The world has always been enamored with celebrities and their lavish lifestyles. This was evident during the 50s and 60s when groupies made their way into the lives of world-renowned rock stars and music icons. In the 60s, the world finally got a glimpse of the degenerate lives of numerous stars with the help of a growing movement of underground rock media, who documented such extravagances in an exploitative manner. A line, although somewhat vague at times, was drawn between casual fans desiring a short meet-up with their music idols, and groupies who served as “road wives” – travelling with the rock stars during their long tours and taking part in their social lives. Groupies where often drawn to bands because of their quick and seamless access to exclusive parties.
The elite among the elite of the groupies often had VIP privileges to clubs, hotels and even special events that were mostly reserved for celebrities. Getting inside the exclusive lives of rock bands and music stars was no walk in the park, however, and plenty of groupies had to work their way to the top, starting with the road crew, then winning over the band managers before finally gaining access to the actual band members themselves. The groupie scene was a cut-throat world, and many had to fight tooth-and-nail against rivals while giving whatever favors it took to get close to the biggest names in the industry. Most, although not all, of them were status seekers, dreaming of the day that a flood of paparazzi would catch them hooked to the arm of a famous rock star. In celebration of these fame-seeking creatures, we’ve compiled a list of the most notorious of them all. Join us on a voyeuristic adventure into the strange world of rock ‘n’ roll’s most infamous groupies.
Bebe Buell
Bebe Buell is not your ordinary rock ‘n’ roll groupie. The Virginia native is a popular singer in America and a former fashion model, where she became famous for becoming Playboy magazine’s Playmate of the Month for the November 1974 issue. She came to New York with the hopes of becoming a professional singer, but instantly fell into modelling because of her youth and inherent appeal.
The American singer/model enjoyed a long, albeit unstable, relationship with Todd Rundgren that lasted for seven years, from 1972 towards 1979. On top of that, she was linked to numerous other rock stars and music artists as well, starting with Paul Cowsill, when she was still a teenager, to Mick Jagger, Iggy Pop, David Bowie, Jimmy Page, and ultimately, Steven Tyler, with whom she created her beautiful daughter, Liv Tyler.
The world has always been enamored with celebrities and their lavish lifestyles. This was evident during the 50s and 60s when groupies made their way into the lives of world-renowned rock stars and music icons. In the 60s, the world finally got a glimpse of the degenerate lives of numerous stars with the help of a growing movement of underground rock media, who documented such extravagances in an exploitative manner. A line, although somewhat vague at times, was drawn between casual fans desiring a short meet-up with their music idols, and groupies who served as “road wives” – travelling with the rock stars during their long tours and taking part in their social lives. Groupies where often drawn to bands because of their quick and seamless access to exclusive parties.
The elite among the elite of the groupies often had VIP privileges to clubs, hotels and even special events that were mostly reserved for celebrities. Getting inside the exclusive lives of rock bands and music stars was no walk in the park, however, and plenty of groupies had to work their way to the top, starting with the road crew, then winning over the band managers before finally gaining access to the actual band members themselves. The groupie scene was a cut-throat world, and many had to fight tooth-and-nail against rivals while giving whatever favors it took to get close to the biggest names in the industry. Most, although not all, of them were status seekers, dreaming of the day that a flood of paparazzi would catch them hooked to the arm of a famous rock star. In celebration of these fame-seeking creatures, we’ve compiled a list of the most notorious of them all. Join us on a voyeuristic adventure into the strange world of rock ‘n’ roll’s most infamous groupies.
Bebe Buell
Bebe Buell is not your ordinary rock ‘n’ roll groupie. The Virginia native is a popular singer in America and a former fashion model, where she became famous for becoming Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Month for the November 1974 issue. She came to New York with the hopes of becoming a professional singer, but instantly fell into modelling because of her youth and inherent appeal.
The American singer/model enjoyed a long, albeit unstable, relationship with Todd Rundgren that lasted for seven years, from 1972 towards 1979. On top of that, she was linked to numerous other rock stars and music artists as well, starting with Paul Cowsill, when she was still a teenager, to Mick Jagger, Iggy Pop, David Bowie, Jimmy Page, and ultimately, Steven Tyler, with whom she created her beautiful daughter, Liv Tyler.
Pamela Anderson
Baywatch Babe and Playboy magazine Playmate of the Month, Pamela Anderson, wins out second place on our list, and for good reason. She tied the knot with Tommy Lee, drummer of the band Motley Crue, and raised two children with the rock star for three years. After her break up with Tommy in 1998, she had a relationship with Bret Michaels, and tied the knot for a second time with Kid Rock, back in 2006.
Since splitting from Kid Rock, though, the Canadian-American actress and model slowed down from her rock ‘n’ roll groupie days. Today, you’re more likely to see her name pop up as an advocate for animal and human rights and equality.
Anita Pallenberg
For almost ten years, Anita Pallenberg managed to bewitch countless rock icons and legends with her stunning looks and magnetic charm. The Italian actress, artist, and model was a style icon, and known as the muse of The Rolling Stones for reasons we’ll leave you to guess!
She was the romantic partner of multi-instrumentalist Rolling Stones member, Brian Jones, for three years, and later on the band’s guitarist, Keith Richards, whom she had three children with. It was also rumored that Pallenberg was engaged in a brief affair with Mick Jagger, the band’s lead vocalist, during the filming of “Performance.”
Tawny Kitaen
Julie “Tawny" Kitaen had somewhat of an intriguing history. She started her career as a beauty pageant participant and later achieved celebrity status as an actress. Some of her most infamous films included an erotic-adventure movie, Gwendoline; the horror movie, Witchboard, and (less controversially), Bachelor Party, which also starred legendary actor, Tom Hanks.
While she was a well-known actress, Tawny’s life didn’t revolve solely around the Hollywood scene. In fact, she appeared in several music videos, including Whitesnake’s hit, “Still of the Night”, and “Here I Go Again.” She later married the band’s lead vocalist, David Coverdale, for a couple of years, from 1989 to 1991.
Pamela Des Barres
Pamela Des Barres grew up in a family of music aficionados, so it’s not so much of a shock that a big portion of her life revolved around concerts and discos. She was an avid fan of Elvis Presley, The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, worshipping all of them from a distance. Little did she know that she would later become close to them – the closest any fan could ever dream of!
Fast forward to adulthood and Pamela would find herself babysitting for Frank Zappa and hanging out with up-and-coming artists in the Los Angeles area. Although her first taste of the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle was with The Rolling Stones and The Byrds, Des Barres was also known to have relationships with Keith Moon, Jimmy Page, and Jim Morrison. She was also the inspiration behind the famous Beatles song, “Penny Lane”, and the character played by Kate Hudson in the movie Almost Famous.
Sable Starr
Sable Starr was a notorious groupie, often dubbed as the "queen of the groupie scene" in the City of Los Angeles, back in the 70s. In an interview by Star Magazine, in June of 1973, she revealed her personal relationships with rock ‘n’ roll icons like Mick Jagger, Rod Stewart, Alice Cooper, David Bowie, and Marc Bolan. She bared all in the interview, revealing her early encounters with Spirit guitarist, Randy California, and openly discussing confrontations with “rival groupies.”
Starr also claimed to have shared an intimate relationship with Robert Plant, lead singer and lyricist of Led Zeppelin. Regrettably, the infamous queen of groupies died in 2009, at the age of 51, after having been diagnosed with brain cancer.
Carmen Electra
Tara Leigh Patrick, better known as Carmen Electra, is another Baywatch babe to grace this list of famous groupies. She first started dating Chicago Bulls legend, Dennis Rodman, and later tied the knot with the eccentric basketball player (the marriage only lasted for a year). After their breakup, she went on to enjoy a series of romantic relationships with several rock ‘n’ roll stars.
