Chris Stein

Christopher Stein (born January 5, 1950) is an American guitarist, songwriter, and photographer best known as the co-founder of the influential rock band Blondie. Born in Brooklyn, New York, to Jewish parents Ben and Estelle Stein, he grew up in a politically leftist household in the Midwood neighborhood and developed an early interest in music, receiving his first guitar at age 12 and playing his debut gig around 1965.

In 1974, Stein co-founded Blondie in New York City with vocalist Debbie Harry, whom he had met while both were involved in the downtown punk scene; the band blended punk, new wave, pop, and disco elements to achieve global success, selling over 40 million records worldwide. As the band's primary guitarist and a key songwriter alongside Harry, Stein contributed to iconic hits such as "Heart of Glass," "Call Me," "The Tide Is High," and "Rapture," helping Blondie pioneer genre fusion and earn induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. The group's breakthrough album Parallel Lines (1978) marked their transition from underground punk regulars to international pop superstars, with Stein's raw, spiky guitar work and innovative production choices defining their sound.

Chris Stein was born on January 5, 1950, in Brooklyn, New York, to Jewish parents Ben and Estelle Stein.