by Pat Benatar
First published 2010
Pat Benatar tells her story as one of rock's most successful female artists across three decades. She traces her path from New York's club scene in the 1970s to headlining arena tours, becoming MTV's first featured female artist along the way. Benatar explains how she fought industry expectations that women could only serve as girlfriends or sex symbols in rock music. Her fierce attitude brought quick success but also triggered ongoing battles over her public image. She reveals how guitarist Neil "Spyder" Giraldo became her creative partner, producer, and husband, helping merge her classical vocal training with hard rock guitar work. Their partnership created both her signature sound and a lasting personal bond that kept her grounded amid rock stardom's temptations. Benatar addresses how her music developed and sets the record straight about her career decisions. This memoir captures her determination to succeed on her own terms in an industry that resisted female rock artists.
Genres: autobiography, biography-memoir, music, musicians
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: determination, overcoming-adversity, personal-growth
Period: 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s
247 pages · Hardcover · William Morrow