Although she was wedded to Dave Navarro, the famous guitarist of the band Jane’s Addiction, Carmen had numerous relationships with other rockers before him. Carmen Electra has been rumored to have been in a relationship with Motley Crue drummer, Tommy Lee, and Prince (who was instrumental in her first record release).
Lori Maddox
Lori Maddox entered the world of rock ‘n’ roll groupies at a very young age, and was known during her time as a member of the fabled “baby groupies.” While she was rumored to have had a dalliance with David Bowie, what made Lori Maddox famous was her enigmatic relationship with Jimmy Page, guitarist and founder of the legendary rock band, Led Zeppelin.
The English rock ‘n’ roller was apparently very fond of Lori, to the point of obsession (you can see Page’s frustration with their relationship in the song “Sick Again”). Nevertheless, their romance crumbled as time went by, and the once party-going Maddox was no longer too keen on living the rock star life. Before she left, however, she was linked with Mick Jagger, of The Rolling Stones.
Nancy Spungen
Nancy Spungen was widely remembered as the American girlfriend of English Sex Pistols bassist, Sid Vicious; although her life as a groupie goes far beyond the punk star. Born in Philadelphia, Spungen grew up with schizophrenia and, after getting kicked out of college, flew to London at just 15 years old and met Sid Vicious during the golden years of punk rock. Life was not always kind to Nancy, unfortunately. However, the rough lifestyle she lived was also what led to her becoming acquainted with prominent bands like The Ramones, The New York Dolls, and Aerosmith.
In October of 1978, Nancy Spungen was discovered dead, having been stabbed inside a room at the infamous Chelsea Hotel, where she and Vicious spent most of their time taking drugs after the Sex Pistols disbanded. A case was filed against Sid Vicious for the murder of Spungen, but the rock star died of a heroin overdose before it ever reached a court trial.
Erin Everly
Now we move to groupies who ventured outside the world of The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin, and into the heart of Guns N’ Roses. Anyone who knows anything about Guns N’ Roses and groupies will immediately be thinking of Erin Everly and her infamous relationship with the band’s legendary lead vocalist, Axl Rose.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Erin Everly was the famous spouse of Axl Rose, and the two lived together for a year during 1990-1991. Although their relationship was short-lived, it had its romantic moments nonetheless. As a matter of fact, the Guns N’ Roses singer was so deeply in love with Erin that it inspired him to compose one of the band’s most celebrated songs: “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” You can even see Erin in its music video! Unfortunately, just like with the rest in this list, their relationship came to an end because of the wild, fickle life that accompanied rock and roll stardom.
Marianne Faithfull
Marianne Faithfull came from an elite background. She was raised by a father who was a big player in British Intelligence and professor of Italian Literature, and a mother who was the daughter of an Austro-Hungarian nobleman. You’d probably be scratching your head as to why a woman of such high status and breeding would end up in the uncultivated underbelly of rock ‘n’ roll. Nevertheless, Faithfull was an avid singer and songwriter, and this inevitably led her to the acquaintance of Andrew Loog, manager of The Rolling Stones. From Loog, it was just a short skip and a jump to the one and only, Mick Jagger.
Although majority of her affection for the band was directed towards Mick Jagger, rumors flew about her involvement with other members. As you should have come to expect by now, Faithfull's romance with Mick Jagger reached an inescapable breaking point. Afterwards, Marianne went on to date other rock stars. These relationships were a mixed bag, with some that went on fine and others that were shrouded with controversy.
Pattie Boyd
Pattie Boyd was blessed by the gods with exquisite looks and charm. Modelling work followed her everywhere she went, from France to the United States, and in her home country, the UK. Boyd was featured on the cover of the renowned fashion magazine, Vogue. Outside of her decorated career as a model, Boyd was also a successful photographer. In fact, her photographs of legendary musicians, Eric Clapton and George Harrison, have been showcased all over the world.
