album of the 1980s, bef ...
'', which generally improved on the success of ''Seven the Hard Way'', such as peaking at number 11 in the UK and Canada, earning her eighth consecutive Platinum certified album in Canada, and number 13 in Australia. It peaked at number 26 in the US, but stalled at number 15 in New Zealand, usually one of her most successful markets. The Grammy-nominated lead single, "All Fired Up" (written by
Kerryn Tolhurst Kerryn William Tolhurst (born 1948) is an Australian country rock musician, songwriter and producer. He was based in the United States from late 1970s to the late 1990s, although he periodically returned to Australia. He was a founder of the Au ...
, ex-
The Dingoes The Dingoes are an Australian country rock band. They were initially active from 1973 to 1979, and reformed in 2009. Initially based in Melbourne, the band relocated to the United States from 1976. The most stable line-up comprised John Bois on ...
) reached number 19 in both the U.S. and the U.K. (plus number 2 on the US Rock Tracks chart), number 8 in Canada, number 20 in New Zealand, and was a number 2 smash in Australia, becoming one of the biggest hits of 1988 in that country. Other singles released from the LP are " Don't Walk Away" (UK number 42), the Grammy nominated "Let's Stay Together", and "One Love" (UK number 59).


1989–2012: ''True Love'', ''Gravity's Rainbow'', ''Innamorata'' and ''Go''

'' True Love'' was a
jump blues Jump blues is an up-tempo style of blues, usually played by small groups and featuring horn instruments. It was popular in the 1940s and was a precursor of rhythm and blues and rock and roll. Appreciation of jump blues was renewed in the 1990s as ...
record, released in late April 1991, and featured the blues band
Roomful of Blues Roomful of Blues is an American blues and swing revival big band based in Rhode Island. With a recording career that spans over 50 years, they have toured worldwide and recorded many albums. Roomful of Blues, according to the ''Chicago Sun-Tim ...
, backing up Pat Benatar,
Neil Giraldo Neil Thomas Giraldo (born December 29, 1955) is an American musician, record producer, arranger, and songwriter best known as the musical partner of Pat Benatar since 1979and spouse since 1982. He has also performed, written and produced for art ...
and Myron Grombacher. The album sold over 339,000 copies without significant radio airplay and limited exposure on VH-1. "Payin' the Cost to Be the Boss", " So Long", and the title cut were released as singles, with the first reaching number 17 on the US Rock Tracks chart, but not charting anywhere else. The album reached number 40 in the UK and number 37 in the US. It was certified Gold in Canada for sales of 50,000 units, her first to not achieve Platinum status and her last certified album for that country where it peaked at 22 on the albums sales chart. It reached the Top 40 in several other countries. ''
Gravity's Rainbow ''Gravity's Rainbow'' is a 1973 novel by American writer Thomas Pynchon. The narrative is set primarily in Europe at the end of World War II and centers on the design, production and dispatch of V-2 rockets by the German military. In particular, ...
'' was released in 1993 and was a return to the AOR genre. "
Everybody Lay Down "Everybody Lay Down" is a song by American singer Pat Benatar, which was released in 1993 as the lead single from her ninth studio album ''Gravity's Rainbow''. The song was written by Neil Giraldo and Benatar, and produced by Don Gehman and Giral ...
" was picked up by Album Rock radio and went all the way to number 3 on the Rock Tracks chart. The single was never released to Top 40/Contemporary Hit Radio and a music video was never produced. The only other country where it charted was Canada where it reached number 50. "Somebody's Baby" was instead released as the single to Top 40 radio and a music video produced, but it did not chart in the US and was only a minor success in some other countries, including peaking at number 41 in Canada. A third track, "Everytime I Fall Back", was scheduled for release and a video was filmed, but the single was never released and the music video was lost when
Chrysalis A pupa ( la, pupa, "doll"; plural: ''pupae'') is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation between immature and mature stages. Insects that go through a pupal stage are holometabolous: they go through four distinct stages in their ...
was sold to
EMI EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British Transnational corporation, transnational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in March 1 ...
Records. She had become pregnant again and it may have had an effect on her label's support of the album. The tour for this album was only seven dates, cut short because of the pregnancy. It was her last album recorded for Chrysalis. With very little promotion from Chrysalis, ''
Gravity's Rainbow ''Gravity's Rainbow'' is a 1973 novel by American writer Thomas Pynchon. The narrative is set primarily in Europe at the end of World War II and centers on the design, production and dispatch of V-2 rockets by the German military. In particular, ...
'' failed to have the same commercial success as her previous work. According to SoundScan, the album sold approximately 160,000 copies in the United States and it reached number 85 on the album chart. It is currently available in a two-in-one release with ''True Love'' (import). The album only charted in one other market – that being Canada – where it reached number 44. '' Innamorata'' (US number 171) was released in 1997 on the CMC International record label. A single video was produced for "Strawberry Wine (Life is Sweet)". According to
SoundScan Luminate (formerly Nielsen SoundScan, Nielsen Music Products, and MRC Data) is a provider of music sales data. Established by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett in 1991, data is collected weekly and made available every Sunday (for albums sales) and eve ...
, the album sold close to 65,000 copies. She has released only one album of new material since 1997's '' Innamorata'', which is 2003's '' Go'' (US number 187). The album included the 9/11 charity single "Christmas in America" as a bonus track. A video was produced for the single "Have It All", but was never released until it was leaked on YouTube in 2012; the only video from this album is for the bonus track. They reunited with
Holly Knight ''Ilex'' (), or holly, is a genus of over 570 species of flowering plants in the family Aquifoliaceae, and the only living genus in that family. ''Ilex'' has the most species of any woody dioecious angiosperm genus. The species are evergreen o ...
with Neil and Holly cowriting the tune "Girl". The hard rock title track "Go!" became a popular performance song for Benatar's future concerts. According to SoundScan, the album has now sold nearly 34,000 copies.


