Pat Benatar
Trained as an opera singer, Patricia Andrzejewski reinvented herself as a leather-clad rock belter and broke through with her 1979 debut In the Heat of the Night. Hits like 'Hit Me with Your Best Shot' and a run of four straight Grammys made her one of the first female rock superstars of the MTV age.
Opera to Rock
Born in Brooklyn in 1953, Patricia Andrzejewski trained as a classical singer before turning to rock. She adopted the name Pat Benatar from her first marriage and signed with Chrysalis Records.
Rock's Leading Lady
Her 1979 debut and the smash 'Hit Me with Your Best Shot' established her as a fierce frontwoman. She won four straight Grammys and dominated early MTV alongside guitarist and husband Neil Giraldo.
Recognized Legacy
Benatar's blend of muscular rock and pop melody opened doors for women in the genre. She and Giraldo were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.
Career Timeline
- 1953Patricia Andrzejewski born in Brooklyn, New York
- 1979Debut album In the Heat of the Night released
- 1980'Hit Me with Your Best Shot' breaks the US Top 10
- 1981Wins first Best Female Rock Vocal Grammy
- 1983'Love Is a Battlefield' becomes a signature hit
- 1983Marries guitarist and collaborator Neil Giraldo
- 1984'We Belong' becomes a Top 5 single
- 1985Caps four consecutive Best Female Rock Vocal Grammys
- 2022Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Biggest Hits
- She won the Grammy for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance four years in a row, from 1981 through 1984.
- Her video for 'Love Is a Battlefield' was one of the first to use dialogue and dance as a mini-narrative.
Portrait: Heidy Escobar · CC BY-SA 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons