Rocker Pat Benatar Still 'Invincible'

ByABC News via logo
July 11, 2003, 12:05 PM

N E W   Y O R K, July 11 -- It's been more than 20 years since pretty and petite Pat Benatar shocked the world with her amazingly powerful voice and her tough-girl image, and she's still rocking today.

Benatar fans got a preview of the artist's soon-to-be released album during her live Good Morning America concert from New York City's Bryant Park.

The Grammy-award winner performed the title song of her new album, Go, which is set to be released Aug. 12.

She and her guitar-playing husband of 21 years, Neil Giraldo, are on tour all summer long.

Benatar's mother was in the chorus of the New York City Opera, and Benatar says she inherited her mother's ability to hit the high notes, which is evident in Benatar's 1979 hit "Heartbreaker."

But Benatar says she has never really focused too much on opera.

"I have no time to do that," Benatar said on ABCNEWS' Good Morning America. "I'm too busy singing this," she said.

Benatar and Giraldo, her guitarist, co-songwriter, producer and arranger, have been touring with their two girls, Hana, 9, and Haley, 18. Benatar even makes dinner and bakes for her family in the bus.

Benatar signed a deal with Chrysalis Records back in 1978. It was then that she began working with Giraldo, a former member of Rick Derringer's band.

They soon realized their chemistry went beyond just the music and they moved to Southern California together, where they released nine albums, seven of which sold at least a million copies each.

Giraldo and Benatar spend a lot of time with their girls while on tour, although they seem to prefer the night performances over the early morning ones, according to Giraldo.

"They work rockers hours' these kids," Giraldo said. "They're the greatest."

In addition to performing "Go," the title track on their new album, Benatar and Giraldo performed earlier hits, "Heartbreaker" (1979) and "Invincible" (1985) during their Good Morning America show.