Before she made it big in the 1980s, Cyndi Lauper was in a cover band whose repertoire included a number of Rod Stewart hits.

"That's me trying so desperately to make that raspy sound like he makes," she said.

Now, the Girls Just Want To Have Fun singer, 65, is having a blast, as the opening act for the veteran British rocker, 73, on his American tour.

On Tuesday, the duo (above) brought the house down at New York's Madison Square Garden.