DAILY DIRT: Bonnie, Belinda and Suzi — my top three underrated females of the rock era

It’s hard to believe these singers are now all “old” — like me … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 627 of The Daily Dirt.

1. Today we have some fun with the second installment of our most underrated acts of the rock era.

Today it’s the females’ turn to take the stage. These are our three most underrated — or underappreciated, depending on your point of view — from the rock era:1. Bonnie Tyler: The Welsh singer with the distinctive, gravelly voice has endured more ups and downs in her career than the Cardinals bullpen, but her voice will always be unmistakable. Tyler, now 71, gave us such classics as “Total Eclipse of the heart” and “It’s a Heartache.” She’s arguably the second-best known Welsh singer of all time. (Who is first, you ask? why Sir Tom Jones, of course.)

2. Belinda Carlisle: She earns a spot on this list for her impressive success as both the lead singer of the all-girl group, the Go-Gos, and an impressive career as an individual artist. Carlisle, now 64, may never have been looked at as a superstar, and maybe she was not in the same class as a Whitney Houston, but nonetheless the girl could sing. “Mad About You” is probably my favorite Carlisle offering.

3. Suzi Quatro: Quatro, now 72, achieved mainstream success back in the 1970s and even had a limited role on “Happy Days” as Leather Tuscadero. Interestingly, Quatro, who has lived much of her life in England and Australia, was honored by Cambridge University with a doctorate in music despite never graduating high school. She once said she felt her mainstream success inspired women around the world and showed them that females did not have to be relegated to groupie status in order to have a place in rock and roll — they could also create it. My favorite Suzi song was the tag-team of “Stumblin’ In” with Chris Norman, back in 1980.

2. The worst things about summer (I know, technically it’s not summer yet, but it’s hot and that’s all that matters).

Gold medal: Bugs. I don’t care if they are the flying or crawling kind, I don’t like them.

Silver medal: Yard work. (OK, I’m lying here. I have “a guy” who does most of that, although the Little Woman demands I occasionally help out with her desire to plant and trim things.)

Bronze medal: Melting ice. I like plenty of cubes in my Mountain Dew and Coke, and in this weather, especially if sitting outside, if you’re not a fast drinker (and I’m not) it’s a never-ending battle to avoid watered-down soft drinks.

3. Although my writings concerning the Adams County Speedway normally appear on the Muddy River Sports pages, I’d like to take a minute and encourage any dirt-track fan who has not been out to the track since it reopened in 2022 to do just that — make the time Sunday evening to enjoy a night of late model modified, sport mod, stock and 4-Cylinder banging and beating at the Broadway Bullring. Personally, the atmosphere at the track is back to what it was in the “glory days.” For those who might be unaware, the speedway was closed in 2020-21, and for the two years prior to that it was pretty much a disaster because of poor management polices. Jim and Tammy Lieurance, the track’s co-promoters, both have a long history at the 8000 Broadway site and are doing all that is humanly possible to return it to the days when the Scott family entertained thousands of race fans on a weekly basis. What has happened in the first year-plus since “The Comeback Track” reopened has been inspirational, leaving little doubt what the years ahead hold.Action will start Sunday at about 6 p.m.

Steve Thought O’ The Day – I just noticed this weekend I have the same haircut as Nolan Arenado.

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. He does not have as many Gold Glove as Nolan Arenado.