2013-present

In November 2015 Benatar recorded and released a holiday song called "One December Night". In January 2017 she recorded the song "Shine" to support the Women's March on January 21, 2017, which was her first original non-holiday recording in over 10 years. In September of the same year she again teamed with songwriter and producer Linda Perry for the song "Dancing Through the Wreckage", which was the lead single from the soundtrack for the documentary ''Served Like a Girl''. In October 2017 the song entered the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart, eventually peaking at number 22 in November. The song also received a nomination for Best Song from a Documentary from the Critics' Choice Awards. In 2020, she was nominated for induction in the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...
alongside fifteen other artists but despite coming in second in the fan vote was not among the inductees. She was nominated for a second time in 2022. On May 4, 2022, the Hall of Fame announced Benatar will be included in the 2022 class of inductees. On July 22, 2022, she announced she would stop performing "Hit Me with Your Best Shot" on her current tour "in deference to the victims of the families of these ecentmass shootings".


Personal life

Pat Benatar married her high school sweetheart, Dennis Benatar, at the age of 19 in 1972. The couple divorced in 1979. She has been married to her second husband, guitarist
Neil Giraldo Neil Thomas Giraldo (born December 29, 1955) is an American musician, record producer, arranger, and songwriter best known as the musical partner of Pat Benatar since 1979and spouse since 1982. He has also performed, written and produced for art ...
, since 1982. They have two daughters and live in Malibu, California. Both her daughters Haley and Hana Giraldo appeared on the E!
reality television Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 19 ...
series, '' Filthy Rich: Cattle Drive'' and '' Relatively Famous: Ranch Rules'', in late 2005 and early 2022 respectively. Benatar is a lapsed
Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
.


