Cherie Currie
She fronted the Runaways as a teenage rock rebel, shattering the 1970s music scene's glass ceiling with a defiant snarl and a chainsaw.
Born 1959 (age 67)·American musician, actress, and woodcarver·Birthday: November 30·Baby Boomers
Biography
Cherie Currie didn't just join a band; she became the incendiary symbol of a teenage rock revolution. As the lead singer of the Runaways, her platinum-blonde shag and daring stage presence—often in a corset—made her an instant icon for a generation of girls told rock was a boys' club. The whirlwind of fame, detailed in her raw memoir 'Neon Angel,' led to a solo career and a notable acting turn in the film 'Foxes.' After stepping away from the spotlight's glare, Currie forged a second, quieter life as a master chainsaw woodcarver, transforming logs into intricate sculptures. Her journey from rock star to artist is a testament to reinvention and surviving the wild ride of youth.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Cherie was born in 1959, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Cherie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1959
#1 Movie
Ben-Hur
Best Picture
Ben-Hur
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Cherie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1959Born
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1964Started school
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1972Became a teenager
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1975Could drive
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1977Could vote
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Turned 21
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1989Turned 30
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 40
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 50
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 60
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 67 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the lead vocalist for the influential all-teenage girl rock band the Runaways from 1975 to 1977.
- Co-wrote and performed the song 'Queens of Noise,' which became a signature anthem for the band.
- Published a candid autobiography, 'Neon Angel,' which was later adapted into the film 'The Runaways.'
- Established a successful second career as a chainsaw woodcarving artist, with work displayed in galleries.
- Starred alongside Jodie Foster in the 1980 coming-of-age drama 'Foxes.'
Did You Know?
She is an identical twin; she and her sister Marie released a duet album in 1980.
Her chainsaw carving career began after she saw a demonstration at a county fair.
She turned down a role in the film 'The Rose' opposite Bette Midler.
Actor Michael Ontkean is her former brother-in-law; he was married to her twin sister, Marie.
“I was a 15-year-old kid thrown into this insane world. I didn't know who I was.”
