Joan Jett facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joan Jett
Jett in 2013
Background information
Birth name	Joan Marie Larkin
Born	(1958-09-22) September 22, 1958 (age 66) Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Origin	Los Angeles, California
Genres	Rock hard rock punk rock
Occupation(s)	Musician singer songwriter record producer actress
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Years active	1975–present
Signature

Joan Jett (born Joan Marie Larkin on September 22, 1958) is a famous American musician, singer, and actress. Many people call her the "Godmother of Punk" or the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll." She's a true rock icon and has inspired many musicians.

Joan started her music journey in 1975 as a founding member of the band The Runaways. They released four albums together. After the band broke up, she started her own record label, Blackheart Records, with producer Kenny Laguna.

In 1979, Joan formed her band, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. She released her first solo album around this time. With the Blackhearts, Joan has released twelve albums. Three of these albums have sold enough copies to be certified platinum or gold. Also, eleven of their songs have made it onto the Billboard Hot 100 music chart.

Rolling Stone magazine included Joan Jett on their lists of the greatest guitarists of all time in 2003 and 2023. In 2015, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts were added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Besides music, Joan starred in the movie Light of Day in 1987. She has also appeared in several TV shows and is known for her activism.

Joan Jett's Early Life

Joan Marie Larkin was born on September 22, 1958, in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. She was the oldest of three children. Her dad sold insurance, and her mom was a secretary.

In 1967, her family moved to Rockville, Maryland. Joan attended Randolph Junior High and Wheaton High School there. She got her first guitar when she was 13. She took some lessons but quit because her teacher only wanted to teach folk songs.

Later, her family moved to West Covina, California. This move helped Joan follow her dream of making music. After her parents divorced, she changed her name to Joan Jett. She thought "Jett" sounded more like a rock star name.

In Los Angeles, Joan loved going to Rodney Bingenheimer's English Disco. This place was known for the glam rock style she enjoyed.

Music Career Highlights

Starting with The Runaways

Jett (left) and Cherie Currie of The Runaways performing at Brumrock '76, Bingley Hall, Birmingham, UK, September 25, 1976

When she was 16, Joan Jett helped start The Runaways with drummer Sandy West. Later, Jackie Fox, Lita Ford, and Cherie Currie joined the band. This group became the classic lineup.

Cherie Currie was the main singer at first. But Joan also sang some songs and played rhythm guitar. She helped write many of the band's songs. This lineup recorded three albums.

The band traveled all over the world. They opened shows for famous bands like Cheap Trick and Ramones. They were very popular in Japan and other countries. However, they didn't become as famous in the United States.

After Cherie Currie left, Joan Jett became the main singer. The band released two more albums: Waitin' for the Night and And Now... The Runaways. While touring England in 1976, Joan first heard the song "I Love Rock 'n' Roll". She saw the band Arrows perform it on TV. The Runaways made five albums in total before breaking up in 1979.

Going Solo and Forming The Blackhearts

In 1979, Joan Jett went to England to start a solo career. She recorded three songs there. One of them was an early version of "I Love Rock 'n' Roll". This version can be found on her 1993 album, Flashback.

Joan met songwriter and producer Kenny Laguna in 1979. They became good friends and decided to work together. Joan then moved to Long Beach, New York, where Kenny lived.

Joan Jett's first solo album was released in Europe in 1980. In the US, many record labels said no to her album. So, Joan and Kenny decided to release it themselves. They started their own label called Blackheart Records. They even used Kenny's daughter's college savings to help pay for it.

With Kenny's help, Joan formed her new band, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Joan and Kenny have been the only constant members of the band.

Jett performing live with the Gibson Melody Maker in Norway, during the 1980s

In 1981, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts appeared in the concert film Urgh! A Music War. They performed "Bad Reputation" in New York City. A concert in New York City in 1981 was a big moment for the band. It helped them gain many fans in the city.

After touring, the Blackhearts recorded a new album called I Love Rock 'n Roll. The first song from this album was "I Love Rock 'n' Roll". In 1982, this song was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks! It's one of Billboard magazine's top songs of all time. It was also added to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2016.

Joan released more albums like Album (1983) and Glorious Results of a Misspent Youth (1984). She had many hit songs and sold-out tours with bands like The Police and Queen. She was one of the first English-speaking rock artists to perform in Panama and the Dominican Republic.

Acting and More Music

Joan Jett starred in the movie Light of Day (1987) with Michael J. Fox. They played siblings in a rock band. The movie's director wrote the song "Light of Day" for the film. Critics praised Joan's acting in the movie.

Her next album, Up Your Alley (1988), sold millions of copies. It included the hit song "I Hate Myself for Loving You." This song reached number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was also used as the theme song for Sunday Night Football games in America.

Jett performing live at the Bumbershoot festival, in Seattle, Washington, 1994

In the 1990s, Joan released The Hit List, an album of cover songs. In 1990, the Blackhearts had a song called "Long Live the Night" on the Days of Thunder movie soundtrack.

Her 1991 album, Notorious, was her last with Sony/CBS. She then moved to Warner Bros.. In 1993, Joan and Kenny released Flashback, a collection of songs. In 1994, the Blackhearts released Pure and Simple. This album included songs written with other female musicians like Kat Bjelland and Kathleen Hanna.

Joan also produced music for other bands in the 1990s. She appeared in independent films like The Sweet Life and Boogie Boy. In 1992, she was a guest star in the TV show Highlander: The Series. In 1997, she appeared on the sitcom Ellen.

2000s and Beyond

In 2000, Joan Jett performed in the Broadway show The Rocky Horror Show. That same year, she appeared on Walker, Texas Ranger. In 2002, Joan was in the film By Hook or by Crook. From 2000 to 2003, Joan hosted a show called Independent Eye for Maryland Public Television.

