Debbie Harry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Debbie Harry
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Harry at the 53rd International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2024
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Angela Trimble
July 1, 1945 Miami, Florida, U.S.
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| Other names | Deborah Ann Harry |
| Education | Centenary College (AA) |
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| Years active | 1966–present |
| Musical career | |
| Origin | New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Instruments | Vocals |
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Deborah Ann Harry (born Angela Trimble on July 1, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is most famous for being the lead singer of the rock band Blondie. With her band, she had four songs reach number one on the U.S. music charts between 1979 and 1981.
Born in Miami, Florida, Harry was adopted when she was a baby and grew up in Hawthorne, New Jersey. After attending college, she had several jobs, including being a dancer and a secretary. Her big break in music came when she helped form the band Blondie in 1974 in New York City.
Blondie released its first album in 1976. By 1979, their album Parallel Lines made them famous worldwide with hit songs like "Heart of Glass". Their 1980 album, Autoamerican, had more hits, including "The Tide Is High" and "Rapture". "Rapture" was the first song with rap verses to become a number-one hit in the United States.
Harry also has a successful solo music career and has acted in many movies. She starred in the films Union City (1980) and Videodrome (1983). She also appeared in the popular dance movie Hairspray (1988).
Blondie got back together in the late 1990s and has been releasing new music ever since, including the album Pollinator in 2017. In 2019, Harry released her autobiography, Face It: A Memoir.
Contents
Life and Career
Early Life and Education
Debbie Harry was born Angela Trimble on July 1, 1945, in Miami, Florida. When she was three months old, she was adopted by Catherine and Richard Harry, who owned a gift shop in Hawthorne, New Jersey. They renamed her Deborah Ann Harry. She has Scottish family roots.
Harry found out she was adopted when she was four years old. In the late 1980s, she found her birth mother, who was a concert pianist, but they did not form a relationship. In her memoir, Harry wrote that she was a tomboy as a child and loved playing in the woods near her home.
Harry went to Hawthorne High School and graduated in 1963. She then went to Centenary College in New Jersey, where she earned an Associate of Arts degree in 1965. After college, she moved to New York City. Before her music career took off, she worked as a secretary for BBC Radio, a waitress, and a dancer.
Forming the Band Blondie
In the late 1960s, Harry started her music career as a backup singer for a folk-rock group called The Wind in the Willows.
In 1973, she joined a band called The Stilettos. Soon after, guitarist Chris Stein joined the band, and he and Harry started dating. In 1974, Harry and Stein left The Stilettos to form their own band. They first called it Angel and the Snake, but soon changed the name to Blondie. The name came from the catcalls Harry would get after she bleached her hair blonde. The band became very popular at famous New York music clubs like Max's Kansas City and CBGB.
1976–1980: Worldwide Success
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With her unique style and bleached-blonde hair, Harry quickly became a punk rock icon. Blondie's first album, also called Blondie, came out in 1976. Their third album, Parallel Lines (1978), was a huge hit all over the world. It included the famous song "Heart of Glass", which went to number one in the U.S. and the U.K.
In 1979, Blondie was on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. Harry's cool and stylish personality was so connected to the band that many people thought her name was "Blondie." To clear this up, the band made buttons that said, "Blondie is a group."
The band's success continued with more hit albums and songs. Their number-one hits included "Call Me", "The Tide Is High", and "Rapture". "Rapture" was one of the first songs by a rock band to feature rapping. It became the first song with a rap verse to top the U.S. charts, helping to introduce hip-hop music to a wider audience.
During this time, Harry became friends with the famous artist Andy Warhol. In 1980, he created several famous portraits of her. Harry said that Warhol taught her to always be open to new ideas in music, style, and art.
1981–1996: Solo Career and Acting
In 1981, Harry released her first solo album, KooKoo. The album's cover art, created by artist H.R. Giger, was considered unusual at the time. After releasing one more album, The Hunter (1982), Blondie broke up. This was partly because guitarist Chris Stein became very sick with a rare disease called pemphigus.
Harry took a break from her solo music career to care for Stein. She also focused on acting. In 1983, she starred in the science fiction horror film Videodrome. She received great reviews for her performance.
In 1986, she released her second solo album, Rockbird. The song "French Kissin' in the USA" was a top 10 hit in the U.K. In 1988, she played the role of Velma Von Tussle in the popular movie Hairspray.
She released another solo album, Def, Dumb and Blonde, in 1989. Around this time, she started using her full name, Deborah Harry, professionally. She continued to act in movies, including Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990) and Body Bags (1993). In 1995, she appeared in the drama film Heavy.
1997–2007: Blondie Reunites
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In 1997, the original members of Blondie got back together to record a new album. Their 1999 album, No Exit, was a big success. The single "Maria" became a number-one hit in the U.K., which was the band's sixth song to do so.
Blondie released another album, The Curse of Blondie, in 2003. During this time, Harry also worked on her own music. She released her fifth solo album, Necessary Evil, in 2007. To promote the album, she toured across the United States.
2008–Present: Recent Work
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Harry has continued to work with other musicians. In 2008, she sang on the Fall Out Boy album Folie à Deux. Blondie released their ninth album, Panic of Girls, in 2011, and their tenth, Ghosts of Download, in 2014.
In 2017, Blondie released their eleventh album, Pollinator, which was a top 5 hit in the U.K. In 2019, Harry published her memoir, Face It. In 2023, Rolling Stone magazine named her one of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time. She continues to record music and perform with Blondie.
Personal Life
Harry was in a long-term relationship with Blondie guitarist Chris Stein. They broke up in 1987 but have remained close friends. Harry is the godmother to Stein's two daughters.
As of 2019, Harry lives in New York City and New Jersey with her four dogs.
Charity Work
Harry is active in charity work. She has said she was inspired by singer Elton John's work fighting HIV/AIDS. She supports charities that are dedicated to fighting cancer and endometriosis. She believes it is important to use her fame to help others.
Discography
Studio albums
- KooKoo (1981)
- Rockbird (1986)
- Def, Dumb & Blonde (1989)
- Debravation (1993)
- Necessary Evil (2007)
Compilations and other albums
- Once More into the Bleach (1988, Debbie Harry and Blondie)
- The Complete Picture: The Very Best of Deborah Harry and Blondie (1991, Debbie Harry and Blondie)
- Deborah Harry Collection (1998)
- Most of All: The Best of Deborah Harry (1999)
Filmography
See also
In Spanish: Debbie Harry para niños