Naturally so, Pattie Boyd had a strong appeal with numerous stars in the rock ‘n’ roll world. As a matter of fact, she was married to George Harrison for ten years, from 1966 until 1977, and then Eric Clapton after their divorce. It’s known that the powerful song “Layla” was rooted in Clapton’s marriage with Boyd. The two separated in 1989.
Bianca Jagger
Bianca Jagger carried a kind of flair with her, and this unique trait was quite magnetic to many rock stars. Her vibrant personality also led her to a number of private gatherings, including lavish parties at the high-end Studio 54. She was so charismatic that every action she made, even if it appeared originally stupid, was amazingly elegant.
Bianca was introduced to the bright lights as Mick Jagger’s original spouse. They divorced after a brief marriage, although Bianca maintained a prominent figure in the club scene of the 80s. Just like Pamela Anderson, Bianca Jagger has since lived her days working on human rights campaigns and other worldly endeavors.
Courtney Love
As a rock ‘n’ roll groupie, Courtney Love is famous for her marriage to the legendary Kurt Cobain, of the grunge music band, Nirvana. Although, to be fair, by the time the two were wed, Love already had a notorious track record of relationships with other rock stars. Prior to her relationship with Cobain, she was linked to several names, like Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins, as well as Michael Stipe of REM. Outside the infamous groupie tag though, Courtney is a successful artist, particularly as the lead vocalist of the band, Hole.
Love is also a long-time supporter of LGBT rights and is a prominent figure in the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Centre and its events. The American singer and musician is also a strong supporter of AIDS groups and Foundations related to victims of child abuse, rape, and domestic violence.
Chris O’Dell
Similar to several of the names on this list, Chris O’Dell ventured into the wild world of rock and roll as an innocent bystander. In fact, she started out working as a humble assistant for Apple Records, who handled The Beatles. In the end, unable to resist, she too became lured into the fame and glamour of rock. Obviously, her road to groupie stardom began with The Beatles, all of whom she shared a deep relationship with.
Familiar with the song “O’Dell”? It was composed by George Harrison with our very own Chris O’Dell as the inspiration behind it. Later on, O’Dell parted ways with The Beatles and signed up for a job with The Rolling Stones. Despite her departure though, Chris O’Dell still maintained some level of affinity with George Harrison and Ringo Starr.
Tura Satana
Outside her seductive body, dance moves and acting prowess, there was a lot of intrigue surrounding Tura Satana. The Japanese American artist was featured in a number of Hollywood movies, such as Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! But we’re not here to talk about her acting career, so well jump right in to her life as an infamous rock ‘n’ roll groupie.
First on the list of Satana’s rockin’ love affairs is none other than the king of rock ‘n’ roll himself: Elvis Presley. The king was apparently drawn to her while witnessing her dancing at Follies Theatre in Chicago. After that moving encounter, Satana and Presley instantly fell into a romance. Although it was short lived, there are those who say that Tura Satana’s dalliance with Elvis makes her the mother of the groupie scene.
Cleo Odzer
Cleo Odzer was introduced to the world of rock stars after she landed a temporary music writing job for a local newspaper. Because of the nature of her work, she was quickly exposed to the allure of the life. While on the job, Cleo became acquainted with Keith Emerson, of Emerson, Lake & Palmer.
The fateful encounter turned into a real relationship which eventually bloomed into marriage. Later on, however, Ozer and Emerson decided to get a divorce. Cleo left the US for Goa, India and discovered a new environment wherein drugs were the ultimate king. She wrote extensively on her experiences of the orient, and authored books about cybersex, prostitution in Thailand, and the Western hippies of Goa.
Donna D’Errico
Apparently, Pamela Anderson and Carmen Electra are not the only Baywatch babes who have a thing for rock ‘n’ roll stars. Slotting comfortably into this list is another Baywatch regular, Donna D’Errico, who also happens to be a Playboy Playmate of the Month, just like Pamela Anderson. Naturally, Donna was fairly popular amongst the musicians whose talents she admired.