Tours

*1979–1980: toured in support of '' In the Heat of the Night'' and ''
Crimes of Passion A crime of passion (French: ''crime passionnel''), in popular usage, refers to a violent crime, especially homicide, in which the perpetrator commits the act against someone because of sudden strong impulse such as anger rather than as a premed ...
'' *1981: '' Precious Time'' Tour *1982–1983: '' Get Nervous'' Tour, resulting in the '' Live from Earth'' album and HBO special released on VHS and (eventually) DVD *1985–1986: '' Seven the Hard Way'' Tour *1988: ''
Wide Awake in Dreamland ''Wide Awake in Dreamland'' is the seventh studio album by American rock music, rock singer Pat Benatar, and her eighth album overall, released in 1988. After a string of successful albums, this was her last rock-oriented album of the 1980s, bef ...
'' Tour *1991: '' True Love'' Tour with
Hall and Oates Daryl Hall and John Oates, commonly known as Hall & Oates, are an American pop rock duo formed in Philadelphia in 1970. Daryl Hall is generally the lead vocalist; John Oates primarily plays electric guitar and provides backing vocals. The two w ...
*1993: ''
Gravity's Rainbow ''Gravity's Rainbow'' is a 1973 novel by American writer Thomas Pynchon. The narrative is set primarily in Europe at the end of World War II and centers on the design, production and dispatch of V-2 rockets by the German military. In particular, ...
'' Tour with seven dates only (cut short because of second pregnancy) *1995: Can't Stop Rockin' Tour with
Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood Mac are a British-American rock band, formed in London in 1967. Fleetwood Mac were founded by guitarist Peter Green, drummer Mick Fleetwood and guitarist Jeremy Spencer, before bassist John McVie joined the line-up for their epony ...
and
REO Speedwagon REO Speedwagon (originally stylized as R.E.O. Speedwagon) is an American rock band from Champaign, Illinois. Formed in 1967, the band cultivated a following during the 1970s and achieved significant commercial success throughout the 1980s. The ...
*1996: Hits Tour, which previewed some material from '' Innamorata'' *1997: toured with the
Steve Miller Band The Steve Miller Band is an American rock music, rock band formed in 1966 in San Francisco, California. The band is led by Steve Miller (musician), Steve Miller on guitar and lead vocals. The group had a string of mid- to late-1970s hit singles t ...
, adding full-length solo shows in bars and clubs on Miller's nights off; appeared at
Lilith Fair Lilith Fair was a concert tour and travelling music festival, founded by Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan, Nettwerk Music Group's Dan Fraser and Terry McBride, and New York talent agent Marty Diamond. It took place during the summers of 1997 ...
for two performances *1998: '' Innamorata'' Tour *1999: '' Synchronistic Wanderings'' 20th Anniversary Tour *2000: PB2000 Tour *2001–2002: Summer Vacation Tour in support of the CD and DVD release ''Summer Vacation Tour'' *2003: I Won't Go Tour *2004: Let's Go Tour *2005: Almost II Tour *2006: Polyamnesia Off the Rock Tour *2007: Summarized Tour *2008: Fired Up! Tour *2009: Call Me Invincible Tour with Blondie; also featured
The Donnas The Donnas were an American rock band formed in Palo Alto, California, in 1993. The band consisted of Brett Anderson (lead vocals), Allison Robertson (guitar, backing vocals), Maya Ford (bass guitar, backing vocals) and Torry Castellano (drum ...
on some full-length solo shows *2010: Love on the Run Tour with
REO Speedwagon REO Speedwagon (originally stylized as R.E.O. Speedwagon) is an American rock band from Champaign, Illinois. Formed in 1967, the band cultivated a following during the 1970s and achieved significant commercial success throughout the 1980s. The ...
, which included her former drummer Myron Grombacher. Subsequently, in October 2010, she toured Australia and played various dates with the 1980s girl pop group
The Bangles The Bangles are an American pop rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1981. The band recorded several singles that reached the U.S. top 10 during the 1980s, including "Manic Monday" (1986), "Walk Like an Egyptian" (1986), " Hazy Shade ...
