Suzi Quatro
Suzi Quatro, fourth of five children, born under the sign of Gemini, June 3rd, 1950, in Detroit Michigan.
She was raised in a musical family, including 3 sisters and one brother, who all played various instruments. Suzi herself made her debut on stage playing bongo’s in her father’s jazz band, the art Quatro trio.
From an early age she studied classical piano and percussion, then aged 14, began an all-girl band with elder sister Patti, called the pleasure seekers. Suzi was ‘told’ she would be playing bass guitar, which was as tall as her! She a quickly became the lead singer and front person.
This band toured for 7 years, very successfully, releasing a few singles along the way, then changed their name to cradle in 1969. It was in this band, a couple of years later, that Mickie most, (producer) came to a concert, and offered Suzi a solo contract. She flew to England in 1971 to begin her journey to fame. Soon after Suzi began working with now legendary songwriters Chinn and Chapman (Mike Chapman also produced), which resulted the huge hit, Can the Can, which went to number one in May 1973, and went on to sell two and a half million copies worldwide.
Between 1973 and 1980, Suzi Quatro featured in the British charts for no less than 101 weeks, and has sold to date over 55 million records, and still counting. Her hits include, 48 Crash, Too Big, Devil Gate Drive, Daytona Demon, The Wild One, She's in Love with You, Mama's Boy, If You Can't Give Me Love, Rock Hard, and a million seller in the U.S.A, ‘Stumblin In’ a duet with Chris Norman.
From 77-79 Suzi spread her wings and landed a part on the worldwide hit TV series ‘Happy Days’, playing leather tuscadero opposite Henry Winkler and Ron Howard. She continued to act in other shows including, Minder, Dempsey and Makepeace, and more up to date, Absolutely Fabulous and Midsomer Murders.
In 1986 Suzi made her west end debut playing the leading role of Annie Oakley in Irving Berlin’s ‘Annie Get Your Gun’ for which she received great critical acclaim.
1988 she spread her wings again and hosted her own talk show called ‘Gas Street’ which ran for a year.
1989 Suzi was one of the first rock and roll acts to go to Russia, where she performed for over half a million people in just six weeks.
1991, she was triumphant again, realising a lifelong ambition by writing the music and lyrics, along with Shirlie Roden, and starring in ‘Tallulah Bankhead’ it ran for its full season of 5 weeks, and Suzi received amazing critics, even though they were not officially allowed into review the show.
January 1999 started Suzi’s radio career with BBC radio 2, which is ongoing today. She has done her own weekly programs, and many special documentaries including Elvis Presley, Otis Redding, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Patsy Cline, and a recent special on her home town of Detroit. She has met, interviewed or played on stage with most of her hero’s. Suzi is a very popular D.J. even being nominated for music broadcaster of the year at the Sony Radio Awards in 2006
1999 also saw Suzi honoured in ‘This Is Your Life’, complete with famous red book. They caught her on her 56-date UK tour, onstage at the Palladium - completely off guard. There were a few expletives that had to be edited out!!
In 2006 Suzi released the autobiographical album, Back to the Drive, which has become the fans favourite worldwide.
Suzi also made an appearance alongside Charles Dance in the theatre, in a play called exonerated at this time.
Unzipped, Suzi's autobiography was released in 2007 and has done extremely well worldwide, getting to number 2 in the Australian charts where she continues to tour.
2011's release 'In the Spotlight' which the limited edition includes an extra CD of unreleased Suzi compositions called ‘In the Dark’, and an enhanced CD with a video of ‘Strict Machine’ and the now legendary Suzi tribute to her absolute hero, Elvis Presley, ‘Singing With Angels', which she recorded in Nashville with James Burton on guitar, and Elvis's original backing vocal group, The Jordinaries.
In 2012, Suzi turned her autobiography into a one woman show which had is first outing at London's hippodrome theatre for one week.
In 2014, to celebrate her 50 years in the business, BBC Radio 2 featured this show as part of their Christmas schedule taped at the BBC Radio Theatre. It was prime time, 2 hours long, unzipped, turning into a mini concert at the end, and was attended by such luminaries as Bruce Welch (The Shadows) and Andrew Lloyd Webber. It broke records with requests for tickets after only 1 announcement that this should would go on. Over 5000 people!
Current projects
Suzi released a poetry book called ‘Through My Eyes’. First for the Australian tour, and now worldwide. Many have called it her best work…. And her own self designed Christmas cards.
In 2016, Suzi, together with Andy Scott (Sweet) and Don Powell (Slade), Quatro Scott and Powell, recorded an album, which was released on Sony Jan 20th, 2017. The album is called QSP. They were the opening act for Suzi’s leather forever encore tour February/March 2017. The album charted at number 16 in Australia and has now been released on Sony Worldwide.
October 19th, 2016, Suzi was made honorary Doctor of Music, and received her award, in cap and gown at Cambridge University. She is now officially doctor Quatro.
Her first novel, The Hurricane was released in May 2017, and she is already working on the sequel.
In May 2017, she headlined an arena tour in the UK, along with Hot Chocolate, The Osmonds and David Essex.
In 2018, she headlined a sold-out festival tour of Australia making this her 34th tour of this country to date, and more to come - including Rock the Boat!
She is working on 2 new recording projects. One with original producer Mike Chapman, and the other writing songs and recording with KT Tunstall.
Her current album which came out on March 29, 2019, No Control, is charting all around the world and critics are raving. This collaboration was done with her son Richard Tuckey who co-wrote most of the tracks and played guitar. It is one of her finest albums, self-produced, organic, and she has come home!
Her famous quote says it all.
“I will retire when I go onstage, shake my ass, and there is silence’