The American actress and model started her connection to the music industry with her marriage to Nikki Sixx, co-founder, bassist, and main songwriter of the band, Motley Crue. The pair lived together for almost a decade, and raised a child, until their break up in 2007. Today, Donna D’Errico works as an actress in Hollywood films and shows.
Brandi Brandt
Nikki Sixx, of Motley Crue fame, had numerous love affairs with different groupies, and another one of them was Brandi Brandt. The rock ‘n’ roll life fit Brandi like a glove, after being raised by a mom who played the drums for a band called The American Girls. With rock and roll in her blood, Brandi was already quite acquainted with the industry’s limelight. WIth no talent for music, however, she made a name for herself in the world of modeling and acting.
Brandi Brandt was featured in numerous music videos, including “Love in an Elevator” by Aerosmith, and was also a Playboy Playmate of the Month in the October 1987 edition. Brand and Sixx lived together for seven years and had three children. The celebrity couple later separated in 1996.
Bobbi Brown
Flaunting her silky smooth, blonde hair and stunning figure, Bobbi Brown easily stood out in any group. Prior to her rise to prominence in the groupie ranks, the American professional makeup artist was already known for her good looks. In fact, she even won Miss Louisiana Teen USA back in 1987, and was featured in several shows.
In terms of love affairs with famous musicians, Brown was quite the expert. In her heyday, you could find her parading in the music video of the band Warrant. In fact, Brown was the cover for the band’s album, ‘Cherry pie’. Outside the groupie life, she’s also the founder and former CCO of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, and is the author of eight books regarding makeup and beauty.
Connie Hamzy
In the outside world, she simply went by the name of Connie Hamzy, but inside the world of rock ‘n’ roll stars and musicians, she was called “Sweet Connie.” A lot of this had to do with how she handled herself as an easy going lass from Arkansas who could brighten up a rock star’s gloomy day by just being around. Hamzy quickly rose to prominence within the rock ‘n’ roll scene, and her name and unique effect on rock stars was even mentioned in a song by Grand Funk Railroad.
A few prominent figures in the industry who were linked to Connie included Keith Moon, Alice Cooper, and John Bonham. Her experiences living with rock stars was so extensive that she managed to write a whole book about it, titled Rock Groupie: The Intimate Adventures of “Sweet Connie” from Little Rock.
Kendra Jade
Kendra Jade Rossi was a model, actress, burlesque dancer and (since we’re being honest here) porn star. With such a résumé, it was easy for her to draw the attention of numerous rock stars. She entered the groupie scene during her early 20s, as a young woman from Massachusetts who was trying to make her way in the vibrant atmosphere of California.
Rossi eventually found her “calling” in lavish parties and the glitz and glamor of the rock star lifestyle. She found solitude when she tied the knot with Canadian rock musician, Lukas Rossi, in 2007. Surprisingly, her love story is unlike other groupies in this list, as her marriage with Rossi remains intact and, in fact, even blossoming.
Josie Stevens
In reality, Josie Stevens wasn’t able to penetrate the circle of rock icons like Mick Jagger, but nevertheless, she was known as a notorious groupie, mostly in the 1980s. Aside from her groupie predilection, Stevens was also a successful model, a proficient makeup artist, and was even part of Playboy for some time.
Later on in her life, Josie decided to go for a bit of stability and, in 2008, married Steve Stevens, an American guitarist and songwriter who performed with Billy Idol. The couple managed to work together well, with Josie serving as the manager of her husband’s music career. On top of that, the multi-talented model, stylist, TV personality and fashion designer has her own line of clothing, which happens to be quite popular with celebrities such as Paris Hilton and Nicki Minaj, to name a few.
