Suzi Quatro

Suzi Quatro was born on June 3, 1950, in Detroit. At the age of eight, she was already participating in performances with the jazz group Art Quatro Trio as a percussionist. At the same time, she began preparing for a career as a professional dancer, but her passion for music won out, and by the age of 14, Suzi was performing with her sisters in the band Suzi Soul and Pleasure Seekers, which soon changed its name to Cradle.

The band disbanded. In 1971, at the suggestion of former manager Jeff Beck, Mickey Most, Suzi went to seek her fortune in England. Her first single flopped spectacularly, resulting in the entire band breaking up, leaving Suzi alone and penniless.

Under the guidance of the same Mickey Most, she recruited a new lineup and began her music career anew, collaborating with notable hit-makers Mick Chapman and Nicky Chinn, and with great success. The song "Can the Can" instantly became popular and topped the charts in Britain, Japan, and Australia. Riding the wave of success, in 1974, Suzi toured Australia, where audiences welcomed her with enthusiasm, and critics praised her, predicting a bright future.

In two years, she achieved a lot. In 1973, her debut full-length album was released, parts of which were written by Suzi herself in collaboration with guitarist Lenny Taki. Some of the songs were covers, but almost all the hits belonged to the Chinn-Chapman tandem. By that time, Suzi was already a recognized singer with an international name and the reputation of the 'prima donna of hard rock'. The album achieved significant commercial success. She managed to fully prove that a petite and fragile girl can not only be a good singer and put on vibrant stage shows but also manage the role of a bassist, albeit not as strong and sophisticated as, for example, John Paul Jones or Chris Squire, but quite capable within her style.

The late seventies were a successful period for Suzi Quatro. While her first two albums showcased heavy rock and roll in the spirit of Slade, the records from this period were closer to Smokie or the most pop-oriented works of Sweet. Aside from her musical career, she also acted in films and worked on television. During this time, Suzi married guitarist Lenny Taki, and in 1978 they had a wedding in Japan in traditional Japanese style.

In 1980, the album "Rock Hard" was released, marking her return to hard rock. The 1983 album maintained a similar tone. The albums were quite respectable, and the audience received them well, although the popularity of the early seventies was no longer present. The duet with ex-Smokie vocalist Chris Norman was the only successful endeavor.

Suzi disappeared from the public eye for a long time, occasionally resurfacing, working on television and participating in theatrical productions. One of her most significant roles was that of Annie Oakley in the musical "Annie Get Your Gun."

In the early nineties, she revitalized her career — successful tours, singles ranking high in the charts, and the successful album "What Goes Around" added to her optimism and motivated her to work. The year 1992 turned out to be very eventful with some unpleasant events in her personal life. Despite all the ups and downs, she remained as good and energetic on stage as ever, and her single "And So To Bed" (one of the few songs written by her) met with great success.

In 1997, the album "Unreleased Emotion" was released, recorded in the early '80s. At that time, Suzi was pregnant with her first daughter, Laura, and possibly due to this, the songs turned out to be much softer and warmer than usual.

The next record saw the light in 2003. The album "Wake Up Little Suzi" demonstrated that she was in good shape, and her busy touring schedule confirmed this. The rock and roll life goes on, and Suzi Quatro will definitely continue to delight us with her wonderful music.