Pat Benatar

Grammy-winning rock singer Pat Benatar was one of the more successful female pop rock vocalists of the 1980s. She had hits on both radio and MTV with such instantly recognizable tracks as "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" and "Love Is a Battlefield."

Pat was born in Brooklyn, New York on January 10, 1953. She is best known for her mezzo-soprano vocal voice and for being one of the female ground breakers into the Rock music world. There are few, if any current singers able to do justice to the music Pat performs. Carrie Underwood's attempt on American Idol to duplicate "Love Is A Battlefield" was left wanting as was Martina McBride's "Promises In The Dark" on crossroads. This is certainly no knock on those performers, rather it is a testament to the God given and nurtured talent of Pat Benatar.

As a young girl, at the age of 19 Pat married her sweetheart Dennis Benatar who had been drafted into the United States Army. She moved around with him as he was stationed at different bases, eventually taking a job as a bank teller. Wanting to continue as a singer Pat quit her job and returned to New York after her husband's discharge from the Army.

Harry Chapin seen her performing in a nightclub and asked her to try out for his futuristic rock musical, "The Zinger". Pat had never really sung rock and was having trouble adjusting, when Harry and his brother Tom came to her dressing room. They encouraged her and told her she was doing fine, but she needed to rough it up a little. She won the part of Zephyr and appeared in the show alongside Beverly D'Angelo and Christine Lahti. When Harry Chapin was killed in an automobile accident, Pat performed at his tribute by singing on e of Chapin's song, "Shooting Star".

Pat and her husband eventually divorced and in 1982 she wound up marrying Neil Giraldo a guitarist and song writer in her band. They had two daughters, Haley and Hana and remain married and touring today.http://www.biography.com/articles/Pat-Benatar-213028

The current members of the band consisted of Neil "Spyder" Giraldo on lead guitar and Myron Grombacher on drums. Mick Mahan is the bassist in the band, and of course Pat herself on vocals. Giraldo and Grombacher were originally members of Rick Derringer's touring band. During an interview when asked what the band did in their off days, drummer Myron Grombacher said the Pat would make them get their families together and all go on picnics.

Earlier, in her career there were other members of the band who have since either passed away or gone onto other endeavors.

• Glenn Alexander Hamilton was the drummer on her first album.
• Scott St. Clair Sheets played rhythm guitar on her first 3 albums.
• Charlie Giordano played keyboard on five albums.
• Roger Capps - bassist
• Donnie Nossov - bassist
• Chris Ralles - Drums
• Ray Brinker - Drums/Percussion
• Billy Ashbaugh - drums/Percussion
• Allison Cornell - Keyboards/Strings/Vocals
• Susie Davis - Keyboards/Vocals
• Cindy O'Connor - Keyboards/Vocals

Studio Albums

• 1979 In the Heat of the Night
• 1980 Crimes of Passion
• 1981 Precious Time
• 1982 Get Nervous
• 1983 Live from Earth
• 1984 Tropico
• 1985 Seven the Hard Way
• 1988 Wide Awake in Dreamland
• 1989 Best Shots
• 1991 True Love
• 1993 Gravity's Rainbow
• 1997 Innamorata
• 2003 Go
• 2005 Summer Vacation Tour Liv

Pat is a 4 time Grammy winner and was the first female artist featured on MTV. Her video, "You Better Run" was the second aired by the music station, after only "Video Killed the Radio Star". She awarded her Grammy Awards in 4 consecutive years from 1980 through 1983. She won for her second album "Crimes of Passion" and for the singles "Fire and Ice", "Shadows of the Night", and "Love Is a Battlefield".

During the 80s she was nominated for Best Female Rock Performance eight times and named "Rolling Sone" magazine's favorite female artist twice.

If you want to find personal info on Pat, then coming on June 15, 2010 look for, "Between a Heart and a Rock Place", memoirs from Pat Benatarhttp://www.myspace.com/officialpatbenatar. This will be Pat's official autobiography. It will take you from her early beginnings in the music scene, to her foray into the Rock world which at the time was dominated by men. Once there, this 90 pound human cyclone paved the way for future female rock stars.

Pat has an extensive concert tour lined up for 2010. Not only is she performing with her husband Neil Giraldo, she is booked to perform also with REO Speedwagon. .http://www.benatarfanclub.com/news.shtml

Her concert schedule for 2010 has been released and includes stops between April 15 and September 5http://collect.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=bandprofile.listAllShows&friendid=213955948&n=Pat+Benatar+and+Neil+Giraldo.ref>.