Heather Locklear
There are two sides to the mercurial life of Heather Locklear. On one half is a celebrated actress who has won tons of accolades and captured the hearts of many fans and viewers. The other half is an unexpectedly wild lifestyle that earned her the infamous title of a rock star groupie. Locklear became famous for her acting exploits in the 1990s soap opera, Melrose Place, that earned her four prestigious Golden Globe nominations. Additionally, Heather was exceptional in her role in the television sitcom, Spin City, wherein she garnered a couple of extra Golden Globe nominations.
Amidst her numerous achievements as an actress, however, the uber-talented Heather Locklear was inexplicably and inextricably drawn to rock stars. As an example, she became engaged to Tommy Lee, of the band Motley Crue, in 1986, but divorced the musician after seven years. After her separation, she continued to chase other rock stars, which led her to Richie Sambora, of the band, Bon Jovi.
Audrey Hamilton
As we speak, Audrey Hamilton is living a normal life. There’s a big chance that you won’t find her riding in a sports car with some rock icon or dating a semi-retired guitarist from a well-known band of the 80s. But back in the 70s, when she was at her youth, the rowdy life followed her everywhere she went.
To be more accurate, Audrey Hamilton shared almost an entire lifetime with Led Zeppelin, her orbit fixed around Robert Plant, the band’s lead singer. The two shared an intimate relationship which eventually broke down after Robert’s son, Karac, died from a stomach virus in July 26, 1977, while the band was on tour in the US. Audrey later on became romantically linked to Ace Frehley, guitarist of the heavy metal band, Kiss, and had a child with him.
Kathleen Dorritie
Kathleen Dorritie, a.k.a Cherry Vanilla, became acquainted with the life of music stardom when she began working as David Bowie’s publicist. Additionally, Kathleen was also involved in bigger undertakings, arguably the biggest one was in the play, Pork, by the renowned artist, Andy Warhol.
What separates Kathleen from the rest of the women on this list is that she wasn’t a “groupie” who only went out with rock stars. She shared a strong friendship with Andy Warhol and played a significant role in the success of numerous projects of his. Of course, she wouldn’t be in this list if she didn’t have any romantic affairs with rock stars. Kathleen Dorritie was known for her intimate relationship with Beatles legend, John Lennon.
Cathy Smith
Just like some of the groupies in this list, Cathy Smith grew up in a difficult situation. Cathy casually waltzed into the rock ‘n’ roll landscape during the 60s, capturing numerous rock star hearts in her wild journey. Canadian-born Smith entered the limelight as a groupie with The Band, and was even mentioned in the song “The Weight.”
Aside from her close relationship with The Band, Smith was also linked to another Canadian folk singer, Gordon Lightfoot. Although Lightfoot was able to compose a song about his experiences with Cathy, titled “Sundown,” it didn’t have a positive tone, making it safe to say that their relationship wasn’t all sunshine and roses. In fact, the two eventually separated on a bad note, as their relationship was hounded with drug abuse and affairs.
Roxana Shirazi
Roxana Shirazi was an Iranian born woman who, due to the nationwide civil unrest that broke out in Iran, moved to England at a very young age with her family. For this reason, Roxana grew up with English as her first language and London as her childhood playground.
When she was old enough to find a job, Roxana Shirazi went straight into belling dancing, performing at different nightclubs across the city. Often in the spotlight and used to being the centre of attraction every night on stage, Shirazi quickly gained the self-confidence and means necessary to snag any stray rock stars she came across. Shirazi managed to become close with several prestigious groups, such as Black Cherry and Guns N’ Roses. You can join her for a spree through colorful, rock star filled life in her memoir, which features the brassy title, The Last Living S***. We’ll leave it to your imagination to fill in the blanks.
Pleather
The title of “groupie” is by no means reserved only for women. There are indeed many men who belong in this category, though they are not quite as widely accepted compared to their female counterparts. Nevertheless, one chap who managed to cement himself in the pantheon of the most notorious rock star groupies, goes by the rather suggestive name of Pleather.
Although there was always something enigmatic about Pleather and his intentions, he still succeeded in getting close to several of the biggest names in the industry. He was especially fond of Courtney Love and The Bangles. Regardless of what his main objective was, Pleather achieved groupie fame for more than ten years, starting from the 80s and rocketing right into the 90s.