*2011: The Elements of Five Tour *2012: toured with
Loverboy Loverboy is a Canadian rock band formed in 1979 in Calgary, Alberta. Loverboy's hit singles, particularly " Turn Me Loose" and "Working for the Weekend", have become arena rock staples and are still heard on many classic rock and classic hits r ...
and
Journey Journey or journeying may refer to: * Travel, the movement of people between distant geographical locations ** Day's journey, a measurement of distance ** Road trip, a long-distance journey on the road Animals * Journey (horse), a thoroughbred ra ...
*2013:
New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
tour with Bachman & Turner and
America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
; North American tour with
Cheap Trick Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973 by guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson, lead vocalist Robin Zander and drummer Bun E. Carlos. The current lineup of the band consists of Zander, Nielsen and ...
,
Eric Burdon Eric Victor Burdon (born 11 May 1941) is an English singer. He was previously the lead vocalist of R&B and rock band the Animals and funk band War. He is regarded as one of the British Invasion's most distinctive singers with his deep, pow ...
and selected solo dates *2014: Dressed to Kill Tour with
Cher Cher (; born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the Honorific nicknames in popular music, "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female ...
*2014: 35th Anniversary tour with solo dates, and co-headlining dates with
Rick Springfield Richard Lewis Springthorpe (born 23 August 1949), known professionally as Rick Springfield, is an Australian-American musician and actor. He was a member of the pop rock group Zoot from 1969 to 1971, then started his solo career with his debut ...
,
Cheap Trick Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973 by guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson, lead vocalist Robin Zander and drummer Bun E. Carlos. The current lineup of the band consists of Zander, Nielsen and ...
, and
John Waite John Charles Waite (born 4 July 1952) is an English musician. As a solo artist, he has released ten studio albums and is best known for the 1984 hit single " Missing You", which reached No. 1 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and the top ten on ...
.
Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
also opened for Benatar on a few dates *2015: 35th Anniversary tour continued from previously cancelled dates with
Cher Cher (; born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the Honorific nicknames in popular music, "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female ...
, in support of the ''35th Anniversary Tour (Live)'' CD/DVD release; this tour too was cancelled because of emergency eye surgery for Neil Giraldo in late summer 2015. An acoustic tour with just Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo was begun in October *2016: We Live For Love Tour with
Melissa Etheridge Melissa Lou Etheridge (born May 29, 1961) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and guitarist. Her eponymous debut album was released in 1988 and became an underground success. It peaked at No. 22 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and its lead ...
and solo dates. In protest of the anti-LGBT laws passed in Mississippi and North Carolina, Benatar chose to still perform in those states. The proceeds from her tickets sales, however, were donated to organizations to help fund the reversal of those laws *2017: Let's Go Tour *2018: Almost II Tour *2019: 40th Anniversary Tour *2021-2022: De Novo Tour *2023: Summer Carnival (supporting
Pink Pink is the color of a namesake flower that is a pale tint of red. It was first used as a color name in the late 17th century. According to surveys in Europe and the United States, pink is the color most often associated with charm, politeness, ...
alongside
Brandi Carlile Brandi Marie Carlile ( ; born June 1, 1981) is an American singer-songwriter and producer whose music spans many genres, including folk rock, alternative country, Americana, and classic rock. , Carlile has released seven studio albums. She has ...
)


