Patricia Andrzejewski was born in Brooklyn and raised in suburban Lindenhurst, Long Island. Her mother Millie had sacrificed her own career as an opera singer to bring up Pat and son Andrew. Years later it was Pat who singing classical, honing the powers of her 4.5-octave voice as a member of Lindenhurst High's musical-theater department. Having been accepted at Juilliard, Pat shocked friends and family by marrying her high-school sweetheart Dennis T. Benatar, a soldier, and moving off to Virginia where he had been stationed. Before too long, the tedium of life as a housewife/bank teller proved too much for Pat, and she joined Coxon's Army, a cabaret band on the Richmond club circuit. Coxon's Army rose to new heights of fame, and Pat was instilled with the confidence to move to New York City and pursue her own dream, which brought her to Manhattan's "Catch A Rising Star". Having thrilled the audience with her first performance on amateur night, Pat soon found herself with a paying gig, a manager and a recording contract, but her image was still in limbo. Primarily singing torch song and Judy Garland classics, she longed to perform hard-rocking tunes in the Led Zeppelin vein. Her wishes were fulfilled when her handlers introduced her to Cleveland guitar-man Neil Giraldo, whose aggressive playing unleashed Pat's inner rocker. She had found her muse, and when her audience roared one Halloween night over a sultry costume she wore on stage, she had found her image.



Has two daughters: Haley Egeana (16 February 1985) and Hana Juliana (12 March 1994). Appeared with husband Neil Giraldo on the April 24, 2002, episode of "That '80s Show" (2002). 11 August 2002 was declared "Pat Benatar Day" in Babylon, New York. She was also presented with the key to Babylon by town supervisor Steve Bellone at the Babylon Town Hall. The character "Pat Bernardo" in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) was inspired by Benatar. During an early lunch-room scene, Jennifer Jason Leigh's character "Stacy" and Phoebe Cates' character, "Linda", have a discussion about Bernardo and the "Pat Benatar-look". Winner of 4-consecutive Grammy Awards for "Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female" (1980-1983) and nominated 4-more times in 85, 86, 88, & 89 Has 6 platinum and 4 gold solo-albums Daughter, Haley Giraldo, was a Miss Golden Globe presenter at The 59th Annual Golden Globe Awards (2002) (TV) ceremony. Ranked #39 on VH1's 100 Greatest Women of Rock N Roll Ranked #66 on VH1's 100 Sexiest Artists.