Let’s give it up for one of the original girl rockers and her fabulous bass guitar, an example to all chicks who won’t be content just shaking a tambourine in their boyfriend’s band. Suzi Quatro had a string of hit singles in the 70s and became a fan favorite on the iconic Happy Days show.

Quatro’s father was a jazz musician and Suzi started playing in bands early on. She left Detroit for England in 1971, after being discovered by Mickie Most, the record producer behind other stars like Donovan and The Animals. Quatro started a collaboration with songwriters Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn who furnished her with “Can the Can,” a #1 hit all over Europe. Three other hits—“48 Crash,” “Daytona Demon” and “Devil Gate Drive”—followed close behind and her Quatro’s popularity skyrocketed in Europe and Australia.

Americans continued to ignore the glam rocker until “Stumblin’ In,” a duet with Chris Norman of Smokie, reached #4 in the charts. Still, Quatro’s greatest success in her native U.S. came with a role on the hit show Happy Days, where she played Leather Tuscadero, a tough-talking rocker chick that knocked the pants off super cool Fonzie. Quatro’s singles from the late 70s still possessed a hard rock edge but were also tempered with strong-hitting ballads like “The Race Is On.”

Suzi put her music endeavors on hiatus in the 1980s, in favor of an acting career, which culminated in starring role of the hit London musical, Annie Get Your Gun. Returning to music in the early 90s, she toured, recorded albums and performed with members of seminal rock bands like the Kinks. Her legend lives on abroad, but Americans will always remember her as Leather Tuscadero. Rock on, Suzi.