Benatar is nominated alongside her husband and guitar player, Neil Giraldo. She has been eligible for this recognition since 2004. She grew up in Lindenhurst on Long Island.
She is one of nine artists that appear on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s Class of 2020 ballot for the first time.
They are credited for being one of the most “formidable power couples” in rock and roll history. Benatar and Giraldo both created a unique sound that has impacted the sonic landscape of the ’80s on a deep level.
With her music video for “You Better Run,” Benatar made MTV history, becoming the first woman to appear on the channel, while Neil Giraldo was the first guitar player on MTV. Their partnership is one of rock music’s most long-lasting. They founded their own entertainment company, Bel Chiasso, and they continue to perform concerts and create new music to this day.
Her mantel holds four Grammy awards, which she won consecutively from 1981 until 1984, all of which were for “Best Female Rock Vocal Performance” for such singles as “Fire and Ice,” “Love Is a Battlefield,” “Shadows of the Night” and for her Crimes of Passion album.
To learn more about Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, check out the rock couple’s website.
