Cyndi Lauper
Singer Cyndi Lauper poses at Panavideo Studios in New York City on Aug. 23, 1984.
Born on June 22, 1953 in New York City, Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper sang with cover bands and was lead singer of the new wave band Blue Angel. But after that band dissolved, Lauper struck out on her own.
"She's So Unusual"
Her solo debut, "She's So Unusual" (1983), was an international hit. It reached #4 on the Billboard chart, produced the hit singles "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," "Time After Time," "She Bop" and "All Through the Night," and was nominated for a Grammy for Album of the Year. Lauper herself won the Grammy for Best New Artist.
MTV Music Awards
Singer Cyndi Lauper poses with her award for Best Female Video at the MTV Music Awards in New York, Sept. 14, 1984.
Cyndi Lauper
Cyndi Lauper poses in a 1987 photo.
Cyndi Lauper and Little Richard
Singers Cyndi Lauper and Little Richard are photographed during ceremonies honoring "American Bandstand" and its host, Dick Clark, at Chasen's Restaurant, Monday, Sept. 15, 1987, in Los Angeles, Calif.
Wildest Dreams Tour
Singer Cyndi Lauper performs during the opening act of the Tina Turner "Wildest Dreams" tour, May 10, 1997, at the MGM Grand Gardens Arena in Las Vegas.
"All-Star Tribute to Joni Mitchell"
Singer Cyndi Lauper performs during Turner Network Television's "All-Star Tribute to Joni Mitchell" at the Hammerstein Ballroom April 6, 2000 in New York City.
"VH1 Divas"
Cyndi Lauper and Cher perform Thursday, May 23, 2002 during the "VH1 Divas" telecast from the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
New York City
Singer Cyndi Lauper performs at Tower Records to promote her album "At Last," November 18, 2003 in New York City.
Lifetime Achievement Awards
Singer Cyndi Lauper performs during the first annual Lifetime Achievement Awards, celebrating women who have made a positive impact on the world, at the Hammerstein Ballroom May 8, 2003 in New York City.
Cyndi Lauper and David Thornton
Cyndi Lauper and her husband, actor David Thornton, arrive at the Gen Art Film Festival closing night premiere of "XX/XY" April 8, 2003 at the Loews Astor Plaza in New York City.
New York City
Singer Cyndi Lauper performs at The Beacon Theater December 18, 2003 in New York City.
Race to Erase MS
Singer Cyndi Lauper performs at The 11th Annual "Race to Erase MS" on May 14, 2004 at the Century Plaza Hotel, in Los Angeles, California.
New York City
Musician Cyndi Lauper performs during a press preview for her CD, "The Body Acoustic," at Coda, October 6, 2005 in New York City.
Katrina Benefit
Singer Cyndi Lauper takes off her shoes so she can dance better during her performance at the "From the Big Apple to the Big Easy" benefit concert Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2005 in New York's Madison Square Garden. Proceeds from the concert were donated to Hurricane Katrina relief.
Gay Games
Cyndi Lauper performs during the Closing Ceremony of the Gay Games VII at Wrigley Field on July 22, 2006 in Chicago, Illinois.
Tony Awards
Alan Cumming and Cyndi Lauper perform onstage at the 60th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall June 11, 2006 in New York City.
True Colors Tour
Singer Cyndi Lauper performs during the kickoff of the first annual True Colors Tour at the MGM Grand Garden Arena June 8, 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Proceeds from the show would benefit equal rights organizations.
Sydney, Australia
Singer Cyndi Lauper performs on stage at the State Theatre on February 29, 2008 in Sydney, Australia.
Washington, D.C.
President Barack Obama greets pop music artist Cyndi Lauper after delivering remarks following the enactment of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., October 28, 2009. Mr. Obama earlier signed a bill which included a provision that makes it a federal hate crime to assault people based on gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.
New York City
Singer Cyndi Lauper performs on "Good Morning America," on June 23, 2010 in New York City.
amfAR New York Inspiration Gala
Singers Kelly Rowland, Cyndi Lauper and Estelle perform onstage during the 2010 amfAR New York Inspiration Gala at The New York Public Library on June 3, 2010 in New York, New York.
Cyndi Lauper and Arcade Fire
Cyndi Lauper joins Grammy Award winners Arcade Fire during the 2011 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival at The Fair Grounds Race Course on May 6, 2011 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Human Rights Campaign
Cyndi Lauper performs at the 15th Annual Human Rights Campaign National Dinner at the Washington Convention Center on October 1, 2011 in Washington, D.C.
In 2014 Lauper, who co-founded the True Colors Fund (which advocates for LGBTQ youth) told CBS News, "We have made a lot of advances as a society, but we still have a lot of work to do to ensure that equality for all truly means equality for all. If just one of us is unequal, we are all unequal....
"We need to embrace our diversity as a society. We are stronger together as a nation, and weaker when we let our "differences" get in the way."
Gay Pride Parade
Grand Marshall Cyndi Lauper rides down 5th Avenue during the 2012 New York City's Gay Pride in New York on June 24, 2012.
New York City
Cyndi Lauper attends the opening for "Kinky Boots" at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on April 4, 2013 in New York City.
Tony Awards
Actor Harvey Fierstein lifts singer Cyndi Lauper during a photo session for Tony Awards nominees on May 1, 2013. Lauper was nominated for Best Original Score for the musical "Kinky Boots."
Tony Awards
Cyndi Lauper, winner of the Tony Award for Best Original Score for "Kinky Boots," is pictured in "Winners' Room" at the 67th Annual Tony Awards, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, June 9, 2013.
Las Vegas
Singer Cyndi Lauper performs as she opens for Cher at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 25, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Songwriters Hall of Fame
Singer-songwriter Cyndi Lauper performs onstage at the 46th Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction And Awards at Marriott Marquis Hotel on June 18, 2015 in New York City.
Cyndi Lauper and Boy George
Cyndi Lauper and Boy George perform in concert at the Beacon Theatre on May 25, 2016 in New York City.
Trailblazer Honors
Cyndi Lauper attends Logo's 2017 Trailblazer Honors event at Cathedral of St. John the Divine on June 22, 2017 in New York City.
For more info:
cyndilauper.com
Follow Cyndi Lauper on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, MySpace and YouTube
True Colors Fund
Follow the True Colors Fund on Twitter and Facebook
By CBSNews.com senior producer David Morgan