Name	Hit the Highway
Type	studio
Artist	The Proclaimers
Cover	Proclaimers hit the highway.jpg
Released	March 22, 1994
Recorded	1993–1994
Genre	Pop, rock
Length	42:34
Label	Chrysalis
Producer	The Proclaimers
Reviews	*Allmusic [ link]
Last album	Sunshine on Leith(1988)
This album	Hit the Highway(1994)
Next album	Persevere(2001)

Hit the Highway is the third studio album by The Proclaimers. It took them six years to follow their second album, Sunshine on Leith.

Track listing

#"Let's Get Married" #"The More I Believe" #"What Makes You Cry?" #"Follow the Money" #"These Arms of Mine" #"Shout Shout" #"The Light" #"Hit The Highway" #"A Long Long Long Time Ago" #"I Want to Be a Christian" #"Your Childhood" #"Don't Turn Out Like Your Mother"

Category:1994 albums Category:Chrysalis Records albums Category:The Proclaimers albums

Name	Vanessa Hudgens
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Vanessa Anne Hudgens
Alias
Born	December 14, 1988Salinas, California, United States
Genre	Pop, dance
Occupation	Actress, singer, dancer
Years active	2002–present
Label	Hollywood (2006-2009)
Associated acts	Corbin Bleu, Drew Seeley, Lil Mama, Rock Mafia, Windy Wagner
Url	www.vanessahudgens.com

Vanessa Anne Hudgens (born December 14, 1988) is an American actress and singer, who is best known for her portrayal of the character Gabriella Montez in the High School Musical series. She also earned critical acclaim for her role in the 2009 film Bandslam.

As an actress, Hudgens has appeared in several television programs including Quintuplets, Still Standing, The Brothers García, Drake & Josh, and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. She made her screen debut in the 2003 drama film Thirteen as Noel. She got her first starring role in the 2004 science-fiction-adventure film Thunderbirds as Tintin.

Hudgens' debut album V was released on September 26, 2006. The album entered the Billboard 200 at number twenty four, and was later certified Gold. Hudgens released her second album, Identified, on July 1, 2008 in the U.S.

Hudgens' fame has also been marked by scandal caused by the release of private, self-taken nude photographs of herself on the Internet without her permission, first in 2007, and then in again in 2009.

Early life

Hudgens was born in Salinas, California, and lived all over the West Coast – from Oregon to Southern California – with her parents, Gina (née Guangco), who held a succession of office jobs, and Gregory Hudgens, a firefighter. and has a younger sister, Stella Hudgens, who is also an actress. Hudgens is of mixed cultural background, as her father is of Irish and Native American descent, and her mother, a native of Manila, is of Chinese-Filipino descent. Hudgens is also of distant Spanish descent and all of her grandparents were musicians. Two years after her career in stage plays and musicals, she started auditioning for commercials and television shows, and her family moved to Los Angeles after she won a role in a television commercial. Her acting career started at the age of 15, and she briefly attended Orange County High School of the Arts, followed by homeschooling with tutors.

Acting career

at the tour.]] In 2003, Hudgens played a minor role in the independent drama film Thirteen, where she plays Noel, a friend of a lead character (Tracy, played by Evan Rachel Wood). The film was critically successful, receiving generally favorable reviews, and its receipts surpassed its $4 million budget. Hudgens subsequently landed a role in the 2004 science fiction-adventure film Thunderbirds as Tintin. Unfortunately, the film was commercially and critically unsuccessful, and received heavy criticism through the Internet prior to its release.

In late 2005 Hudgens appeared in television shows such as Quintuplets, Still Standing, The Brothers García, Drake & Josh, and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.

, which was both critically and commercially successful]] In late 2005 she landed her breakout role of shy and meek Gabriella Montez in High School Musical, opposite to Zac Efron. Her performance received numerous nominations and awards.

In 2007, Hudgens reprised her role as Gabriella Montez in the sequel of High School Musical, High School Musical 2. Virginia Heffernan of TV Review described Hudgens in her performance in the movie as "matte" as she "glows like a proper ingénue".

Hudgens reprised her role as Gabriella Montez in . Her performance in the film made her win favorite movie actress in the 2009 Kids Choice Awards.

. Her portrayal of Sa5m garnered her critical acclaim.]] Post-High School Musical, Hudgens remarked that she will focus in her acting and films, while "taking a break" from her music career as a solo artist. She played a supporting role in a musical comedy Bandslam, which was released theatrically on August 14, 2009. Hudgens plays "Sa5m", a 15-year-old awkward freshman with untapped talents. Although Bandslam was commercially unsuccessful, Hudgens's performance received praise from critics. David Waddington of the North Wales Pioneer noted that Hudgens "outshines the rest of the cast, failing to fit in with the outcast narrative and making the inevitable climactic ending all the more expected," and Philip French of The Guardian compared her acting to Thandie Newton and Dorothy Parker.

Hudgens performed a musical number with other artists during the 81st Academy Awards. Hudgens later provided voice roles in an episode of Robot Chicken. Hudgens' involvement in Beastly, a film based on Alex Flinn's novel of the same name was announced in early 2009. She will be playing one of the main characters in the film as Linda Taylor, described by Hudgens as the "beauty" of the story but not the stereotypical beauty everyone thinks of. Along with Beastly co-star, Alex Pettyfer, Hudgens was recognized as ShoWest stars of Tomorrow. Hudgens was later cast in an action film directed by Zack Snyder, Sucker Punch, playing Blondie, an institutionalized girl in the asylum, which will release in March 2011.

After so many years, Hudgens returned to theater productions wherein she starred in the musical Rent as Mimi. The stage production ran from August 6–8, 2010 at the Hollywood Bowl. Her involvement in the production drew negative comments, but director Neil Patrick Harris defended his decision with casting Hudgens by saying, “Vanessa [Hudgens] is awesome. She’s a friend. I asked her to come in and sing to make sure she had the chops for it. And she was very committed and seemed great.”"

In October 2010, it was announced that Hudgens will be joining the to the 2008 film Journey to the Center of the Earth alongside Dwayne Johnson and Josh Hutcherson, playing Hutcherson's love interest. The film is set to release in 2011.

