Born Angela Trimble in Miami in 1945, Deborah Ann Harry emerged from the New York City underground scene to define the sound and aesthetic of the new wave era. Adopted as an infant and raised in Hawthorne, New Jersey, she transitioned from early work as a waitress and dancer to lead the band Blondie, achieving global commercial dominance between 1979 and 1981.
Early Career and Formation of Blondie
Before achieving fame, Harry graduated from Hawthorne High School in 1963 and earned an Associate of Arts degree from Centenary University in 1965. Her early professional life included stints as a secretary at the BBC in New York and as a Playboy Bunny. In the late 1960s, she began her musical journey as a backing singer for the folk rock group The Wind in the Willows. By 1973, she joined the group The Stillettoes, where she met guitarist Chris Stein. In 1974, Harry and Stein co-founded Angel and the Snake, which they soon renamed Blondie, becoming fixtures at New York City venues like CBGB and Max's Kansas City.
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Blondie released their eponymous debut studio album in 1976, but international success arrived with the 1978 release of Parallel Lines. The album spawned the hit single Heart of Glass, which reached number one in the United States and the United Kingdom. Throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, the band produced a string of chart-topping hits. Autoamerican, released in 1980, featured The Tide Is High and Rapture, the latter gaining recognition as the first rap song to reach number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. During this period, four of her tracks with the band secured the top position in the U.S.
Acting and Solo Projects
During a hiatus from Blondie, Harry launched a solo career with the 1981 album KooKoo, followed by Rockbird in 1986. She simultaneously pursued acting, securing roles in films including the neo-noir Union City, David Cronenberg's Videodrome, and John Waters's Hairspray. Her later film work includes appearances in Body Bags, Heavy, and the independent features Deuces Wild, My Life Without Me, and Elegy. She eventually returned to her roots with the band, contributing to albums like No Exit and the 2017 release Pollinator, which reached number four in the United Kingdom.
Fast facts
- Born: 1945, Miami
- Citizenship: United States
- Primary band: Blondie
- Education: Hawthorne High School; Centenary University
- Award: New Jersey Hall of Fame (2017)
- Debut solo album: KooKoo (1981)
Questions readers ask
Was Deborah Harry always her legal name?
No. She was born Angela Trimble in 1945 and was later adopted and renamed Deborah Ann Harry.
What was the significance of the song Rapture?
Rapture, released on the 1980 album Autoamerican, is considered the first rap song to reach number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
Achievements
- New Jersey Hall of Fame — 2017
- Instruments: voice
- Genres: rock music, new wave and post-bop
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