Patricia Mae Giraldo, known professionally as Pat Benatar, is an American rock singer and songwriter.
Pat Benatar was born Patricia Mae Andrzejewski on January 10, 1953, in Brooklyn, New York. She is the daughter of parents Milly and Andrew Andrzejewski. She moved to Lindenhurst, Long Island when she was young and graduated from Lindenhurst Senior High School in 1971.
Benatar initially had aspirations to become an actress and a dancer after graduating high school. She attended the Juilliard School of Music’s Drama Division but left after one year due to financial reasons. After leaving Juilliard, Benatar worked as a bank teller and began singing in local clubs on Long Island at night. Her big break came when she was discovered by manager Dennis Blaine while singing at Rodney's English Disco in New York City.
Benatar released her debut album “In the Heat of the Night” in 1979 which featured her hit single “Heartbreaker” which peaked at number 23 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. The follow-up album “Crimes of Passion” was released in 1980 featuring her hit singles “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” and “Treat Me Right” which both reached number 9 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart respectively. In 1981, Benatar won two Grammy Awards for Best Female Rock Performance for her song “Fire and Ice” and Best Rock Vocal Performance for her song “Shadows of the Night” from her album Precious Time (1981).
Throughout the 1980s, Benatar released more albums such as Live From Earth (1983), Seven The Hard Way (1985), Wide Awake In Dreamland (1988) and True Love (1991). By 1988 she had sold over 20 million records worldwide including 8 platinum albums and 4 gold albums certified by RIAA alone. In 1989, she was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame and received a star on Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2004. In 2018, Benatar received her first career Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award alongside other rock superstars such as Queen and Bruce Springsteen.
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1953</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Pat Benatar is Born</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">On January 10, 1953, Pat Benatar was born Patricia Mae Andrzejewski in Brooklyn, New York.</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1975</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Releases Debut Album</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Releases her debut album In The Heat Of The Night with Chrysalis Records.</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1980</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Wins her first Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance for her single “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”.</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1981</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Wins her second Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for the song “Fire and Ice”.</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1984</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Appears in Film “The Legend of Billie Jean”</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Benatar makes a cameo appearance in the film “The Legend of Billie Jean.”</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">2003</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Benatar is inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame.</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">2019</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Receives Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Receives a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards.</p></div>
<div id="" class="whywelove-item"><h3 id="" class="whywelove-title"><span class="whywelove-leter">A.</span> She's a Pioneering Female Artist</h3><p id="" class="whywelove-text">Pat Benatar is a pioneering female artist in the rock genre. Her powerful voice, unique style and rebellious lyrics made her an icon in the industry. Her success paved the way for other female rockers and she continues to be an inspiration for young female artists.</p></div>
<div id="" class="whywelove-item"><h3 id="" class="whywelove-title"><span class="whywelove-leter">B.</span> Her Music is Timeless</h3><p id="" class="whywelove-text">Pat Benatar's music is timeless. From her early hits such as "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" and "Love Is A Battlefield" to her later songs like "We Belong" and "Invincible", her music has stood the test of time and continues to be loved by fans around the world.</p></div>
<div id="" class="whywelove-item"><h3 id="" class="whywelove-title"><span class="whywelove-leter">C.</span> She's an Inspiration</h3><p id="" class="whywelove-text">Pat Benatar is an inspiration for women everywhere. She was one of the first females to make it big in the male dominated rock music industry, and she has continued to be a source of strength for many women who have followed in her footsteps. </p></div>
<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">1.</span> Won the First Female Grammy Award</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Pat Benatar is the first female to win a Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance in 1980, for her hit song "Crimes of Passion".</p></div>
<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">2.</span> Started Singing in Bars</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Long before becoming a well-known singer, Pat Benatar started her career singing in local bars in New York City.</p></div>
<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">3.</span> Successful Acting Career</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">In addition to her singing career, Pat Benatar also had a successful acting career with roles in several movies and television shows.</p></div>
<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">4.</span> Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Pat Benatar was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018, making her one of the few female musicians to be honored in this way.</p></div>
<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">5.</span> Married Her Drummer</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Pat Benatar married her drummer, Neil Giraldo, in 1982 and the two have been happily married ever since.</p></div>