Music career

Hudgens received a recording contract with Hollywood Records. On September 2006 her debut album entitled V was released. It charted on the Billboard 200 at number twenty-four, Her first single, "Come Back to Me" became her highest-charting single. Her second single was "Say OK". Billboard readers chose "V" as the seventh best album of the year. Hudgens was named Female Breakout Singer of the year at the 2007 Teen Choice Awards.

Hudgens also participated in the nationwide tour in fall 2006, performing the songs from the soundtrack album as well as the three songs from her debut album. She sang the duet "Still There For Me" with Corbin Bleu for his debut album.

In December 2007, she sang to George Bush, who was then the president of the U.S., and his family, at The National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. with other singers at a Christmas event.

Her second album, Identified, which received generally favorable reviews, was released on July 1, 2008, debuting at #23 on the Billboard 200. The album's lead single was "Sneakernight", which was a moderate commercial success, peaking at #88 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #94 on the Australian Singles Chart. Hudgens's Identified Summer Tour began on August 1, 2008 and ended on September 9 of the same year.

Image and personal life

at the 81st Academy Awards]] Her height is . Us magazine said Hudgens and her High School Musical series co-star Zac Efron "met in 2005 while making the first High School Musical flick, and became a romantic item about two years later." The two were paired together during the audition process and got the part because of their chemistry. The two broke up in December 2010. Hudgens was included in Forbes richest list in early 2007, it was posted in Forbes website, that Hudgens was included in Young Hollywood's Top Earning-Stars. On December 12, 2008, Hudgens was ranked #20 in the list of Forbes "High Earners Under 30", having reported to have an estimated earnings of $3 million in 2008. She was number 62 at FHMs Sexiest Women in the World of 2008 and number 42 in the 2009 list. Hudgens is also featured in Maxims lists. She was included in People's annual "100 Most Beautiful People" 2008 and 2009 lists.

Hudgens is represented by William Morris Agency. Hudgens also promotes Neutrogena and was the 2008 featured celebrity for Sears' back-to school campaign. She was a spokesperson for Mark Ecko products. But in late 2009, she ended the 2-year contract with Ecko products. Hudgens regularly volunteers for charitable activities, including those for Best Buddies International, Lollipop Theater Network, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the VH1 Save The Music Foundation. Hudgens is also featured in A Very Special Christmas Vol.7 disc which benefits the Special Olympics. Hudgens is also part of the "Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C): Change The Odds" along with other Hollywood stars including Zac Efron, Dakota Fanning, Kristen Bell, and others.

On September 6, 2007, photos of Hudgens appeared online, one showing her posing in lingerie and another showing her nude. A statement from her publicist claims that the photo was taken privately and it was unfortunate that they were released on the Internet. Hudgens later apologized, saying that she was "embarrassed over the situation" and regretted having "taken [those] photos." Hudgens subsequently released a statement indicating that she declined to comment further on the scandal. OK! magazine speculated that Hudgens would be dropped from High School Musical 3 when naked photos of Hudgens surfaced the Internet in late 2007. The Walt Disney Company denied the reports, saying, "Vanessa has apologized for what was obviously a lapse in judgment. We hope she's learned a valuable lesson."

In August 2009, a new set of pictures showing Hudgens topless emerged on the Internet. Hudgens's representatives did not comment, though her lawyers requested the removal of the pictures from the Internet. In late 2009, Hudgens sued "www.moejackson.com" for posting Hudgens's nude 'self-portrait photographs' taken on a mobile phone in a private home. Hudgens later commented on the photos' impact on her career in the October issue of Allure with, "Whenever anybody asks me, would I do nudity in a film, if I say that it's something I'm not comfortable with, they're like, 'Bullshit, you've already done it.' If anything, it makes it more embarrassing, because that was a private thing. It's screwed up that someone screwed me over like that. At least some people are learning from my mistake."

Brian Schall sued Hudgens last 2007 for an alleged "breach of contract"; according to the suit, Schall claims he advanced costs and expenses on Hudgens’s behalf for her songwriting and recording career. Schall claims Hudgens owes him $150,000 after helping her earn more than $5 million for her music career. Hudgens argues that she was underage to sign her contract on October 2005 as she was just 16 then. Hudgens subsequently disaffirmed it on October 9, 2008. Papers filed in court by her lawyer say California's Family Code "provides that the contract of a minor is voidable and may be disaffirmed before (age 18) or within a reasonable time afterward." In 2008, Hudgens was sued by Johnny Vieira, who claims he is owed a share of Hudgens' advances, royalties and merchandising revenue in exchange for his management services. Vieira accuses Hudgens of abandoning her talent team as soon as she became a commercial name in the High School Musical era. In early May 2009, the case was settled.

Filmography

, August 2009.]] {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ Theatrical films ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 2003 | Thirteen | Noel | |- | 2004 | Thunderbirds | Tintin | Main character |- | 2008 | | Gabriella Montez | |- | 2009 | Bandslam | Sa5m | |- | 2011 | Beastly | Lindy Taylor | completed |- | 2011 | Sucker Punch | Blondie | post-production |- | 2012 | | Kailani | filming |} {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ Television films ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Channel |- | 2006 | High School Musical | Gabriella Montez | Disney Channel |- | 2007 | High School Musical 2 | Gabriella Montez | Disney Channel |} {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ Television ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 2002 | Still Standing | Tiffany | "Still Rocking" (Season 1, Episode 4) |- | 2002 | Robbery Homicide Division | Nicole | "Had" (Season 1, Episode 10) |- | 2003 | The Brothers Garcia | Lindsay | "New Tunes" (Season 4, Episode 37) |- | 2005 | Quintuplets | Carmen | "The Coconut Kapow" (Season 1, Episode 22) |- | 2006 | Drake & Josh | Rebecca | "Little Sibling" (Season 3, Episode 13) |- | 2006 | The Suite Life of Zack and Cody | Corrie | Season 2, Recurring role |- | 2009 | Robot Chicken | Lara Lor-Van / Butterbear / Erin Esurance | "Especially the Animal Keith Crofford" (Season 4, Episode 19) |}

Discography

V (2006)

Identified (2008)

