56 Facts About Joan Jett

Joan Jett was born on Joan Marie Larkin; September 22,1958 and is an American rock singer, guitarist, songwriter, and actress.

Joan Jett founded Joan Jett and the Blackhearts as her backup band in 1979; during this time, she released her solo debut album.

Joan Jett was included on Rolling Stone 2003 and 2023 lists of the greatest guitarists of all time.

Joan Jett Marie Larkin was born on September 22,1958, at Lankenau Hospital in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, to James and Dorothy Larkin.

Joan Jett's father was an insurance salesman and her mother was a secretary.

Joan Jett's family was Protestant, attending church and Sunday school, but were not strict in their religious beliefs.

In 1967, Joan Jett's family moved to Rockville, Maryland, where she attended Randolph Junior High School and Wheaton High School.

Joan Jett took some guitar lessons, but soon quit because the instructor kept trying to teach her folk songs.

Joan Jett has admitted in recent years that "Jett" was not actually her mother's maiden name, even though that is what she used to tell people.

At age 16, Joan Jett became a founding member of the Runaways with drummer Sandy West.

The plug was pulled on the project halfway through shooting after Joan Jett fell ill, but in 1984, after she became famous, producers looked for a way to use the footage from the incomplete film.

Parts of the original footage of Joan Jett were eventually used in another project, an underground film called Du-beat-eo, which was produced by Alan Sacks, but not commercially released.

In 1979, Joan Jett was in England pursuing a solo career.

Joan Jett produced several bands prior to releasing her debut, and her label Blackheart Records released recordings from varied artists such as thrash metal band Metal Church and rapper Big Daddy Kane.

Joan Jett released Album and Glorious Results of a Misspent Youth.

Joan Jett was among the first English-speaking rock acts to appear in Panama and the Dominican Republic.

Joan Jett co-wrote the song "House of Fire", which appeared on Alice Cooper's 1989 album Trash.

Joan Jett's next album was The Hit List, which was an album consisting of cover songs.

Joan Jett returned to producing for the band Circus Lupus in 1992 and again, in 1994, for Bikini Kill.

In 1997, Joan Jett was featured on the We Will Fall: The Iggy Pop Tribute album.

Joan Jett performed a cover of the Johnny O'Keefe song "Wild One".

Joan Jett is a guest vocalist on Peaches' album Impeach My Bush on the tracks "Boys Wanna Be Her" and "You Love It".

In 2000, Joan Jett appeared in the Broadway production of The Rocky Horror Show in the role of Columbia.

That same year, Joan Jett appeared on Walker, Texas Ranger as an ex-CIA agent turned assassin hired to kill Walker and Alex.

In 2002, Joan Jett appeared in the film By Hook or by Crook in the role of News Interviewee.

From 2000 to 2003, Joan Jett hosted a showcase of new film and video shorts, Independent Eye, for Maryland Public Television.

Joan Jett guested on the track "Destroy" and made a cameo appearance in its music video.

Also in 2004, Joan Jett narrated a short film, Godly Boyish, about two teenagers who share suicidal fantasies.

Joan Jett hosted a four-hour show titled Joan Jett's Radio Revolution, broadcast every Saturday and Sunday.

In June 2006, Joan Jett released her album Sinner, on Blackheart Records.

Joan Jett sang a duet with Chase Noles on "Tearstained Letters", a song on the Heart Attacks' 2006 album, Hellbound and Heartless.

Joan Jett was an executive producer for the film The Runaways, which chronicled the Runaways' career.

Joan Jett starred in and was the executive producer of the film Undateable John, which was released in 2014.

Joan Jett joined the band again later that night for its surprise concert at Saint Vitus.

Joan Jett played Betsy Neal in the television film Big Driver.

Joan Jett provided the voice for the character Sunshine Justice in an episode of Steven Universe.

Joan Jett played a post pandemic welcome back concert in honor of first responders in the summer of 2022 at the Nassau County Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre hosted by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman that set a record attendance of 27,000 concert attendees.

Joan Jett has long supported animal rights activism and organizations such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Joan Jett is a sports fan and has remained actively involved in the sports world.

Joan Jett's cover of "Love Is All Around" was used by the NCAA to promote the Women's Final Four, as well as the song "Unfinished Business", which was never commercially released.

Joan Jett supplied theme songs for the ESPN X Games premiere and has contributed music to all their games since.

Joan Jett sang the national anthem at the final game played at Memorial Stadium.

Joan Jett often explains that while she doesn't like war, she loves the military.

In June 2016, as a response to the Pulse nightclub shooting which left 49 dead, Joan Jett was the first to sign Billboard magazine's Open Letter on Gun Violence demanding that Congress enact gun control legislation, specifically universal background checks.

Joan Jett was followed by Lady Gaga and nearly 200 other musicians and music industry executives in their petition.

In 2024, Joan Jett contributed guitar to a re-release of Mark Knopfler's "Going Home: Theme of the Local Hero" in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust.

In June 2019, Gibson announced and released a third signature guitar for Joan Jett, which is a wine-colored ES-339.

Joan Jett's signature guitar is a white Gibson Melody Maker, which she has played on all her hits since 1977.

Joan Jett bought her first Melody Maker from Eric Carmen, following the breakup of the Raspberries.

Joan Jett has been described as the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll.

Joan Jett was later the subject of a documentary, Bad Reputation, which was released in theaters and streaming on September 28,2018.

Joan Jett's honors include being inducted in the Long Island Music Hall of Fame, appearing on Rolling Stone's 100 greatest guitarists of all-time list in 2003 and 2023, and being named West Hollywood's Rock Legend in 2013.

Joan Jett received the Nanci Alexander Activist Award for her work on behalf of animal welfare.

Joan Jett has been a vegetarian since the late 1980s and supports animal rights.

For years Joan Jett refused to either confirm or deny rumors that she is lesbian or bisexual.

Joan Jett is an avid New York Liberty and Baltimore Orioles fan.