Joan Jett
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Joan Jett along with her band the Blackhearts (formed in 1981) released several simple, yet pure rock 'n' roll albums in the 1980's.
Jett's main claim to fame, 1982's LP 'I Love Rock 'N Roll' was an endearing album, with powerful hits like the title cut (which spent seven weeks as the number one single in America) and a psychedelic cover of Tommy James and the Shondells number one hit 'Crimson And Clover.' With many female fans identifying with her traditional rock 'n' roll roots, defiant sneer and blasting guitar chords, Jett was able to secure a strong female fan base throughout the 1980's and had mild success with subsequent releases.
But aside from her career with the Blackhearts, Jett was also a member of the Runaways, a hard rock female group that released three albums in the late 1970's. With the classic song 'Cherry Bomb' single, the Runaways achieved cult status in Japan and Europe, although the band never met much commercial success in America.
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts also influenced many female rockers and bands. Girl punk band Bikini Kill and hard alternative rockers like L7 both pointed to Jett as a major influence in their lives and music.
Author Robert Benson writes about rock/pop music, vinyl record collecting and operates www.collectingvinylrecords.com, where you can secure your copy of his ebook called "The Fascinating Hobby Of Vinyl Record Collecting." Robert can be contacted at robert@collectingvinylrecords.com.