Catching Up with the Rock Goddesses from the 80's

The term "rockstar," or rock star, usually applies to any member of a rock and roll band who has reached ultra-celebrity status. Historically, the lion's share of the attention has been paid to male rock stars (surprise, surprise), but during the teen years of the Generation X crew more and more attention was beginning to be shown to female rock stars. In fact, female rock stars garnered so much attention until many of them were being given the title "Rock Goddess." Although many of the 80's rock goddesses have faded from stardom and settled down into somewhat of a normal life, some others are still rocking today. Let's play catch up with some of the most famous rock goddesses of the 80's:

Patty Smyth first came into the spotlight when she headed the band, Scandal during the 80's. She went out on her own years later where her biggest solo hit was a song which she sang with Don Henley in 1992 titled, "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough." Smyth's is perhaps most well known for the 80's rock mantra, "shootin' out the walls of heartache, bang, bang...I am The Warrior." Smyth recorded The Warrior as she fronted for Scandal in 1984, and the song has become the bands biggest hit, and Smyth's most easily recognizable claim to 80's rock goddess fame.

In April, 1997, Smyth married former tennis champion John McEnroe. At the time this article goes to press, Smyth is nearly 52 years old and she is still married to John McEnroe, with whom she has two children. As for her professional music career, Smyth has been keeping relatively active since the 80's, with a short band revival in 2004, and tours with other 80's rock stars. Currently, Patty Smyth is on tour with Scandal, with their calendar being full throughout the end of 2009.

*Patty Smyth altered her surname so as not to cause confusion with the female punk rocker Patti Smith.

Deborah Ann "Debbie" Harry is most famous for being the lead singer of the rock (punk rock) band, Blondie. As the lead singer for the group, Debbie Harry so dominated the band until fans often believed that the name "Blondie" referred to Harry alone. Debbie Harry and Blondie garnered many hits during the 1980's, but her most popular 80's hit was probably the new wave/rap single Rapture....many people would try to argue that the mega-hit Heart of Glass should own the title, but that record was officially released in 1979. Blondie's hit single is important in the music industry because it is one of the first certified gold records to include rap in its lyrics.

After her 80's rock goddess stint, Debbie Harry went on to perform solo music projects where she also enjoyed success. She had many high profile acting roles where she has guest starred on television, been a supporting actress in movies, and ultimately the lead actress in a couple of films. Harry has never had any children, but she is known to be an outspoken animal rights champion. Since the beginning of the 21^st Century (2001), Debbie Harry has been in non-stop tour mode. Earlier this year, Harry who is now in her early 60's, has admitted in an article in the UK's Daily Mail Reporter online that she decided to have plastic surgery (and has done so in the past) in order to keep herself steeped in the music game. Debbie Harry is currently in the studio recording a hotly awaited new album.

As the lead singers of the rock group Heart, Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson garnered much fame throughout the 80's. Although their rise to fame started primarily in the 1970's, the group experienced a major surge of interest in the 1980's. Most of the music was sung by Ann Wilson with Nancy chiming in with harmonic background vocals. A true rockstar from the straight rock 'n roll genre, Ann Wilson has an exceptionally strong voice, and during her heyday she was able to churn out apower ballad like no other. The group's biggest hit singles during the 80's were These Dreams, and Alone, which both reached U.S. chart's #1 spot in 1986 and 1987 respectively.

Ann and Nancy Wilson have kept a relatively low profile since their golden rock goddess days in the 80's. In 2006, Nancy Wilson released her first solo album, Hope & Glory, which was a success. Ann Wilson sang backup on her sister's aforementioned album. A Heart revival is currently in full force as the group is currently on tour.

Joan Jett is the raven haired 80's rock goddess who first came to fame with another 80's rock goddess, Lita Ford, in the 70's all female group, The Runaways. During the 80's, Joan Jett climbed to the top of the charts as the lead singer of the group, The Blackhearts. There can be no doubt that the absolute biggest hit for Joan Jett & The Blackhearts was 1982's I love Rock and Roll. With heart pounding beats, a strong and edgy voice, a black leather attitude, and an immense talent for guitar playing, Joan Jett is one of the hardest rockers in the music industry.

Currently, there is a movie set to be filmed about the story of her former group, The Runaways, where Kristen Stewart will play Joan Jett. Jett also currently tours solo as well as with The Blackhearts and she/they have recently opened for hard rock acts like Def Leppard. In 2006, Jett released a solo album titled Sinner, and she has made numerous television appearances. Joan Jett has been a force with which to be reckoned in the music industry since she was a teenager, and she is still very active today. Her heart-pounding rock concerts are legendary, so if you are a fan you should try and catch her on her current tour. If you should happen to miss Joan Jett, do not worry, she shows no signs of slowing down.

*Jett is listed as one of the "greatest 100" guitarists of all time by Rolling Stone, she and Joni Mitchell are the only two females to have made the list.

During the 80's, the name Pat Benatar was synonymous with the term rock goddess. Pat Benatar completely embodies the term rock goddess so much so until any list that excludes her will be incomplete to say the least. Throughout the 80's, Benatar had more than a dozen easily recognizable, chart topping hits including Love is a Battlefield, Invincible, Promises in the Dark, Heartbreaker, Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Hell is for Children....and the list goes on and on. Although Pat Benatar toured with the same set of band members throughout most of her reign, she is a solo artist. She and one of the guitarists in her band, Neil Giraldo, were married early on in her career, the two are still together, and they have two children. As so with all of the other names mentioned in this article, Benatar's accomplishments cannot be completely covered here in this small space, but suffice it to say that Pat Benatar created the measuring stick to which all other female rockers can be compared.

In 2006, Pat Benatar and her husband Neil decided to go on tour, but surprisingly enough, she is not vigorously active in the music business today. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005, Pat Benatar is not only a rock goddess, she is a legend.

*One of Pat Benatar's earliest hits You Better Run was the second video ever to be shown on the then new Music Television Network (MTV) in 1981.

It is important to note that the title Rock Goddess does not only refer to performers of traditional "rock" music...much like the term "Rockstar" is not only given to singers from the rock and roll genre. Today, there are many female singers who are enjoying immense success in the music industry. They owe a bit of their success to the female rock goddesses of the 80's who paved the way.