Legendary rock and roll icon Suzi Quatro is one of the first women in the rock scene to lead an all-male band. The artist masterfully owned the electric guitar, stood out for her original performance and insane energy.
Susie inspired several generations of women who chose the difficult direction of rock and roll. Direct evidence is the work of the notorious band The Runaways, American vocalist and guitarist Joan Jett in particular.
Suzi Quatro family and childhood
The rock star was born on June 3, 1950 in Detroit, Michigan. She was raised by an American jazz musician with Italian roots and a Hungarian mother. The parents of the future singer knew firsthand about music. Therefore, by the age of 8, at the initiative of her father, baby Susie made her debut on stage. She played Cuban drums in the Art Quatro Trio formed by Art Quatro.
The zodiac sign under which the successful singer, radio host and actress was born is the multifaceted Gemini. This fact also influenced the fate of the famous artist. Having mastered the congas, the girl took up the piano. And at the age of 14, she already performed in one of the popular city clubs as part of the female rock band The Pleasure Seekers.
The members of the garage band were good at playing musical instruments, among them were Suzy Quatro's two sisters, Patti and Arlene. Interestingly, the Hideout youth space gave a creative start not only to the queen of glam rock. For example, it was here that the success story of the famous rock musician Bob Seeger began.
Youth and the beginning of a stellar career Suzi Quatro
In the mid-1960s, the all-girl ensemble recorded their debut LP with Never Thought You'd Leave Me and What a Way to Die on the flip side. These songs were re-released in the 1980s.
The single, released by the young group The Pleasure Seekers, did not go unnoticed. The authoritative English record company Mercury Records signed a contract with Suzi Quatro and her sisters. With the support of the label, the song Light of Love was recorded. This was followed by a US tour, as well as a performance for US military personnel in Vietnam.
In the late 1960s, Suzi Quatro had already managed to acquire the status of a virtuoso bass player. At the same time, Arlene became a mother and left the popular rock band. The band changed their name to Cradle and took a new direction in hard rock. And the place of the departed participant was taken by the third sister Nancy.
The rock band was managed by the gifted composer and singer's brother Michael Quatro. It was he who convinced the English music producer Mickey Most to attend one of the Cradle concerts in Detroit. Naturally, the explosive potential of the expressive performer intrigued Mickey. Without thinking twice, Most offered the artist a collaboration with his young label RAK Records.
As a result, the Cradle group broke up. And the nascent rock star accepted a tempting offer. And at the end of 1971, she flew to the UK to become the one and only Suzi Quatro.
The Creative Blossom of the Suzi Quatro
In England, the rock singer led a male rock band, among the members of which was an American guitarist Len Tucky. This guy left The Nashville Teens, and later became Susie's legal husband. The author's single Rolling Stone (1972) failed to take a leading position in the popular charts. But he took the main positions in the Portuguese charts.
Soon Quatro began to collaborate with a powerful authoring tandem, which included Mike Chapman and Nikki Chinn. The reaction of music lovers to the second song of Can the Can was dizzying. The track took the honorable 1st position in the charts all over the world.
In 1973, thanks to the second single, Suzi Quatro gained immense popularity and became a real symbol of the raging wave of glam rock. At that moment, rebellious leather outfits and bold recognition made the "fans" tremble with admiration and were a role model among aspiring musicians.
The creative triumph was marked by a tour of Australia in 1974. As well as recording the second Quatro music album, the hit of which was the track Devil Gate Drive. Having decided on a US tour, the singer was able to win love in her homeland. She participated in a joint American tour with the famous and terrible Alice Cooper. The actress even appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.
Personal life and late career of Suzy Quatro
Two more albums were recorded in the mid-1970s. Tracks I Bit Off More Than I Could Chew and Heartbreak Hotel were highly appreciated by the fans. Then the artist agreed to shoot in the television series Happy Days. And after seven episodes, she left him. Unable to win the love of the cooled British, Susie returned to America, where she hosted a music program and performed in it herself.
In 1978, the wedding took place with Len Taki. In the same period, the rock singer began to work in a higher quality sound. The song Stumblin' In made her mega popular in the US. In the 1980s, Suzi Quatro became the mother of a daughter and a son.
Singer Suzy Quatro in 2021
The premiere of the singer's new LP took place on all streaming platforms. The collection was called The Devil In Me. The co-author of the disc was the singer's son Richard Tuckey. The album was topped by 12 tracks.
