Finally Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo Are Now In The Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame

Among those who were inducted at the recent Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremony were Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo.

Sheryl Crow was the one who welcomed the two honorees, saying:

“Totally individual and completely recognizable. How that voice came from her tiny frame was remarkable.”

She also added that the music Benatar and Giraldo made together was simply “impossible to replicate.” Upon delivering her speech, Benatar thanked everyone who helped them along the way, including some special family members before turning to Giraldo. She said:

“And you, my partner – my love.

“Forty-three years ago in a rehearsal studio in New York – could you have ever imagined this night, tonight?”

Giraldo, on the other hand, made a special mention of Rick Derringer, saying that the guitarist gave him a huge early break. Giraldo added:

“All I wanted was a great singer, and I got an exceptional vocalist.

“And the rest of the story, you know how it goes.”

Interestingly, despite Benatar being eligible for Rock Hall induction for more than two decades, she held out and waited until she could be inducted with Giraldo, her husband, guitarist, and songwriting partner. She told Billboard:

“I’ve lobbied for the past 25 years to get him the credit he’s due.

“I’m sure we would’ve both had success separately, but together is what actually made it happen and turned it into what it became.

“There were many, many years when it was tossed around about going in [to the Rock Hall] or not going in.”

She continued:

“I was just kind of adamant about going in together, and it was pretty much a ‘no,’ and so, ‘I guess I’m not going in then,’ and that was it. That’s how it was for a very long time, so I’m very, very pleased it’s going the way it is right now.”

Giraldo also said in one of his statements that their collaborative partnership was crucial to their success, saying:

“From day one, Patricia and I really did this together.”

“I was in the studio every single second. I know where every single note is buried. The greatness of Patricia is she was so extremely secure that when we met, she just wanted to sing and she was looking for a partner to kind of do the rest, which I loved. I was happy just to do everything I could to write and produce great records. It was a match made in heaven.”