Singer Meat Loaf, perhaps most beloved for rock opera Bat Out of Hell, has died aged 74. The news was confirmed in a statement on his Facebook page.
“Our hearts are broken to announce that the incomparable Meat Loaf passed away tonight with his wife Deborah by his side. Daughters Pearl and Amanda and close friends have been with him throughout the last 24 hours.”
Cher tweeting, “Had So Much Fun With Meatloaf When We Did ‘Dead Ringer,’ Am Very Sorry For His Family, Friends, & Fans. Am I imagining It, or Are Amazing Ppl In The Arts Dying every other Day.”
1977’s Bat Out of Hell and 1993’s Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell were the wide-ranging singer’s two biggest albums, yielding hit singles “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That),” “Paradise by the Dashboard Light,” and “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad.”
Meat Loaf won a GRAMMY for Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance in 1993 for the song “I’d Do Anything for Love.” He also appeared in several television shows and films, including cult classics Wayne’s World, Fight Club, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
The singer previously stated that physical problems affected his ability to perform. In November, he acknowledged he had four back surgeries and would be back in the studio in 2022. He said, “The back surgeries hurt everything. Before the back surgeries I was still trying to do shows, that’s when some of you saw or heard of me collapsing on stage and finally stopping the tour in the UK.
“I couldn’t hit high notes because of back pain. Not a slight back pain. Pain that would bring you to your knees.”
*Feature image credit: Charles Dharapak / AP File