Memoir

In June 2010, Benatar's memoir, ''Between a Heart and a Rock Place'', was released. The book was published by
HarperCollins 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 ...
and was acquired by Lisa Sharkey. Benatar's memoir touches on her battles with her record company Chrysalis, the difficulties that her career caused in her personal life, and feminism. In the memoir, she is quoted as saying, "For every day since I was old enough to think, I've considered myself a feminist … It's empowering to watch and to know that, perhaps in some way, I made the hard path omenhave to walk just a little bit easier." The book went on to become a ''New York Times'' bestseller. Initially reluctant to undertake the project, she found the actual writing process so enjoyable that it inspired her with plans to write a novel. In summer 2011, Benatar announced she was working on a Christmas album and a novel about the
second coming of Christ The Second Coming (sometimes called the Second Advent or the Parousia) is a Christian (as well as Islamic and Baha'i) belief that Jesus will return again after his ascension to heaven about two thousand years ago. The idea is based on messi ...
.


Band

Although billed as a solo artist, Benatar recorded and toured with a consistent set of band members over most of her career: * Neil "Spyder" Giraldo (incorrectly spelled as "Geraldo" in early liner notes/credits) is the lead guitarist of the band and has performed on all of Benatar's albums. * Myron Grombacher, who played with Giraldo in Rick Derringer's touring band, is drummer on nine of Benatar's original albums (''
Crimes of Passion A crime of passion (French: ''crime passionnel''), in popular usage, refers to a violent crime, especially homicide, in which the perpetrator commits the act against someone because of sudden strong impulse such as anger rather than as a premed ...
'', '' Precious Time'', '' Get Nervous'', '' Live from Earth'', '' Tropico'', '' Seven the Hard Way'', ''
Wide Awake in Dreamland ''Wide Awake in Dreamland'' is the seventh studio album by American rock music, rock singer Pat Benatar, and her eighth album overall, released in 1988. After a string of successful albums, this was her last rock-oriented album of the 1980s, bef ...
'', '' True Love'', and ''
Gravity's Rainbow ''Gravity's Rainbow'' is a 1973 novel by American writer Thomas Pynchon. The narrative is set primarily in Europe at the end of World War II and centers on the design, production and dispatch of V-2 rockets by the German military. In particular, ...
'') and has numerous writing credits. Grombacher is easily recognizable in the music videos, particularly as the mad dentist in "Anxiety (Get Nervous)". * Charlie Giordano performed keyboard duties on six albums ('' Get Nervous'', '' Live from Earth'', '' Tropico'', '' Seven the Hard Way'', ''
Wide Awake in Dreamland ''Wide Awake in Dreamland'' is the seventh studio album by American rock music, rock singer Pat Benatar, and her eighth album overall, released in 1988. After a string of successful albums, this was her last rock-oriented album of the 1980s, bef ...
'' and '' True Love'') and is identifiable by his glasses and distinctive array of berets, blazers, and 1980s-style ties. In 2007, he replaced the late
Danny Federici Daniel Paul Federici (January 23, 1950 – April 17, 2008) was an American musician, best known as the organ, glockenspiel, and accordion player and a founding member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. In 2014, Federici was posthumously induct ...
in the
E Street Band The E Street Band is an American rock band, and has been musician Bruce Springsteen's primary backing band since 1972. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. For the bulk of Springsteen's recording and performing caree ...
. * Roger Capps, the original bassist for the first five albums ('' In the Heat of the Night'', ''
Crimes of Passion A crime of passion (French: ''crime passionnel''), in popular usage, refers to a violent crime, especially homicide, in which the perpetrator commits the act against someone because of sudden strong impulse such as anger rather than as a premed ...
'', '' Precious Time'', '' Get Nervous'', and '' Live from Earth''), co-wrote " Hell Is For Children" with Benatar and Giraldo and left the band in 1984. * Scott St. Clair Sheets (Scott Sheets) who was originally the lead guitarist of the 1970s band, The Brats, was an original member of the Pat Benatar Band. Sheets is credited as guitarist on the first three albums ('' In the Heat of the Night'', ''
Crimes of Passion A crime of passion (French: ''crime passionnel''), in popular usage, refers to a violent crime, especially homicide, in which the perpetrator commits the act against someone because of sudden strong impulse such as anger rather than as a premed ...
'', and '' Precious Time'') and first three world tours. He wrote the song "Prisoner of Love" for the ''Crimes of Passion'' album and co-wrote the hit "Fire and Ice" for the ''Precious Time'' album. * Mick Mahan is the band's bassist and has performed with Benatar since 1995 and has appeared on albums ('' Innamorata'' and '' Go''). The original bassist, Roger Capps, was replaced by Donnie Nossov on ''Tropico'', and then later by Frank Linx. * Donnie Nossov was the band's second bassist for two of Pat Benatar's albums ('' Tropico'' and '' Seven the Hard Way'') * Frank Linx was the bassist for two of Pat Benatar's studio albums (''
Wide Awake in Dreamland ''Wide Awake in Dreamland'' is the seventh studio album by American rock music, rock singer Pat Benatar, and her eighth album overall, released in 1988. After a string of successful albums, this was her last rock-oriented album of the 1980s, bef ...
'' and ''
Gravity's Rainbow ''Gravity's Rainbow'' is a 1973 novel by American writer Thomas Pynchon. The narrative is set primarily in Europe at the end of World War II and centers on the design, production and dispatch of V-2 rockets by the German military. In particular, ...
'') * Glen Alexander Hamilton played drums on the first album ('' In the Heat of the Night''). *
Chuck Domanico Charles Louis Domanico (January 20, 1944 – October 17, 2002), better known as Chuck Domanico, was an American jazz bassist who played double bass and bass guitar on the West Coast jazz scene. Domanico was born in Chicago. He settled i ...
was the band's bassist on their eighth studio album and ninth album overall ('' True Love'') * Chris Ralles is the band's current drummer.