In 2006, Joan released her album Sinner on Blackheart Records. The band toured to support the album. In 2008, Joan had a small role in the movie Repo! The Genetic Opera. She also appeared in an episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

Jett performing in 2008

Joan was an executive producer for the 2010 film The Runaways. This movie told the story of her old band. Kristen Stewart played Joan Jett in the film. Kristen met Joan to prepare for the role. The movie also explored the friendship between Joan and Cherie Currie.

In 2013, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts released the album Unvarnished. This album reached the Top 50 on Billboard charts. It included songs about the death of her parents.

In April 2014, Joan Jett performed with the remaining members of Nirvana. This was for Nirvana's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Joan also played Betsy Neal in the TV movie Big Driver in 2014. She also voiced the character Sunshine Justice in an episode of Steven Universe.

On March 25, 2022, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts released Changeup. This was their first acoustic album. It included new versions of "Bad Reputation" and "Crimson and Clover." On June 2, 2023, they released a new album called Mindsets. This was their first new music in ten years.

In 2021, two graphic novels were released to celebrate Joan's first two albums. These books brought Joan's songs to life as 20 stories.

Joan Jett's Other Ventures

Joan Jett's Activism

Jett promoting PETA in Union Square, New York City, 2010

Joan Jett has always supported animal rights. She works with groups like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). For Valentine's Day 2022, PETA even made a special pizza with a Los Angeles pizza shop.

Joan also worked with members of the band The Gits. Their singer, Mia Zapata, was murdered in 1993. Joan and the band released an album called Evil Stig. The money from this album helped with the investigation into Mia's murder. They even appeared on the TV show America's Most Wanted to ask for help. The case was solved in 2004.

Joan Jett is a big sports fan. Her song "Bad Reputation" is used by UFC fighter Ronda Rousey. Joan performed "Bad Reputation" at WWE's WrestleMania 35 when Rousey entered.

Joan's cover of "Love Is All Around" was used by the NCAA. It promoted the Women's Final Four basketball tournament. She also provided music for the ESPN X Games. Joan sang the U.S. national anthem at a Baltimore Orioles baseball game.

From 2006 to 2015, the tune from her song "I Hate Myself for Loving You" was used for the NBC Sunday Night Football theme. The lyrics were changed to "Waiting All Day for Sunday Night." Since 2019, Joan Jett performs the song with Carrie Underwood for the Sunday Night Football opener.

Joan has supported the United States Armed Forces for over 20 years. She has toured with the United Service Organizations (USO). She often says that while she doesn't like war, she supports the military.

In 2016, Joan was the first to sign an open letter from Billboard magazine. This letter asked Congress to pass laws about gun control. Many other musicians and music industry leaders also signed it.

Products and Endorsements

In 2008, Gibson released the "Joan Jett Signature Melody Maker" guitar. It's a special version of her favorite guitar. There's also a "Blackheart" version of this guitar, released in 2010.

On November 19, 2009, Mattel released a Joan Jett Barbie doll. Joan gave her permission for the doll to be made.

In 2019, Gibson released a third signature guitar for Joan. It's a wine-colored ES-339 model.

Joan Jett's Musical Style

Joan Jett has a mezzo-soprano singing voice. Her most famous guitar is a white Gibson Melody Maker. She has played this guitar on all her hit songs since 1977. Joan bought her first Melody Maker from Eric Carmen of the band Raspberries.

She once said about her white Melody Maker: "It's beautiful, and I still have it. But it's heavy. I jump and run around a lot onstage, so I wanted a lighter guitar. I heard Eric Carmen was selling a Melody Maker, so I bought it. He played it on his hits, and I played it on 'I Love Rock 'n' Roll' and 'Bad Reputation.' I don't take it on the road anymore because I'm afraid it will get stolen or broken. It's an amazing guitar."

Joan Jett's Impact

The media has called Joan Jett the "Godmother of Punk" and the "Original Riot Grrrl." She's also known as the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll. The Riot Grrrl movement started in the early 1990s. Many artists in this movement said Joan Jett was a role model for them.

In 1983, "Weird Al" Yankovic made a funny version of "I Love Rock 'n' Roll." He called it "I Love Rocky Road" and sang about ice cream instead of rock music. Joan Jett liked the joke. She even bought the original artwork for the comic strip that made fun of her.

The TV show Freaks and Geeks used "Bad Reputation" as its opening theme song in 1999. In 2019, a British blogger named LadBaby made a funny version of "I Love Rock 'n' Roll." He called it "I Love Sausage Rolls," and it became the Christmas number one song in the UK.

In 2010, the movie The Runaways was released. It was about Joan's first band. Kristen Stewart played Joan Jett in the film. Later, a documentary about Joan called Bad Reputation came out in 2018.

Joan Jett has received many awards. She was added to the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2006. Rolling Stone magazine listed her among the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. In 2013, she was named West Hollywood's Rock Legend. In 2014, Joan was the first woman to win the Golden God Award. She also received the AP Icon Award from Alternative Press magazine. In 2015, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Discography

Solo albums

• Joan Jett (1980); re-released as Bad Reputation (1981)
• The Hit List (1990)

With Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

• I Love Rock 'n Roll (1981)
• Album (1983)
• Glorious Results of a Misspent Youth (1984)
• Good Music (1986)
• Up Your Alley (1988)
• Notorious (1991)
• Pure and Simple (1994)
• Sinner (2006)
• Unvarnished (2013)
• Changeup (2022)
• Mindsets (2023)

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Joan Jett para niños