Theatre

Rent - Mimi Marquez (Hollywood Bowl, 2010)

Awards and nominations

References

External links

Vanessa Hudgens Official Website Category:1988 births Category:Actors from California Category:American actors of Asian descent Category:American child actors Category:American child singers Category:American dance musicians Category:American female singers Category:American film actors Category:American musicians of Asian descent Category:American musicians of Chinese descent Category:American musicians of Filipino descent Category:American musicians of Irish descent Category:American people of Chinese descent Category:American people of Filipino descent Category:American people of Irish descent Category:American people of Native American descent Category:American people of Spanish descent Category:American pop singers Category:American television actors Category:English-language singers Category:Hollywood Records artists Category:Musicians from California Category:Native American actors Category:Native American musicians Category:Native American singers Category:Living people Category:People from Salinas, California

Name	The Proclaimers
Background	group_or_band
Current members	Charlie Reid Craig Reid
Born	Leith, Scotland, United Kingdom
Origin	Auchtermuchty, Scotland, United Kingdom
Instrument	Vocals, acoustic guitar, tambourine
Genre	Folk rock, pop, power pop
Years active	1983–present
Label	Chrysalis Records
Url	Proclaimers.co.uk

The Proclaimers are a Scottish band composed of identical twin brothers, Charlie and Craig Reid (born 5 March, 1962, in Leith). They are probably best known for the songs "Letter from America", "I'm On My Way" and "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)".

Career

Craig Reid and Charlie Reid were born in Leith in 1962, and grew up in Edinburgh, Cornwall and Auchtermuchty. After several punk rock bands at school they formed The Proclaimers in 1983.

The pair came to public attention when an Inverness based fan sent their demo to the British band The Housemartins, who were impressed enough to invite the Proclaimers on their 1986 UK tour. The exposure of the tour won them a January 1987 appearance on the UK pop music television programme The Tube on Channel Four; "Letter from America" peaked at number 3 in the UK Singles Chart,

Influence

The brothers are fans of Hibernian Football Club, and "Sunshine on Leith" has become a theme song for the club, being played at home matches for important fixtures, such as the Edinburgh derby versus Heart of Midlothian FC, the clubs city rivals. Charlie and Craig Reid appeared at their Easter Road stadium for the 'Hands Off Hibs' campaign in 1990 when Wallace Mercer, a wealthly Edinburgh businessman with direct connections to Hearts FC, attempted a takeover of the club but was defeated by fan pressure. They are also well-known supporters of Scottish independence and have at various stages of their lives been activists for the Scottish National Party, expressing such views during their promotional tour of Britain in March 2007. However in April 2007 Charlie Reid announced that he had switched his allegiance to the Scottish Socialist Party in protest at the Scottish National Party's receipt of funding from big business. Many of their songs reflect their political views, such as "Letter from America" and "Cap in Hand". On 16 May 2006 the twins announced their participation in a campaign to free a fellow Scot, Kenny Richey, from his death row sentence in Ohio, including an appearance at a charity concert.

Discography

EPs

#King of the Road (1990) #17 (Acoustic EP) (2009)

Studio albums

#This Is the Story (1987) #Sunshine on Leith (1988) (re-released in 2001 with "King of the Road" appendage) #Hit the Highway (1994) #Persevere (2001) #Born Innocent (2003) #Restless Soul (2005) #Life With You (2007) #Notes & Rhymes (2009)

Compilation albums

#The Best of The Proclaimers (2002) #Finest (2003, UK only) #The Best of The Proclaimers (2007) (re-release of 2002 album with new artwork and "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) (Comic Relief version)" appendage).

Soundtracks

#''Benny and Joon' (1993) (song, "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)") #Bye Bye Love (1995) (song, "Bye Bye Love") #Bottle Rocket (1996) (song, "Over And Done With") #Dumb and Dumber (1994) (song, "Get Ready") #The Crossing (1990) (song, "King of the Road") #Shrek (2001) (song, "I'm on My Way") #''How I Met Your Mother' (2005-2009) (song, "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)") #HIMYM (2007, 2009 - episodes Arrivederci, Fiero; Duel Citizenship) (song, "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)") #Mama's Boy (2008) (song, "Then I Met You")

DVD

#The Best of the Proclaimers 1987-2002(2002)

Singles

References

External links

Official UK website

Official North American website

Comprehensive Discography

The Proclaimers Exclusive Interview

GiggingNI.com talk to The Proclaimers - Interview

Category:Scottish nationalists Category:Identical twins Category:Musical groups established in 1983 Category:Sibling musical duos Category:Sibling duos Category:1962 births Category:Living people

Category:Scottish pop music groups

Name	Soulja Slim
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	James A'Darryl Tapp, Jr.
Alias	Magnolia Slim, Soulja Slim
Born	September 09, 1977
Died	November 26, 2003
Origin	New Orleans, Louisiana
Genre	Hip hop
Years active	1994–2003
Label	No Limit, Cut Throat Comitty, Koch Records
Associated acts	C-Murder, MAC, B.G. ,KLC, Kayotic, Lil Realone, Juvenile, Snoop Dogg, 12 A Klok, Full Blooded

James Tapp, Jr. (September 9, 1977 – November 26, 2003), better known by his stage name Soulja Slim, was an American rapper who achieved modest success on Master P's No Limit record label. He is known for his guest appearance on the U.S. #1 hit "Slow Motion" by fellow rapper Juvenile.

Life and music career

James Tapp was raised in the Magnolia Projects in the 3rd Ward of New Orleans. He attended Booker T. Washington High School before dropping out of school his sophomore year. Tapp released his debut album, Soulja fa Lyfe, on Parkway Pumpin' Records in 1994 under the name Magnolia Slim. In 1995, he released the four-song e.p. The Dark Side on Hype Enough Records. In the same year, the song "You Got It" appeared on No Limit Records double-CD compilation Down South Hustlers: Bouncin' and Swingin' . In 1998, Tapp, now calling himself Soulja Slim, released Give It 2 'Em Raw on No Limit Records with his single and video "From What I Was Told." Soulja Slim was convicted of armed robbery and incarcerated. Soulja Slim was buried with his Cutthoat Committee charm and jewelry and also the leather camo clothes he's shown wearing on the cover of Give It 2 'Em Raw.