Uschi Obermaier
Before she became a sex symbol and an influential personality in the sexual revolution, the goddess from Germany, Uschi Obermaier, was already a globally recognized model. When she was still residing in West Berlin, in a place called Kommune 1 (a haven for the darker and more dangerous parts of the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle), Obermaier met the famed Jimi Hendrix, and romance brewed instantly.
In the film, Last Experience, there’s a scene featuring Obermaier having an intimate moment with Hendrix outside of a hotel in West Berlin. The German beauty was quite controversial because of her openness with the media. Her willingness to bear all regarding her private life became one of a number of catalysts that drove the sexual revolution of the 1970s. Obermaier added to her infamy by joining The Rolling Stones world tour in 1975 and having affairs with two of the band’s members, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.
The Mystery Girl
For six long decades, the identity of the woman portrayed in the iconic photograph with “The King”, Elvis Presley, continued to be one of the biggest secrets of the rock ‘n’ roll world. During the 60th anniversary of the photos birth, however, the mystery girl finally made herself public as Barbara Gray, who, at that time, was already married and working as a manager for a real estate company in South Carolina. Although she was only kind of a groupie for just that one day, there’s no doubt that she made a lasting mark on popular culture.
The iconic photograph was captured backstage at the Mosque Theater in Richmond, Virginia before a live concert, and is now considered among the hottest shots in the history of rock ‘n’ roll. Barbara revealed that it started out as a simple dare to contact The King at his hotel, which unexpectedly led to nearly an hour of conversation. The long talk resulted in an invitation from the King himself to his performance in Richmond, where the controversial photo was ultimately taken.
Judy and Karen
Judy Wong and Karen Seltenrich are unique from the rest of the other groupies simply because the duo were fashion entrepreneurs who ignited the styles of numerous bands and musicians. Judy operated a clothing shop in San Francisco and with the help of Karen, their partnership grew into celebrity status because of their distinct fashion taste.
Their business became such a hit that it reached the point where established designers had to fight hard with the rest of the others just so their products could be included in Wong’s shop. Even Seltenrich herself was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, in its February issue, back in 1976. Judy and Karen are perhaps most notable for designing clothes for The Cockettes.
Winona Ryder
Winona Ryder was perhaps best known as a talented actress who had the beauty and charm to thrive in the movie industry. Surprisingly, she’s also a groupie herself, although a special one, given her standing and credentials in life. But still, the American actress and film producer boasts a dating history that features an extensive list of rock stars and musicians.
Familiar names that can be found in her rock star dating database include Jack White of The White Stripes, Dave Grohl of Nirvana and now The Foo Fighters, Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes, a member of the band Green Day (as rumor has it anyway), and many more. Winona Ryder, however, is widely known to be a private person, which means there’s a chance there are even more musicians in her dating history that we’ll never get to know about.
The GTOs
Every groupie has his or her own agenda, and not everyone does it for the sake of recognition or access to exclusive parties. In fact, many of them became groupies out of the purity of their love for rock ‘n’ roll! Several groupies became actual bands themselves, like The GTOs, whose members were young females enamoured with the big bands of their time. The all-girls band had seven members brought together by the famed musician and film-maker, Frank Zappa.
The GTOs were flashy and rowdy, with a primary goal of making an impression in a scene that made such an impression on them, and having a whole lot of fun along the way. The band stayed intact for almost three years, until breaking up in 1970, after only releasing a single album, entitled Permanent Damage.
Pamela Manning
Back in the day, you would often see Pamela Manning on tour with the Guns N’ Roses lads, but the American beauty didn’t really consider herself a groupie. The band hired Pamela to do some dance scenes while they were playing live on stage, and as a filler in some of their music videos and photo shoots.
