Historical Figure
Debbie Harry
b. 1945
American singer-songwriter and actress (born 1945)
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Biography
Deborah Ann Harry is an American singer, songwriter and actress, best known as the lead vocalist of the band Blondie. Four of her songs with the band reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 between 1979 and 1981.
Timeline
The story of Debbie Harry, told in moments.
Born Angela Trimble in Miami, Florida. Adopted as an infant and raised in Hawthorne, New Jersey. Worked as a Playboy Bunny, a beautician, and a secretary at the BBC's New York office before music.
Co-founded Blondie with guitarist Chris Stein in New York City. They came out of the CBGB punk scene alongside the Ramones, Television, and Patti Smith.
"Heart of Glass" hit No. 1 worldwide. It was a disco song from a punk band. Purists hated it. Everyone else danced.
"Rapture" became the first rap song to reach No. 1 in the United States. Harry's rap section name-checked Fab Five Freddy and Grandmaster Flash, bringing hip-hop to a mainstream pop audience.
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Blondie. She became the face of the crossover between punk, disco, and new wave in late-1970s New York.
In Their Own Words (12)
Yes, but, you know, in a way it was good because I can sneak up on them unawares. I think times have changed in that respect. Women are serious wage-earners, and we create great things, and it seems clear to me that we can be supportive of one another regardless of what sex [we are].
On how she was initially dismissed as a serious performer due to her gender, 2019
With lyrics, I have a basic idea, and then I write little phrases that fit with the music and encapsulate a feeling. I start with a theme and then try to adjust it to the music. I like the music to come first. For the book, I would sit down and tell the story, and then go back and edit myself. It’s probably a similar process to what you do with your photography. You shoot it, and then go back to it.
On how her musical sensibilities informed her autobiographical writing process, 2019
And I always felt that since all my life, I was always called ‘Debbie’ or ‘Harry’ – so I embodied this myself and it’s just the way it was. It probably still is!...Yeah, so I don’t know – I never really had any problems with that and I’m always surprised when people have a fear or frustration about their combination of sexualities – I think we do better recognising both within ourselves.
On how she views terms such as genderqueer and non-binary, 2019
In order to survive, I could never put myself in the position of whining about being a woman. I just got on with it. As much as it was possible, I found a way to do what I wanted to do.
On emerging as a female artist in male-dominated music scene during the 1970s, 2019
I sort of thought: ‘Gee, maybe it wouldn’t have been so bad to have kids.’ But I don’t know if I could have done it while I was working so much…My natural inclination is to really throw myself into things. It wouldn’t be like I could hand over the baby. I would really want to be involved.
On her decision to not become a mother, 2019
Artifacts (12)
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