But unfortunately, all great stories must come to an end, and today it was Meat Loaf's turn to say farewell! Because the singer, born Marvin Lee Aday, died this past Thursday, at the age of 74, according to a family statement provided by his longtime agent Michael Greene. "Our hearts are broken to announce that the incomparable Meat Loaf passed away tonight," the statement said. "We know how much he meant to so many of you and we truly appreciate all of the love and support as we move through this time of grief in losing such an inspiring artist and beautiful man ... From his heart to your souls .... don't ever stop rocking!"
Meat Loaf Has Passed Away
So far, no official cause of death or other any details were given out publicly, but the singer had had numerous health scares over recent years, which concerned fans and family alike. Nevertheless, now is a time to remember a legacy that will not soon be forgotten. Because Meat Loaf was for many, a unique talent that cannot be replaced.
It all started with this breakthrough album Bat Out of Hell; a mega-selling collaboration with songwriter Jim Steinman and producer Todd Rundgren, which came out in 1977 and made him one of the most recognizable performers in rock music. Rocks lovers fell hard for his roaring vocals and the comic non-romance nostalgia of the title track, "You Took The Words Right Out of My Mouth", followed by hits like "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad" and the classic "Paradise By the Dashboard Light", an operatic cautionary tale about going all the way!
Meat Loaf never took himself too seriously on stage, and fans will always love him for it. He had a knack for getting audiences to party even when they didn't necessarily want to, as he recalled one of his first gigs in 2013:
"I remember pulling up at the theatre and it says, `TONIGHT: CHEAP TRICK, WITH MEAT LOAF.' And I said to myself, 'These people think we're serving dinner! - And we walk out on stage and these people were such Cheap Trick fans they booed us from the start. They were getting up and giving us the finger. The first six rows stood up and screamed ... When we finished, most of the boos had stopped and we were almost getting applause."
Well, that was Meat Loaf in a nutshell. True legends never really die, and his music will continue to inspire millions of fans around the world!