Pamela Manning even insisted in her conversations with the media that the stigma of being branded a groupie negatively impacted her career and personal life. She added that the Guns N’ Roses boys actually accompanied her on many of her own trips, and jokingly requested if she’d consider referring to them as her own groupies.
Nico
While Nico’s ticket to the industry involved the groupie scene, she exploited this opportunity and maximized the powerful connections she made to turn herself into a rock and roll star in her own right. And Nico was no mediocre talent, shining bright, at the request of Andy Warhol, during the first live performance of The Velvet Underground and Nico.
The music artist hailing from Germany is recognized for her celebrity romance with rock stars such as Iggy Pop, Jim Morrison, Jackson Browne and Lou Reed. Sadly, Nico never made it past the age of 49, passing away in 1988, after a heart attack.
Rachel Hunter
Rachel Hunter was a supermodel and, during her heyday, there were men who would do pretty much anything just to be with her. As it turned out, all you needed to do to get her attention was become a darn good musician. Her fondness for music artists ultimately led her to a marriage with Rod Stewart that lasted for 16 years. After the two divorced, she then went on to date Kip Winger, of the rock and roll band Winger. After that, she ended up with singer and composer, Robbie Williams.
When Rachel Hunter left Rod Stewart, it reportedly devastated the singer. When the couple tied the knot, Rachel was only 21 years old, while Rod was already 45. The British rock singer and songwriter eventually ended up finding love again with another mode,l named Penny Lancaster. The two were married in 2007. Today, Rachel Hunter is on the verge of a comeback to modelling, and is the main persona in the Australian women’s fashion line, Jacqui E.
Cher
Today, Cher is referred to by the media as the “Goddess of Pop.” Before she achieved such a prestigious title though, the American singer had to win the attention of the right people in the industry. For Cher, this meant spending a great deal of time in the clubs on Sunset Strip. As any successful groupie would do, Cher made sure she became acquainted with the top names and agents in the business.
The Goddess of Pop also started from humble beginnings, working as a house maid for Sonny Bono back in 1962. The job proved to be a monumental move for Cher though, as it became the reason she got close to Sonny, and soon after, became a backup singer in his records. She later recorded her own songs, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Madonna
If Cher is the Goddess of Pop, the title of “Queen of Pop” goes to Madonna, who undoubtedly lived a wild and controversial life that’s been publicly documented throughout her illustrious career. She also had a number of famous rock star relationships, which is why she has a place on this list. Madonna started her rise to stardom as a backup singer and dancer for Patrick Hernandez.
Among the well-known romances she had with famous musicians were Lenny Kravitz, Stephen Bray and Tupac Shakur. Though there were countless others. Tupac and Madonna broke up in 1994, and after a year, the hip hop artist revealed that the reason why he left was because of Madonna’s skin color.
Lacy
Lacy is a mysterious persona in the groupie scene, and the world doesn’t know a whole lot about her, apart from her stunning photographs in Rolling Stone magazine, that instantly propelled her to fame. In one photo, Lacy was seen sitting down on the floor while lighting a joint, her legs covered with copies of the magazine. The image graced a Christmas card that was given to subscribers.
The magazine’s photographer, Baron Wolman, revealed his instant liking for Lacy the moment he captured her pose. Lacy’s daring persona shone through in every photo that Wolman captured, and motivated women all over the world to be proud of their uniqueness, prior to the advent of Vogue. The mystery of Lacy continues to live on until today, and even those who knew her during the 60s are unsure of where she is now and what her current life is.
Morgana Welch
Morgana Welch became famous for founding and leading a groupie circle called “The LA Queens.” Morgana started spending time in Sunset clubs at a very young age, getting close to a few big rock stars along the way. She and her groupie circle were even the number one choice of Led Zeppelin.
After her retirement as a groupie, Morgana Welch wrote a book detailing her experiences with different groups and personalities in the industry, entitled Laurel Canyon: The Inside Story Of Rock-and-Roll’s Legendary Neighborhood. Currently, Welch is employed as a web consultant somewhere in Arizona.