Discography

1994: The Dark Side EP (as Magnolia Slim)

1998: Give It 2 'Em Raw

2001: The Streets Made Me

2002: Years Later

2003: Years Later...A Few Months After

2005: Greatest Hitz

References

External links

Category:1977 births Category:2003 deaths Category:2003 murders in the United States Category:African American rappers Category:American robbers Category:Deaths by firearm in Louisiana Category:Murdered African-American people Category:Murdered rappers Category:No Limit Records artists Category:People murdered in Louisiana Category:Rappers from New Orleans, Louisiana Category:Unsolved murders in the United States

Name	Shawn Mullins
Landscape	No
Background	solo_singer
Born	March 08, 1968
Origin	Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Genre	Alternative rockCountry rock
Years active	1990–present
Label	Vanguard RecordsColumbia Records
Url	ShawnMullins.com

Shawn Mullins (born March 8, 1968 in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American singer-songwriter who specializes in folk rock, instrumental rock, and adult alternative music. He is best known for the 1998 single, "Lullaby", which hit number one on the Adult Top 40 and was nominated for a Grammy Award.

History

Mullins cultivated an interest in music beginning in his days at Clarkston High School in Clarkston, Georgia (where he made the acquaintance of friend and mentor Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls). Later, he honed his craft in his college days at North Georgia College and State University as a solo acoustic musician and bandmaster of the military marching band (Golden Eagle Band). He attended North Georgia College and State University on an Army ROTC scholarship with an intention of possibly pursuing a military career. Although he quickly abandoned this notion in favor of songwriting, the contract nonetheless obliged him after graduation to serve a short term as an inactive Infantry officer in the Individual Ready Reserve component of the U.S. Army Reserve. He served in an inactive status, reaching the rank of 1st lieutenant before fulfilling his service obligation and resigning honorably. Soon, he added a drummer (Mickey Hendrix) and bassist (Carlton Brown) to form the power pop trio billed as "Shawn Eric Mullins with Twice Removed", a combo that would help carry him to campus-wide and regional notoriety. Eventually the "Twice Removed" trio parted ways under amicable terms, and Mullins began using a variety of collaborative lineups while building his reputation as a solo artist.

His critical breakthrough came when his song "Lullaby," from the album Soul's Core, became a radio and video hit. One of his more famous songs, "All In My Head," was featured on the hit television sitcom "Scrubs". This song was written after an e-mail was sent out by the producers of the new show Scrubs was searching for a theme song. Mullins wrote a demo version and sent it in within a 24 hour period. It wasn't selected as the theme song but the demo version was used in a season one episode of the series.

In the video for "Lullaby", directed by Roger Pistole, actress Dominique Swain appeared. Another single, "Shimmer," was included on the soundtrack for the TV show Dawson's Creek and was a minor hit. "Shimmer" was also used in Australia as part of its promotional campaign during the Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics and it is still considered in Australia as the unofficial anthem of the games. To date, he has yet to match the overwhelming commercial success of "Lullaby," which was also released as a live performance on the charity album Live in the X Lounge II in 1999. In early 2002, he formed the supergroup The Thorns with Matthew Sweet and Pete Droge.

In 2006, Mullins released his first album on new label Vanguard Records, 9th Ward Pickin Parlor, as well as a new single, entitled "Beautiful Wreck", from the album. The single enjoyed modest success by reaching #1 on the Americana and AAA (Adult Album Alternative), and was featured in the Cities 97 Sampler, Volume 18.

On March 11, 2008, Mullins released his second album on Vanguard, entitled Honeydew. On October 12th, 2010 Mullins released his new album on Vanguard, entitled ''Light You Up.'

Influences

Mullins's earlier work was influenced by acoustic and power-pop groups such as the Violent Femmes, The Producers and the Indigo Girls. However, his most significant and enduring influences are rock singer-songwriters like James Taylor and country musicians such as Kris Kristofferson.

Selected events

Mullins was featured twice on Australia's Triple M Musical Challenge segment, in which musicians performed songs which were opposite of their usual style. Mullins performed Prince's "1999". On January 20, 2009, Mullins performed at Barack Obama's inauguration ceremony.

Discography

Albums

Shawn Mullins (1990)

Ever Changing World (1991)

Better Days (1992)

Big Blue Sky (1994)

Jeff's Last Dance, Volume 1 (1995)

Jeff's Last Dance, Volume 2 (1995)

Eggshells (1996)

Soul's Core (1998, Sony) US #54, Platinum

The First Ten Years (1999)

Beneath the Velvet Sun (2000)

The Essential Shawn Mullins (2003)

Live From Portland Bootleg (2004)

Jeff's Last Dance, Volume 3 (2005)

9th Ward Pickin Parlor (2006)

''" (2007)

Honeydew (2008)

Live from the Variety Playhouse (2008)

Light You Up (October 12, 2010)

Collaborations

Sister Hazel's 2006 single, "Mandolin Moon".

"Send Me" on Keni Thomas's debut album "Flags of Our Fathers"

His cover of the David Bowie song "Changes" is featured in the movie The Faculty.

His cover for the George Harrison song "What Is Life" is featured in the movie "Big Daddy" during the end credits.

"All in My Head" is featured in the Scrubs Soundtrack.

Producer on Callaghan's 2009 record "London To Lawrenceville"

Contributing composer credit on the Zac Brown Band #1 country single single "Toes" from the 2008 platinum selling album The Foundation

External links

Official Shawn Mullins' web site

Soulscore.com, the official fan site

SMG Records

Category:American country singers Category:American folk singers Category:American male singers Category:American rock guitarists Category:American singer-songwriters Category:Music of Atlanta, Georgia Category:1968 births Category:Living people Category:United States Army officers Category:Vanguard Records artists

Name	Pat Benatar
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Patricia Mae Andrzejewski
Born	January 10, 1953
Origin	Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Instrument	Vocals
Voice type	Mezzo-soprano
Genre	Rock, hard rock
Occupation	Singer-songwriter, Musician
Years active	1972–present
Label	Chrysalis Records, CMC International
Url	http://www.benatarfanclub.com}}

Pat Benatar (born Patricia Mae Andrzejewski January 10, 1953) is an American singer and four time Grammy winner. She had considerable commercial success particularly in the United States. During the 1980s, Benatar had two RIAA-certified Multi-Platinum albums, five RIAA-certified Platinum albums, three RIAA-certified Gold albums and 19 Top 40 singles, including "Love Is a Battlefield", "Hit Me with Your Best Shot", "We Belong" and "Heartbreaker". Benatar was one of the most heavily played artists in the early days of MTV.

