Musical Heroes - Cherie Currie

I have been thinking a lot lately about what exactly makes a musician a hero. Simply getting on stage and singing about dumping their boyfriend may be empowering, but it takes more than inspiring lyrics to be a hero in my book. It takes courage, determination, and the ability to get back on your feet after even the most trying of times. Upon going through my (surprisingly vast) back catalog of favorites, one name stuck out far more than the others: Cherie Currie.

You may be thinking why I thought of Cherie as my hero. To me, it was an obvious choice, but to an outsider looking in, it may be confusing. First off, Cherie was able to accomplish so much from a young age. In her mid teens she was an international rock star. She was on top of the world, and practically took over Japan, much to the dismay of some of her band mates.

Sadly, this fame didn't last long. Just as quickly as she and her fellow band mates in The Runaways reached success, they fell apart. Different sources cite different reasons, but the bottom line is they broke up, leading to a downward spiral for Cherie. I bet you are wondering why this makes her a hero. You see, it's not about the fall, but the rise back up. She was able to pick herself up from the ashes and make a new life for herself.

Sometimes the music career can be a poisonous environment, and I really think Cherie knew this. She released a solo album with her sister and soon vanished from the music scene entirely. She kept in touch with her fans, letting us know that she was doing OK, in the form of a memoir, a Runaways movie, and her Facebook page. As a new career, she has taken up sculpture making with chainsaws. Awesome, right?

Cherie has been my hero since I was a kid. At first I was fascinated with her stint in The Runaways. Later, I came to admire her strength as a person. Both her autobiography and the movie in which she was heavily involved in show her hit rock bottom emotionally and physically, but she was able to pick herself up and prove that it wasn't the end of the world. I think everybody can relate to that or at least draw inspiration from the story itself.

On the plus side, her music was good both with her and and on her own. It's been one of my goals to find an original Runaways vinyl (which I've had little luck with). She continues being an artist today, but in a different way, proving that there are always options and ways to keep going as long as you have the passion and the drive.

I guess what I am trying to say is Cherie Currie is my hero.

Become a fan of hers on Facebook to check out all of her sculptures as well as all the current happenings in her life.