Image credits: Wikimedia Commons
Suzi Quatro
June 3, 1950
Detroit, Michigan, US
76 Years Old
Gemini
Who Is Suzi Quatro?
Suzi Quatro is an American-British singer, bass guitarist, and actress, renowned for her trailblazing role as a female rock pioneer. Her dynamic stage presence and signature leather image defied conventions in music.
She burst into the public eye with the 1973 smash hit single “Can the Can,” which rocketed to number one across Europe and Australia. Quatro’s raw energy and powerful vocals immediately captivated a global audience.
Early Life and Education
A musical family shaped Susan Kay Quatro's early life in Detroit, Michigan, where her father, Art, was a semi-professional musician. Suzi was the fourth of five children and began playing bongos in her father's jazz trio at age eight.
She received formal training in classical piano and percussion before teaching herself bass guitar at 14 to join her sister Patti's all-female band, The Pleasure Seekers, which honed her performance skills on the local Detroit music scene.
Notable Relationships
A string of high-profile romances has marked Suzi Quatro's personal life; she married her long-time guitarist, Len Tuckey, in 1976. They later divorced in 1992 after 16 years of marriage.
Quatro married German concert promoter Rainer Haas in 1993, and they remain together. She shares two children, Laura and Richard Tuckey, with her first husband.
Career Highlights
Suzi Quatro's hard rock sound dominated the 1970s, with global chart-toppers like "Can the Can" and "Devil Gate Drive" selling over 50 million records worldwide. She became a significant influence for female musicians globally.
Beyond her music, Quatro found widespread recognition in the US playing Leather Tuscadero on the television series Happy Days. She also established a long-running career as a radio host on BBC Radio 2, presenting various rock and roll shows.
Signature Quote
“Guitar is for the head, drums are for the chest, but bass gets you in the groin.”