Life and career

Patricia Mae Andrzejewski was born in Greenpoint, Brooklyn to Andrew and Mildred Andrzejewski, a sheet-metal worker and a beautician. Her family moved to Lindenhurst, New York on Long Island, when she was 3 years old. "I have wonderful childhood memories of picking berries in the woods by our house, driving to the docks on the South Bay to get freshly harvested clams", she once recounted.

Patti (as she was known) became interested in theater and began voice lessons, singing at Daniel Street Elementary School her first solo, a song called “It Must Be Spring,” at age eight. She said, "As a kid, I sang at any choir, any denomination, anywhere I could." At Lindenhurst Senior High School (1967–71), Benatar participated in musical theater, playing Queen Guinevere 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" on a holiday recording of the Lindenhurst High School Choir her senior year.

Benatar was cut off from the rock scene in nearby Manhattan. Her parents were "ridiculously strict - I was allowed to go to symphonies, opera and theater but I couldn't go to clubs". Her musical training was strictly classical and theatrical. She said, "I was singing Puccini and West Side Story but I spent every afternoon after school with my little transistor radio listening to the Rolling Stones..."

Training as a coloratura with plans to attend the Juilliard School, Benatar surprised family, friends and teachers by deciding a classical career was not for her and pursued health education at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. At 19, after one year at Stony Brook, she dropped out to marry her high school sweetheart Dennis Benatar, an army draftee who trained at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and then served with the Army Security Agency at Fort Devens, Massachusetts, before being stationed at Fort Lee, Virginia. Specialist (E-4) Dennis Benatar was stationed there for three years, and Pat worked as a bank teller in Richmond, Virginia.

In 1973, Benatar quit her job as a bank teller to pursue a singing career after being inspired by a Liza Minnelli concert she saw in Richmond. She got a job as a singing waitress at a flapper-esque nightclub named The Roaring Twenties and got a gig singing in lounge band Coxon's Army, a regular at Sam Miller's basement club. The band garnered enough attention to be the subject of a never-aired PBS special, and the band's bassist Roger Capps also would go on to be the original bass player for the Pat Benatar Band. The period also yielded Benatar's first and only single until her eventual 1979 debut on Chrysalis Records: "Day Gig" (1974), Trace Records, written and produced by Coxon's Army band leader Phil Coxon and locally released in Richmond. Her big break came in 1975 at an amateur night at the renowned comedy club Catch a Rising Star in New York. Her rousing rendition of Judy Garland's "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby With a Dixie Melody" earned her a call back by club owner Rick Newman, who would become her manager. Benatar said: "I came in from Virginia one night. I had straight red hair and I wore a dress. I sang a Judy Garland song and I don’t know what happened, I never sang in New York before in my life, even though I grew up there, everybody just went crazy. I didn't do anything spectacular. I don’t know what happened, it was just one of those magical things. [Rick Newman] came right in and said, 'Let's talk about you playing here some more...' Newman said, 'It was 2:45 in the morning. We had 30 performers and she was about #27. I was on the other side of the room drinking with some friends--then I suddenly heard this voice!'

The couple headed back to New York following Dennis' discharge from the army, and Benatar went on to be a regular member at Catch A Rising Star for close to three years, until signing a record contract. Catch A Rising Star was not the only break Benatar got in 1975. She landed the part of Zephyr in Harry Chapin's futuristic rock musical, The Zinger. The production, which debuted on March 19, 1976, at the Performing Arts Foundation's (PAF) Playhouse in Huntington Station, Long Island, ran for a month and also featured Beverly D'Angelo and Christine Lahti. Benatar noted: "I was 22 by the time I started to sing rock, so at first I was very conscious of technique and I was overly technical. That proved to be inhibiting so it was a disadvantage until I began to sing intuitively. That’s the only way to sing rock – from your gut level feelings. It's the instinct that the best singers have."

Halloween 1977 proved a pivotal night in Benatar's early, spandexed stage persona. Rather than change out of the vampire costume she had worn to a Greenwich Village cafe party that evening, she went on-stage wearing black tights, black eyeliner and a short black top. Benatar has stated: “I was dressed as a character from this ridiculous B movie called Cat-Women of the Moon.” Despite performing her usual array of songs, she received a standing ovation. Benatar has said that "[T]he crowd was always polite, but this time they went out of their minds. It was the same songs, sung the same way, and I thought, 'Oh my god ... [i]t's these clothes and this makeup!'"

Between appearances at Catch A Rising Star and recording commercial jingles for Pepsi Cola and a number of regional concerns, she headlined New York City’s famous Tramps nightclub from March 29 - April 1, 1978, where her performance impressed representatives from several record companies. She was signed to Chrysalis Records by founder Terry Ellis the following week. Benatar recorded her first album, In the Heat of the Night, in June and July 1979.

She won an unprecedented four consecutive Grammy Awards for Best Female Rock Performance from 1980 to 1983 for her second LP, Crimes of Passion, and the songs "Fire and Ice", "Shadows of the Night", and "Love Is a Battlefield". Of the ten Grammy Award ceremonies in the 1980s, Benatar was nominated for Best Female Rock Performance eight times, including for "Invincible" in 1985, "Sex as a Weapon" in 1986, "All Fired Up" in 1988 and in 1989 for "Let's Stay Together".

Benatar also earned Grammy Award nominations in 1985 for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female with "We Belong" and in 1986 for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Duo or Group as a member of Artists United Against Apartheid for their single, "Sun City". Benatar is also the winner of three American Music Awards: Favorite Female Pop/Rock Vocalist of 1981 and 1983, and Favorite Female Pop/Rock Video Artist of 1985.

