The Surprising Truth Behind Suzi Quatro of Happy Days

Susan Kay Quatro, better known as Suzi Quatro, was the first female bass player to achieve a major rock star status.

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She released several singles, including 'Can the Can' and 'Devil Gate Drive' during the 1970s that became instantly popular in Australia, the UK and European countries, establishing her as a prominent artist in these countries. However, Suzi Quatro remained relatively unknown in her homeland America until producer Garry Marshall offered her a recurring role as bass player Leather Tuscadero in the popular American sitcom Happy Days.

To this day, Quatro has released fifteen studio albums, ten compilation albums, and one live album. She has sold over 50 million albums and has hit solos, such as '48 Crash', 'The Wild One' and 'your Mama Won't Like Me' to her credit. Between 1973 and 1980, Quatro won six Bravo Ottos and in 2010, she was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends online Hall of Fame. She released her latest album in 2019 and continues to present new radio programmes to this day.

Today, at 70, this rocker chic is as formidable and glamorous as she was 50 years ago, only her talent has become more pronounced with age and experience. In this video, we reveal the surprising truths behind Suzi Quatro of Happy Days. So hit the play button and let us tell you about the life, struggles and victories of Suzi Quatro.
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[chrisnewman]

Surprising fact number 1: Susie Quattro was a well established musician well before her role on happy days. She had at least three or four hits that charted in the UK and Australia in 1973/74. Happy Days helped to broaden her appeal and her audience leading Eventually to duets like ‘stumbling in’.

[cheriblossom]

Suzi Quattro is one of the most influential female rockers of our lifetime. The documentary Suzi q goes into great detail. Happy days is a very small part of it

[EnergyAssessor-duyn]

Love at first sight 1972-3 Top of the Pops when I was 7/9 yrs old. So surprising to see a Pretty, wild woman, playing thumping loud music. Suzi fronting her rock group. I knew I could be a tomboy and that its O.K now. At last a role model for me and other awkward early teens that didn't fit the mould. Never gonna be a typical femme-fatal sat singing ballads on a stool in a flowing gown. Thank you Suzi for being the 1st. I wish I had an Autographed Photo of her in these early crazy days.

[marcstevens]

First saw her on Happy Days as a kid. Later got into her actual music & was both greatly impressed with her talent & disappointed that she never got any credit for it at home in America. She inspired more female hard rock bands than anyone else. As always, the pioneers of later bands always are swept under the carpet. She deserves better.

[grayj]

Old enough to remember her on Happy Days.

[daniellebcooper]

I saw her perform in Melbourne in the early 90's, she played for an hour and a half and gave it 110%, , what a legend, , rock on suzi!!.

[nicolaiitchenko]

Suzi Quatro was a rock goddess looong before Leather Tuscadero.
Loved her Last Australian Tour when my wife and I saw her in Townsville, 2015.
Watched her live a dozen times at the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney Australia during the early 1970's...
Always a top show. Brilliant, talented, vocally gifted and beautiful.

[paulaa]

I first remember her from the song "Stumblin' In" with Chris Norman. I loved that song and her.

[onlyjoetee]

She’s still a great performer. I saw her this year at the Royal Albert Hall in London

[kenbarwell]

Happy Days was when I first noticed her talent. I’ve been a fan for a very long time. I’ve seen in concert, best show ever

[ralphs]

I loved her song of "Stumblin In" back in 1978

[michaelrochester]

To me, hearing the song stumbling in in 1978 cemented it for me. She became one of my favorite singers. I later heard that this was not typical of her singing style

[jamesbeshears]

First heard of her when I was working in a record store 73/74 we played her album in store on a regular basis...loved it.
Had the pleasure of seeing her open on Alice Cooper's Welcome to my Nightmare tour...she did not let me down....she kicked ASS 🎶🕉

[charlesharper]

For cripes sake...her first album...self titled "Suzi Quatro"...was one of the great albums of the early 70s.
"48 Crash", "Primitive Love", "Shine My Machine", and the fantastic "Can the Can"...still one of the few albums I can listen to from beginning to end.

[angelaperrin]

I loved Suzi .I discovered her on Happy Days but bought a couple of her albums after that. I really liked music but lost track of her through the years.she was one of few rock music artists that I listened to as I played, sang and through listened to mostly country music.

[davidewing]

I was in Hawaii in 1973. I was at the record store, thumbing through the albums. I came across her first album with Can The Can. I never heard of Suzi Quatro or heard any of her songs. I put it back, and continued looking at different albums. But, I keep coming back to her. The album cover was in black and white, but her eyes, I kept staring at her eyes. I gave up. I had to buy it. I was in the army, I took it back to my room and played it. Also there was an iron on transfer of " Suzi" in the jacket sleeve. As I played it, I loved it. Especially Catsize, the best song on the album. So what can I say I was hooked on her music. I bought, over the years, evey Suzi Quatro album I could find. I have written on her offical website. The way it is layed out, a hard thing to do. One of maybe 6 people! I wrote there a couple of times. I have also written comments under many of her songs in U Tube. To include that she needs to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for A Lifetime Achivement Award. For the work she has done from 1973 to present. Anything else would be an insult. Also, I like her mini series Bassline which is featured here on U Tube. It is a beautiful way of explaining the songs she did, and how to play them. I can't give you a favorite song, I like so, so many. Love Touch, Sucide, Can I Be your Girl, If You Can't Give Me Love, Empty Rooms, Ego In The Night, You Can Make Me Want To, Butterflies Are Free, and of course Catsize. So it goes, on and on, and on. Stll, I can't see why she was not popular in the US. I watched the video but there is no reason on earth why she was not popular here. What, because she started in the UK? Bad management? So beautiful and talented with a killer voice, why? What is the reason she was not a star here. In Europe, East Europe, Australia, Japan and the orient, she is a SUPERSTAR, and that being well deserved. I guess I am a devoted fan from the first time I saw her face on her first solo album. Was I a fool on that hot Hawaiian day, when I saw the face of Suzi? Or did I see the future of female rock and roller? I think I saw the future. Time proved that to me. Watch some of Bassline to see a candied look of Suzi Quatro. Play some of her songs I listed. I think you will like them! I wish the best to her and all of her fans. Dave In Sierra Vista AZ.

[BPMONKMAN]

I remember hearing about her in 1974/75, prior to Happy Days... I don't really remember hearing her, but when I heard Devil Gate Drive on Happy Days, I was immediately hooked!!!

[davidgrieve]

I forgot about her and wish i spent more time with her music
She is an under dog and deserves a lot more credit .

[thehand]

I learned about Suzi Quatro thanks to learning more about Joan Jett. And I'm so glad I did!! She's fucking BEST FEMALE BASSIST OF ALL

[scottyh]

Living in Australia we got the best music from the US and UK. Suzi hit our radio waves with Can the Can it rocketed to NO1 in Australia and the UK and some European countries. I know her more for her music. She did an amazing job on Happy Days. She’s a natural performer and with a great cast behind her, she did brilliantly.. Plus .Lots of top ten hits from 1973 up to 1980...