This June 26, Patty Smyth turns 63. And no, it’s not Patti Smith, it’s Patty Smyth, former vocalist of Scandal, a band that had her moment of fame back in the ’80s in the United States.Born in New York in 1957, she was one of the founding members of the group along with guitarist Zack Smith, bassist Ivan Elias (1950-1995), guitarist Keith Mack, guitarist Jon Bon Jovi (briefly) , keyboardist Benjy King and drummer Frankie LaRocka, formed in 1981.
Their hit was ‘The Warrior’, a song that managed to take them on tour but for which few members of the group stayed: internal conflicts and problems with the label led them to abandon it. Patty left in 1984.
Cover art by ‘The Warrior’.
Shortly thereafter he began his solo career, releasing two albums (‘Never Enough’ in 1987 and ‘Patty Smyth’ in 1992). In 2004, Scandal (minus Ivan Elias, who died of cancer in June 1995) reunited for the VH1 cycle titled ‘Bands Reunited’ after which they toured the east coast of the United States, closing the tour at Irving Plaza in New York on February 9, 2005. For 2006, the same TV signal reunites them, this time for the show “We Are The 80’s”.
In 2008, a new Scandal line-up opened the Patty Smyth & Scandal stage, with singer Keith Mack and Benjy King. During a show at Dewey Beach they played three new tracks that would include an EP that was never released. Their first single as a band was “Hard For You To Love Me”, also known as “Make It Hard”.
Smyth is currently married to former tennis player John McEnroe with whom she had two daughters, Anna and Ava.