Pat Benatar was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame at the Second Induction Award Ceremony and Fundraising Gala held October 30, 2008.

Family

Pat and Dennis Benatar divorced in 1979. Pat and band leader/lead guitarist Neil "Spyder" Giraldo married on February 20, 1982. They have two daughters, Haley Egeana (born February 16, 1985) and Hana Juliana (born March 12, 1994).

Discography

In the Heat of the Night

"I Need a Lover" was the first single to be released on August 27, 1979. However, both it and the next single, "If You Think You Know How to Love Me" (October 1979), were unsuccessful. Benatar's third single "Heartbreaker" was released in early December 1979 and became an immediate hit, climbing to #23 in the U.S. A fourth single "We Live for Love," which was written by her future husband Neil Giraldo, was released in February 1980, and reached U.S. #27.

Benatar's debut album In the Heat of the Night was released in October 1979, and reached #12 in the U.S. It established Benatar as a new force in rock. Producer Mike Chapman, who had worked with Blondie and The Knack, broke his vow not to take on any new artists when he heard Benatar's demo tape. Chapman personally produced three tracks on the album, while his long-time engineer and now independent producer, Peter Coleman (who also supervised Nick Gilder) oversaw the rest. In addition, Chapman and his partner, Nicky Chinn, 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 Smokey, as well as a rearranged version of a song they wrote for Sweet, "No You Don't". The album also featured two songs written by Roger Capps and Benatar as well as "I Need a Lover" written by John Mellencamp and "Don't Let It Show" written by Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson. The album would be Benatar's first RIAA certified platinum album.

Crimes of Passion

In August 1980, Benatar released her LP, Crimes of Passion, 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" (U.S. #9) was her first single to break the U.S. Top 10 and eventually sold more than one million copies (at that time, gold status) in the United States alone. The album peaked for five consecutive weeks at U.S. #2 in January 1981 (behind Yoko Ono and John Lennon's Double Fantasy) and eventually sold over five million copies, and a month later, Benatar won her first Grammy Award for "Best Female Rock Vocal Performance" of 1980. Other singles released from Crimes of Passion were "Treat Me Right" (US #18) and the Rascals' cover, "You Better Run" (US #42), which gained some later notoriety when it was the second music video ever played on MTV, after the Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star". The album also featured a changed-tempo cover of Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights. Nominally produced by Keith Olsen, Crimes of Passion remained on the US album charts for 93 weeks and in the top 10 for more than six months, eventually becoming her second consecutive platinum certification by the RIAA. In October 1980, Benatar (along with future husband Neil Giraldo) graced the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.

Precious Time

In July 1981, she released her third LP, Precious Time. A month later the album hit #1 on the Billboard U.S. Top 200 LP chart. It was also her first to chart in the UK, reaching #30. The album's lead single, "Fire and Ice", was another big hit (US #17, AUS #30) and would win Benatar her second Grammy Award, this time for "Best Female Rock Vocal Performance" of 1981 and her third consecutive RIAA certified platinum album. "Promises in the Dark" (US #38) was also released.

In August 1981, Benatar's video You Better Run, was the second video aired by MTV.

Get Nervous

A hit single, "Shadows of the Night", (US #13, AUS #19) heralded a new LP, Get Nervous, released in late 1982. The album was another smash, reaching US #4, her fourth consecutive RIAA platinum certification, and the single would garner Benatar yet another Grammy, again for "Best Female Rock Vocal Performance" of 1982. The follow-up singles, "Little Too Late" and "Looking for a Stranger", were also successful, hitting US #20 and #39 respectively. The WWII-themed music video for "Shadows of the Night" featured then-unknown actors Judge Reinhold and Bill Paxton as an American fighter copilot and a German radio operator, respectively.

Live from Earth

By 1983, Benatar had established a reputation for singing about "tough" subject matters, with a significant amount of songs featuring a "battle" metaphor. This was best exemplified by one of the biggest hits of her career, "Love Is a Battlefield" (penned by noted hit songwriter Holly Knight with Mike Chapman), 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-inspired group dance number. This new pop direction was a huge commercial success, with the single peaking at #5 in the United States, and #1 in Australia for seven consecutive weeks. The song gained interest in the UK where it peaked at #49. The song would also net Benatar her fourth consecutive Grammy Award for "Best Female Rock Vocal Performance" of 1983. A live album, Live from Earth, which was recorded during Benatar's sold-out Get Nervous world tour of America and Europe in 1982 and 1983, contained two studio tracks, "Love Is a Battlefield" and "Lipstick Lies." The album peaked at U.S. #13 and became her fifth consecutive RIAA platinum winner.

Tropico

In October 1984, the single "We Belong" became another Top 5 smash in the US, and reached #7 in Australia. It was also Benatar's first ever UK top 40 hit, where it peaked at #22. In November, Benatar released her sixth album, Tropico (US #14, AUS #9, UK #31). A second single release, "Ooh Ooh Song," reached U.S. #36. It is also said by Benatar and Giraldo that this album is the first where they moved away from Benatar's famed "hard rock" sound and start experimenting with new, sometimes "gentler," styles and sounds. Despite not making the US Top 10, it earned her a sixth consecutive RIAA platinum certification.

After the chart success of We Belong in the UK, Love is a Battlefield was re-released in early 1985 and became her highest chart hit there, reaching #17.

Seven the Hard Way

Benatar would hit the U.S. Top 10 with the #10 single "Invincible" (the theme from the movie, The Legend of Billie Jean) in 1985. "Sex As a Weapon" would climb as high as #28 in January 1986, and "Le Bel Age" (#54) in February. The album Seven the Hard Way peaked at #26, earning an RIAA Gold certification.

The title of the album is based on a bet in the game of craps: "Rolls of 4, 6, 8, and 10 are called "hard" or "easy" (e.g. "Six the Hard Way", "Easy Eight", "Hard Ten") depending on whether they were rolled as a "double" or as any other combination of values, because of their significance in center table bets known as the "hard ways"." The album was the band's seventh release in seven years. Benatar is holding a pair of dice on the album cover with three and a half dots each.

