AC/DC: Photo of Woman that Inspired ‘Whole Lotta Rosie’ Surfaces

AC/DC released Let There Be Rock in 1977. The album's closing track is the iconic "Whole Lotta Rosie." Over 45 years after the album's release, it looks like we finally know what the actual Rosie looks like.

Jesse Fink, author of The Youngs: The Brothers Who Built AC/DC and Bon: The Last Highway: The Untold Story of Bon Scott and AC/DC's 'Back in Black', has published a photo of Rosie via his personal website. The photo, which can be seen here, shows Rosie sitting behind a man named Graeme Fry. Fink notes, "[Former AC/DC bassist] Mark Evans was right: she had red hair. She's also far less gargantuan than the song makes out, but Bon [Scott] was a born yarn-spinner."

Fink writes he's been approached a number of times with alleged details about Rosie. However, none of these details panned out until a woman who Fink doesn't name came forward in 2021. Fink says, "She'd known Rosie personally and her story checked out."

Sadly, the story of the real-life Rosie is a very tragic tale. The woman that reached out to Fink about Rosie said, "Rosie was Rosemaree Garcia and Mark Evans was right: she had a mass of red curly hair and was nothing like the [stage] doll. I can also tell you she died of a heroin overdose back in 1979, which is why she’s never come forward."

The unnamed woman further noted, "Rosie had a very sad life. She was born in Tasmania but lived and died in St Kilda. I’m not sure if she met Bon in Tassie or in Melbourne. St Kilda was known for having bands stay and play there, and many lived there as well. I know she went back to Tasmania for a while. Rosie became a heroin addict and prostitute to support her habit."

Fink cites author Dean Goodman, who tracked down Rosie's death certificate. The death certificate state Rosie, who is identified as Rose-Maree Carroll (Garcia), died on March 2, 1979 in Prahran, Melbourne, Australia. She was only 22.

Bon Scott remains one of the most beloved and celebrated singers in rock history. Some might view this as a bold statement, but there is proof it's true.

On March 1, 2020, before the world quite literally shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, AC/DC fans came out en masse in Perth, Australia. Why? To honor the 40th anniversary of Bon Scott's untimely death with an epic festival that shut down a local highway.

Per Australia's ABC News, over 150,000 people came out for "Highway to Hell." This festival was along Canning Highway, one of Perth's busiest roads. This road was shut down and turned into one long concert stage. During this festival, eight different bands performed various AC/DC songs on trucks that drove down the 10-kilometer stretch of road.

In addition to the rolling concert, the festival also accomplished a new world record. The record was aptly for "Biggest Air Guitar Gathering" with 3,722 people taking part. People just don't gather in those kinds of numbers unless they really like someone.

As if that weren't enough, there was once talk of a Bon Scott hologram. Back in June 2021, Rolling Stone published a feature about classic rock holograms. The publication talked with Eyellusion Hologram Production CEO Jeff Pezzuti. He said, in part, "We were offered an AC/DC hologram of Bon Scott." The company ended up passing on the opportunity, though, saying, " ... You have to be careful what you do there."

Fronting AC/DC from 1974 until his untimely death in 1980, Scott's legacy lies in a small, but mighty collection of albums that are essential building blocks for the hard rock genre. Each one of them is essential listening. Picking a favorite is difficult. Even more difficult? Dissecting these albums down to their individual songs to create this list.

To honor Scott's life, memory and impact, here are his 25 best songs with AC/DC.