Inspirational Icon Monday: Debbie Harry

Was there anyone cooler than Debbie Harry in the late seventies/early eighties? I wasn't even born when their first couple of albums came out, but I'll just take the initiative and say "no." I love her platinum disheveled blunt cut and punk dress code. She gave a new attitude to being blonde by turning the Barbie doll look on its head. Am I crazy for wanting to bleach my hair blonde? Photos of her make me want to take crazy chances like that. Chances were after all what the Blondie lead singer has always been about.

Raised by adoptive parents in New Jersey, Harry went after a singing career after completing two years of college at . She worked many waitressing jobs until she joined a female trio called The Stilletos where she met guitarist Chris Stein. The two eventual lovers left the group in 1974 and started a band they decided to call Blondie in reference to the street shout-outs Harry would constantly receive.

With hits like "Call Me" and "Heart of Glass," Blondie rose to the top of the charts and Harry became the face of punk pop. The band couldn't secure continued success and did break up after only a four albums, but Harry was the female rocker that paved the way for all the beautiful, edgy and sexually powerful singers that came after her. She didn't need to be leading albums sales to continue doing what she loved either. She continued to to explore other genres such as reggae and jazz as a solo artist and still shares her talents with all that will listen.