Wide Awake in Dreamland

In July 1988, Benatar released her eighth album, Wide Awake in Dreamland (US #28, UK #11). A single lifted from the album, "All Fired Up" (written by Kerryn Tolhurst, ex-The Dingoes) reached #19 in both the US and the UK, and was a #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 #42), "Let's Stay Together", and "One Love" (UK #59). The album also earned an RIAA gold certification.

True Love

True Love (US #37) was a jump blues record, released in late April 1991, and featured the blues band Roomful of Blues, backing up Pat Benatar, Neil Giraldo and Myron Grombacher. The album sold over 339,000 copies without any 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. The album reached #40 in the UK.

Gravity's Rainbow

Gravity's Rainbow (US #85) was released in 1993 and was a return to the AOR genre. "Everybody Lay Down" was picked up by Album Rock radio and went all the way to #3. The single was never released to Top 40/Contemporary Hit Radio and a music video was never produced. "Somebody's Baby" was instead released as the single to Top 40 radio and a music video produced.

A third track was scheduled and a video shot for "Everytime I Fall Back", but the single was never released and the music video was lost when Chrysalis was sold to EMI records. Benatar had become pregnant again and this may have had an effect on her label's support of the album. This was Benatar's last album recorded for Chrysalis records. With very little promotion from Chrysalis, Gravity's Rainbow failed to have the same commercial success as Benatar's previous works. The album sold approximately 200,000 copies in the US.

Innamorata

Innamorata (US #171) was released in 1997 on the CMC International record label. A single video was produced for "Strawberry Wine (Life is Sweet)".

Go

Benatar has released only one album of new material since 1997's Innamorata, which is 2003's Go (US #187). The album included the 9/11 charity single, "Christmas in America" as a bonus track. A compilation video was produced for the single "Have It All", but was never released, the only video from this album is for the bonus track.

Greatest hits collections

Best Shots (US #67) was first released in the UK in 1987 and in the US in November 1989. The US version included 15 tracks on 1 CD, 1 live version of "Hell is for Children" with Suffer the Little Children intro, "Painted Desert" (from Tropico) and a remixed version of "Outlaw Blues" (also from Tropico) and would be another certified RIAA gold (later platinum) album. Best Shots became Benatar's biggest selling album in the UK, where it reached #6 and achieved Gold sales status. The album was also a top 20 hit in Australia. Best Shots was the only official greatest hits compilation until 1994 when All Fired Up: The Very Best of Pat Benatar was released (2 CD). The box set Synchronistic Wanderings (3 CD) was released in 1999. "Classic Masters" was released in October 2002, and "Pat Benatar - Greatest Hits" was released in June 2005. The most recent collection, "Ultimate Collection" (2 CD set) was released in June 2008 under the Capitol Records label with forty 24 bit-digitally remastered tracks.

Recent activity

Many best of/greatest hits compilations have been released over the years by Benatar's former record company. 2008's Ultimate Collection included the version of "Everytime I Fall Back" from her appearance on The Young and the Restless. In 2009, Benatar teamed up with Blondie for the "Call Me Invincible" tour, which also features The Donnas.

Benatar undertook a tour with REO Speedwagon during the summer of 2010.

Band

Although billed as a solo artist, Benatar recorded and toured with a consistent set of band members over most of her career, who contributed greatly to the writing and producing of songs and are recognizable characters on album photos and in many of her music videos.

Neil "Spyder" Giraldo (incorrectly spelled as "Geraldo" in early liner notes/credits) is the distinctive lead guitarist of the band and has performed on all of Benatar's albums. Born in Cleveland on December 29, 1955, Giraldo began playing the guitar at 6-years-old and learned to play the piano at age 12. Giraldo performed in Rick Derringer's touring band before working with Benatar, appearing in a possible bootleg entitled Derringer Live At The Paradise Theater Boston, Massachusetts, July 7, 1978 (UPC 672627400428). Giraldo's appearance on the video for Benatar's "You Better Run" distinguished him as the first guitarist on MTV. The video, the second ever aired on MTV, followed The Buggles, who had no guitar player. In addition to playing lead guitar, Giraldo is credited with composing and producing much of Benatar's work. Giraldo's first outside production credit was on John Waite's debut album Ignition. He has also given a helping musical hand to artists such as The Del-Lords, Rick Springfield, The Cruzados, and Kenny Loggins. In addition, Giraldo was the musical composer for the 2005 movie Smile starring Beau Bridges, Linda Hamilton, Sean Astin and directed by Jeffrey Kramer. The soundtrack features an original song by Giraldo and Scott Kempner of The Del-Lords, appearing as The Paradise Brothers, titled "Beautiful Something." Proceeds from the movie go to Operation Smile. The Paradise Brothers also contributed a cover of "Light Of Day" for a Bruce Springsteen Tribute album.

Myron Grombacher, who played with Neil in Rick Derringer's touring band, is drummer on nine of Benatar's original albums and has numerous writing credits. Myron is easily recognizable in the music videos, particularly as the mad dentist in Get Nervous.

Charlie Giordano performed keyboard duties on five albums, and is identifiable by his glasses and distinctive array of berets, blazers and 80s-style ties. In 2007, he replaced the late Danny Federici in the E Street Band.

Mick Mahan is the band's bassist and has performed with Benatar since 1995. The original bassist, Roger Capps, was replaced by Donnie Nossov on Tropico, and then later by Frank Linx.

Scott St. Clair Sheets is credited on rhythm guitar on the first three albums.

Glen Alexander Hamilton played drums on the first album.

Other achievements

In the summer of 2005, the couple's older daughter Haley Giraldo starred in E!'s reality TV series .

Stage & screen, soundtracks, various credits

Benatar played the character Zephyr in Harry Chapin's futuristic rock musical The Zinger. Set in a recording studio sometime around the year 2000, the production, which debuted on March 19, 1976, at the Performing Arts Foundation's (PAF) Playhouse in Huntington Station, Long Island, renamed the Harry Chapin Center, ran for a month and also featured Beverly D'Angelo and Christine Lahti. Benatar said, "It was great. I had an afro wig with glitter on! It was so fabulous." Benatar performed the solo "Shooting Star" in honor of Chapin for the Harry Chapin Tribute, Carnegie Hall, December 7, 1987.

