Patty Donahue(1956-1996)
- Actress
Singer Patricia Jean Donahue was born on March 29, 1956 in Akron, Ohio. Donahue's parents divorced when she was only two years old and she was raised by her mother Joan to be an independent woman. Patty attended St. Joseph Academy in Cleveland. Following graduation from high school, Donahue went on to study at Ohio State University, but had to drop out for financial reasons. However, Patty did eventually graduate from Kent State University. Donahue worked as a waitress prior to becoming the lead singer for the New Wave group The Waitresses. Patty was much loved by fans of The Waitresses for her deliciously deadpan monotone vocals on the band's signature songs "I Know What Boys Like" and "Christmas Wrapping." Moreover, Donahue did a duet of sorts with Alice Cooper on the witty tune "I Like Girls." After The Waitresses split up in late 1984, Patty went on to work as a talent scout for MCA Publishing and as an A&R rep for MCA Records. A heavy smoker through most of her adult life, Donahue died from lung cancer at the tragically young age of 40 on December 9, 1996 in New York.