Happy Birthday Pat Benatar

I remember when Pat Benatar first came out. “Heartbreaker” was released in 1979 so I must have been about 15 or so. Man she kicked ass! I was just starting to get into my hard rock/heavy metal phase and I was pleased to learn of  woman who could rock out like the guys. I saved my babysitting money and bought her first album, “In the Heat of the Night” as soon as I had funds. And then I played it over and over and over again. Pat didn’t disappoint.

Here are some cool facts about Pat Benatar:

• Pat worked as a bank teller in Manhattan but received a lot of flack from her co-workers because she was anal about the bills all facing in the same direction.
• Pat was born Patricia Mae Andrzejewski. She married Dennis Benatar in 1971 and they were divorced in 1979. (OK well divorce doesn’t exactly fall into the “cool” category but it explains the last name.)
• Pat Benatar is a classically trained musician, having studied voice and opera.
• Pat married her guitar player, Neil Geraldo, in 1982.

Rock on, Pat.