In 1980, Benatar portrayed the character "Jeanette Florescu" in Marcus Reichert's film noir Union City, which featured Chrysalis Records labelmate Deborah Harry of Blondie in the starring role.

In 1982, the song 'Treat Me Right' and, very briefly, the Crimes of Passion album cover too, featured in the 1982 movie, An Officer and a Gentleman'', starring Richard Gere and Debra Winger.

The soundtrack to Giorgio Moroder's 1984 restoration of Fritz Lang's 1926 classic Metropolis features Benatar performing two versions of the movie's love song "Here's My Heart," a pop version for the studio album and a classically-styled version used in the film.

In 1985, "Invincible" was the title track to the Helen Slater cult classic The Legend of Billie Jean.

Benatar is a performer on Sun City - Artists United Against Apartheid (1985).

Benatar contributed the original tune "Sometimes the Good Guys Finish First" to the 1987 Michael J. Fox film The Secret of My Succe$s soundtrack.

"Run Between the Raindrops" was featured on the soundtrack for The Stepfather (1987 film)

Benatar performs "Jimmy Says" on Marlo Thomas & Friends - Free To Be A Family (1988)

In April 1989 she appeared in an ABC Afterschool Special entitled "Torn Between Two Fathers" about a teenage girl who sues her natural father for the right to remain in her step-family's home following the accidental death of her natural mother. Pat played "Donna", the current wife of the teenager's natural father.

Benatar sings the traditional lullaby "Tell Me Why" for Disney For Our Children: To Benefit the Pediatrics AIDS Foundation (1991)

Benatar appears on "Yakety Yak- Take It Back", a Public Service Announcement produced by the Take It Back Foundation in 1991. The music video features several celebrities in an updated version of "Yakety Yak" retooled with a message about recycling. The music video premiered on MTV on April 10, 1991 (National Recycling Day), appeared as a trailer at AMC movie theaters, and was distributed on VHS and CD. It was later shown occasionally on Sesame Street during the 1990s, though it does not feature any Sesame Street characters.

Benatar performed an English-language version of "L'effet que tu me fais" (The Effect You Have on Me) for the Tribute to Édith Piaf (1993).

Benatar contributed a cover of the Fontella Bass hit "Rescue Me" to the 1994 Speed soundtrack.

The soundtrack to Disney's 2000 film An Extremely Goofy Movie features "Future's So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades" by Benatar.

"Love Is a Battlefield" was featured twice on South Park, the first being the Season 2 episode "Ike's Wee Wee", but most notably in the episode "Red Man's Greed".

In 2003, "Love Is a Battlefield" was featured in the movie 13 Going on 30.

In 2003, Konami released a singing video game called "Karaoke Revolution" that featured the cover version of Benatar's song "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" as a part of the song list line-ups.

Benatar has made numerous TV appearances, mostly as herself. She appeared with her husband in the Charmed episode "Lucky Charmed" on which "Heartbreaker" was used and in an episode of Dharma & Greg 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 TV drama Family Law with Dixie Carter and Christopher McDonald.

Benatar appeared in an episode of the short lived sitcom That '80s Show as herself as an old rival of the character Margaret. Her "Love Is a Battlefield" video appeared on an earlier episode of the show.

On February 14–15, 2008 Benatar and husband appeared as themselves on The Young and the Restless performing at the Indigo Club.

"Love Is a Battlefield" was featured in Christian Dior Ready to Wear Fall/Winter 2006 by John Galliano.

In 2006, Benatar and her music were featured on "CMT Crossroads." The show was produced by and is shown on Country Music Television (CMT). The premise of the show is to feature a country artist with an artist from a different genre who was an influence. Benatar shared the stage with country artist, Martina McBride. McBride sang Benatar's hits while Benatar sang McBride's hits. The show includes interviews of both women.

In 2007-2008 Benatar's single "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" was put into the songlist for Guitar Hero 3 in the first tier of songs, also in Guitar Hero On Tour,and is available as a downloadable song in the video game Rock Band. Her song "Heartbreaker" is a playable song in the 2008 video game followup as well as also being downloadable content on Rock Band.

"Shadows of the Night" was covered in 2008 by Ashley Tisdale for the television movie Picture This.

"Hit Me with Your Best Shot" was covered by one of Charlize Theron's friends in the 2005 motion picture North Country.

The original master recording of the song "Love Is a Battlefield" was featured in Konami's rebooted version of their singing video game "Karaoke Revolution".

In 2010, "We Belong" was covered by cast members Kristen Alderson, Brittany Underwood, Kelley Missal, and Meghann Fahy on One Life to Live during its "Starr X'd Lovers" musical episodes.

Advertising

In 2006, the song "We Belong" was part of a $20 million dollar ad campaign for Sheraton hotels, although the version used in the commercial was not Benatar's. Her version of the song is featured in the 2006 comedy , starring Will Ferrell and directed by Adam McKay.

Though she had earlier expressed dismay for rock stars endorsing products (including onetime cohort Debbie Harry, who had developed her modeling career simultaneously to her rock career), Benatar herself has now become a commercial spokeswoman for the Energizer company, and is currently being featured in an ad for Candies Vintage shoes for Kohl's department store. In 2007, her song "Passion" could be downloaded free from the official Jell-O web site.

References

Further reading

Fissinger,Laura Rock'n PopStars Pat Benatar. Creative Education 1983 ISBN 0-89813-101-4

Magee, Doug Pat Benatar. Proteus 1985 ISBN 978-0862762513

Benatar, Pat and Cox, Patsi Between a Heart and a Rock Place. Harper Collins 2010 ISBN 978-0-06-195377-4

External links

Official website

Pat Benatar fanclub website

EMI Artist Page

Sanctuary Records Artist Page

Chrysalis Music Group USA

Category:1953 births Category:1980s singers Category:1990s singers Category:2000s singers Category:2010s singers Category:Living people Category:American female singers Category:American mezzo-sopranos Category:Chrysalis Records artists Category:American rock singers Category:Female rock singers Category:People from Brooklyn Category:People from Long Island Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Music of Richmond, Virginia