Chrissie Hynde Siblings: Getting to Know Terry Hynde

Chrissie Hynde, born Christine Ellen Hynde on September 7, 1951, in Akron, Ohio, is an American-British musician, singer, songwriter, and guitarist.

Raised in a working-class family, her father, Melville “Bud” Hynde, worked as a manager for the Yellow Pages, and her mother, Dolores Hynde, was a part-time secretary.

Hynde’s early life in Akron was marked by a disinterest in conventional education, as she was drawn to music and the countercultural movements of the 1960s.

Her passion for rock music led her to attend concerts in nearby Cleveland, and she later enrolled at Kent State University’s Art School, where she became immersed in the hippie counterculture, vegetarianism, and Eastern mysticism.

It was during her time at Kent State that she witnessed the tragic Kent State massacre in 1970, an event that profoundly impacted her.

Siblings

Chrissie has one sibling, a brother named Terry Hynde.

Terry, a musician himself, is a saxophone player for the Numbers Band, a well-regarded act in the Ohio music scene.

He is married to Kathy Hynde and resides in Kent, Ohio. The couple has a son, Ian Grant Hynde, who is also a musician, playing drums.

While Chrissie’s career took her across the Atlantic to international fame, Terry remained rooted in Ohio, pursuing his musical interests locally.

Career

After moving to London in 1973, Hynde initially worked at an architectural firm before landing a job at the music magazine New Musical Express (NME), where she wrote briefly before joining Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood’s punk clothing store, Sex.

This immersion in the punk scene connected her with figures like Sid Vicious and members of The Clash and The Sex Pistols.

Despite attempts to form bands in France and join various punk outfits, including a brief stint with the band that became 999 and another with Masters of the Backside (later The Damned), Hynde struggled to find her place until 1978.

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That year, she formed The Pretenders with Pete Farndon, James Honeyman-Scott, and Martin Chambers.

Their self-titled debut album, released in 1980, was a critical and commercial success, featuring hits like “Brass in Pocket,” which reached number one in the UK.

Hynde’s distinctive contralto voice, sharp songwriting, and androgynous stage presence made her a standout figure in rock.

The Pretenders faced challenges in the early 1980s, including the drug-related deaths of Farndon and Honeyman-Scott, but Hynde persevered, leading the band through multiple lineups and producing enduring hits like “Back on the Chain Gang,” “Middle of the Road,” and “I’ll Stand by You.”

Beyond The Pretenders, Hynde collaborated with artists like Frank Sinatra, Cher, UB40, and Nick Cave, and released solo albums, including Stockholm (2014), Valve Bone Woe (2019), and Standing in the Doorway: Chrissie Hynde Sings Bob Dylan (2021).

Her activism, particularly for animal rights and vegetarianism, also shaped her career, leading her to open The VegiTerranean, a vegan restaurant in Akron, which operated from 2007 to 2011.

Hynde’s autobiography, Reckless: My Life as a Pretender (2015), and her art book, Adding the Blue (2018), showcasing nearly 200 of her paintings.

Accolades

In 2005, Hynde was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Pretenders, acknowledging the band’s influence on rock music with their blend of punk, new wave, and pop.

The Pretenders’ early work, particularly their debut album, was lauded by critics, earning them the title of “Best New Artists” by Rolling Stone magazine in 1980.

Hynde’s distinctive voice was ranked number 114 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time in 2023, a testament to her enduring impact.

The band’s commercial success includes six top ten UK singles and millions of albums sold worldwide, with performances at iconic events like Live Aid in 1985.

Hynde’s solo work, particularly Stockholm and Valve Bone Woe, received critical acclaim, with the latter debuting at number one on the UK Jazz and Blues chart.

Her activism has also garnered respect, with her vocal support for PETA, Viva, and anti-fur campaigns earning her a reputation as a principled advocate for animal rights.