Born on this day in 1950, Rock legend Ann Wilson celebrates her 73rd birthday today. This year also marks the 45th anniversary of Heart’s 1978 album, Dog and Butterfly, contains a few of Wilson’s many hit singles. These singles were the products of the Wilsons’ (lest we forget her guitar legend of a sister Nancy) years of hard work and having to prove themselves to world of rock and roll. Ann’s powerful, operatic voice, paired with Nancy’s guitar, are the key elements that made Heart the success it was on the music charts and in breaking down barriers.

Heart was not the first female-led band or female rock act to be making music. In 1962, Goldie & The Gingerbreads made history as the first all-female rock group to be signed to a major label. The early 1970s saw the band Fanny score two Billboard Hot 100 singles, and bassist Suzi Quatro (or “Leather Tuscadero” for the Happy Days fans) was mixing glam and hard rock on songs like “Can the Can” and “Devil Gate Drive.”

While these artists, and many others who sadly remain in musical obscurity, it was Heart that became the most well-known in the United States. Which meant that that the mostly male eyes of the rock world were on them. It was the 1970s, so not everyone was on their side, but the Wilsons, especially Ann, soldiered on to garner six number one singles in that decade alone (they would have 10 more within the 1980s).

Heart’s music is beloved due in no small part to Ann’s voice and songwriting abilities. She not only proved a way with words, but she used will power and a powerful drive to showcase Heart’s abilities and show that they weren’t a group to be messed with.

Take the 1977 hit “Barracuda.” The song was written as a response to a sleazy rumor about Ann and Nancy being involved in a lesbian, incestuous relationship. Even worse, the rumor was a horrible marketing stunt by Heart’s record label, Mushroom Records. So, to both clap back and preserve one another’s honor, Ann wrote the lyrics to the song. The idea of Wilson’s “barracuda” is both a unique and effective way to express the feeling of being chased after by something, or someone, ready to eat you alive. It also happened to become Heart’s signature song and one of the greatest rock songs to come out of the 1970s, so it’s safe to say that Heart came out on top here.

Ann can also show a sensitive side to counteract the hard rock sound that Heart is known for. Think of songs like “Magic Man,” based on her relationship with future band manager Mike Fisher, or “Bebe Le Strange,” about the relatable obsession that a fan can have with a rock star. There are many other tracks in Heart’s discography that show a balance between the strong and assertive and the lovestruck and passionate. Not too many artists can walk that line, but Wilson somehow does it with grace and power.

Ann Wilson has been doing a lot lately. She is slated to appear on Dolly Parton’s Rockstar album (which will feature a cover of Heart’s “Magic Man” by Parton), this summer will see her embarking on a North American tour, and her sister Nancy has revealed that the two are creating new music together.

Although, she was left out of Rolling Stone’s somewhat controversial “200 Best Singers of All Time” list, an arbitrary number ranking is nothing compared to an almost fifty-year long career that has garnered widespread praise and chart success.

Today, for the remarkable Ann Wilson, blast a classic rock radio station or pull up the “This is Heart” playlist on Spotify. Celebrate her vocals, hear her words, and rock out.