Stage and screen appearances

* Benatar played the role of Jeanette Florescu in the film ''Union City'' (1980), directed by Mark Reichert. * Benatar played the character Zephyr in
Harry Chapin Harold Forster Chapin (; December 7, 1942 – July 16, 1981) was an American singer-songwriter, philanthropist, and hunger activist best known for his folk rock and pop rock songs. He achieved worldwide success in the 1970s. Chapin, a Grammy A ...
's futuristic rock musical ''The Zinger''. Benatar performed the solo "Shooting Star" in honor of Chapin for the Harry Chapin Tribute, Carnegie Hall, December 7, 1987. * Benatar has made numerous television appearances, mostly as herself. She appeared with her husband Neil Giraldo in the ''
Charmed ''Charmed'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Constance M. Burge and produced by Aaron Spelling and his production company Spelling Television, with Brad Kern serving as showrunner. The series was originally broadcast ...
'' episode "
Lucky Charmed The fifth season of '' Charmed'', an American supernatural drama television series created by Constance M. Burge, originally aired in the United States on The WB from September 22, 2002 through May 11, 2003. Airing on Sundays at 8:00 pm. Paramou ...
" on which "
Heartbreaker Heartbreaker(s) or The Heart Breaker(s) may refer to: Film and television *''The Heart Breakers'', a 1916 film starring Andrew Arbuckle *''The Heart Breaker'', a 1925 film directed by Benjamin Stoloff * ''Heartbreaker'' (1983 film), an American f ...
" was used and in an episode of ''
Dharma & Greg ''Dharma & Greg'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on ABC from September 24, 1997, until April 30, 2002, for 119 episodes over five seasons. The show starred Jenna Elfman and Thomas Gibson as Dharma and Greg Montgomery, a ...
'' as herself singing "We've Only Just Begun" at an impromptu wedding in an airport. In 2001, she also appeared as fictional rock star Anna Raines in the CBS television drama ''
Family Law Family law (also called matrimonial law or the law of domestic relations) is an area of the law that deals with family matters and domestic relations. Overview Subjects that commonly fall under a nation's body of family law include: * Marriage, ...
'' with Dixie Carter and Christopher McDonald. Benatar also appeared on ''
That 80's Show ''That '80s Show'' is an American television sitcom set in 1984 that aired from January to May 2002 on Fox. Even though it had a similar name, show structure, and many of the same writers and production staff, it was not a direct spin-off of t ...
'' as herself. * Benatar appeared as a special guest at the sixth annual '' VH1 Divas'' concert, ''VH1 Divas Duets'', performing "Heartbreaker" with Giraldo and headliner
Lisa Marie Presley Lisa Marie Presley (born February 1, 1968) is an American singer-songwriter. She is the only child of singer and actor Elvis Presley and actress Priscilla Presley, as well as the sole heir to her father's estate. Presley has developed a caree ...
, with the married couple interviewed by
Sharon Osbourne Sharon Rachel Osbourne (née Levy, later Arden; born 9 October 1952) is a British-American television personality, music manager and author. She is married to heavy metal singer-songwriter Ozzy Osbourne and came to prominence while appearing ...
following the performance. * In 2003, Benatar and her music were featured on ''
CMT Crossroads ''CMT Crossroads'' is an American television program broadcast on CMT that pairs country music artists with musicians from other music genres such as alternative rock, pop, R&B, Rock, soul and more, frequently trading off performing one anot ...
'', in an episode that paired her with country singer
Martina McBride Martina Mariea McBride (née Schiff, born July 29, 1966) is an American country music singer-songwriter and record producer. She is known for her soprano singing range and her country pop material. McBride was born in Sharon, Kansas, and reloc ...
(who was influenced by Benatar's vocal range). * Benatar and Giraldo performed in the
Tiny Desk Concerts Tiny Desk Concerts is a video series of live concerts hosted by NPR Music at the desk of ''All Songs Considered'' host Bob Boilen in Washington, D.C. The first Tiny Desk Concert came about in 2008 after Boilen and NPR Music editor Stephen Tho ...
series of
NPR Music NPR Music is a project of National Public Radio, an American privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization, that launched in November 2007 to present public radio music programming and original editorial content for music ...
on November 14, 2014. At the Tiny Desk, Benatar and Giraldo ran through three of their classic songs: "We Live For Love," "We Belong" and "Promises In The Dark".


