What does one wear to meet Deborah Harry? A dress or skirt may be appropriate. What do you say to someone like Blondie? Ah, hello Hallmark! These were things I had to consider when I was invited to a backstage pre-party for Debbie at Necco Place in Boston. I was ready to go, with bag on head and foot in mouth. If you haven't guessed by now, I'm new at this. I said to myself, "Self, relax, don't worry so much. You're gonna be fine."

I was sitting at Necco waiting, anticipating the arrival of Deborah Harry. I was feeling kind of important with all of these music-oriented people surrounding me. My first stop was the bar - - for a glass of water, of course. I needed to cool down. Ah, two women were taking advantage of the free food in the corner, my next stop. They were "Correct Callers" on KISS 108 FM radio.

"I've never won anything before and Blondie tickets hit the spot. I've always been a Blondie fan and when I heard that KISS was giving away tickets I ran to the phone. I was in complete shock when Lady D. said my name as the winner." Cheryl from Billerica was one happy fan.

Next was the autographing and picture-taking part of the evening. Deborah posed with everyone and signed 8x10 glossies of herself as souvenirs. By the way, I got two of them. What if one was run over, or my dog ate it, or a tornado came and ... then what?.

Up close, Debbie is very beautiful and very quiet. She took time to say hello to all and then disappeared. The show began at 11: 30 pm.Dressed in black leather, Deborah Harry hit the stage. Her performance was intense. A little of the old "Blondie" and a little of the more recent "Debbie Harry" music made for a good line-up of songs. Her stage presence was alluring and everyone was spellbound.

With such great music, why so much time off in between the transition from Blondie to Deborah Harry?

"I was just living alone somewhere below 42nd Street," she told me.

Things weren't always glamorous for Debbie. She conveyed to us how she had cared for former Blondie guitarist Chris Stein, when he became mysteriously ill in 1983.

This diva is a woman looked up to by many other singers. Her talent is captivating and will continue to be.

"The 21st Century [no pun intended] is gonna be much better for a girl like me, although I'm definitely pleased with my record sales for ADef Dumb and Blonde'," she said. Her album occupies the number 35 spot on the top 100 album list.

"I didn't know how "Blondie" fans will react to my new music," Deborah stated.

Well, I would say that they've reacted pretty well, Ms. Harry. n