With 36 million albums sold and four GRAMMY wins, Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo are music giants. They joined the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022, and they’ve been partners in music and life for four decades.
In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE at the 50th Anniversary Chapin Awards Gala for WhyHunger, Benatar said, “We’re together 24/7, and we know how to give each other space in the same space.” At the gala, the rock duo received the ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award for their work fighting hunger.
The spark started in 1979 when Giraldo stepped in as lead guitarist. The couple got married in 1982, followed by daughters Haley and Hana. Now, three grandkids named Stevie, Lola, and Cash fill the world with new music.
Simple rules keep their bond strong through the years. “We never go to bed angry,” Benatar shared. Giraldo added some wisdom of his own: “We’ve learned how to be quiet and still be in the same room together and not have to talk to one another, and that’s good.”
Their work styles clash in interesting ways. Giraldo shoots from the hip: “I hate rehearsing. I really hate rehearsing. I just want to go out and play — whatever happens, happens in real time.” But Benatar wants precision: “I just want to rehearse for three months.” Pat also talked about the couple’s frequent travel: “It’s like breathing. Kind of pack the bags and go, you know?”
Fresh off their 2022 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, they’re hitting the road as special guests with Bryan Adams on his Roll with the Punches Tour. You can find the complete schedule and buy tickets through Benatar and Giraldo’s website. Later this year, they’ll release a children’s book called My Grandma and Grandpa Rock!