Awards and nominations


Discography

* '' In the Heat of the Night'' (1979) * ''
Crimes of Passion A crime of passion (French: ''crime passionnel''), in popular usage, refers to a violent crime, especially homicide, in which the perpetrator commits the act against someone because of sudden strong impulse such as anger rather than as a premed ...
'' (1980) * '' Precious Time'' (1981) * '' Get Nervous'' (1982) *'' Live from Earth'' (1983) * '' Tropico'' (1984) * '' Seven the Hard Way'' (1985) * ''
Wide Awake in Dreamland ''Wide Awake in Dreamland'' is the seventh studio album by American rock music, rock singer Pat Benatar, and her eighth album overall, released in 1988. After a string of successful albums, this was her last rock-oriented album of the 1980s, bef ...
'' (1988) * '' True Love'' (1991) * ''
Gravity's Rainbow ''Gravity's Rainbow'' is a 1973 novel by American writer Thomas Pynchon. The narrative is set primarily in Europe at the end of World War II and centers on the design, production and dispatch of V-2 rockets by the German military. In particular, ...
'' (1993) * '' Innamorata'' (1997) * '' Go'' (2003)


References


Further reading

* Benatar, Pat and Cox, Patsi (2010). ''Between a Heart and a Rock Place''. Harper Collins. . * Fissinger, Laura (1983). ''Pat Benatar''. Rock'n PopStars. Mankato, Minn.: Creative Education. . . * Magee, Doug (1985). ''Pat Benatar''. Proteus. .


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Benatar, Pat 1953 births 20th-century American singers 20th-century American women singers 21st-century American singers 21st-century American women singers American actresses American women rock singers American women singer-songwriters American feminists American hard rock musicians American mezzo-sopranos American people of English descent American people of German descent American people of Irish descent American people of Polish descent American autobiographers Chrysalis Records artists Feminist musicians Grammy Award winners Living people Music of Richmond, Virginia Musicians from Brooklyn People from Greenpoint, Brooklyn People from Lindenhurst, New York Singer-songwriters from New York (state) Stony Brook University alumni