Meat Loafs career spanning six decades including Spice Girls film and real name
Bat Out Of Hell singer Meat Loaf has died at the age of 74 following an incredible career spanning six decades and 100 million albums sold worldwide.
The American hitmaker, whose real name was Michael Lee Aday, passed away in the evening of Thursday 20 January with his wife Deborah Gillespie by his side, according to a statement issued by his family.
Meat Loaf had hits including I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That), which was released in 1993 from the album Bat Out Of Hell: Back To Hell album, You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night) and the near 10-minute Bat Out Of Hell which were both from his 1977 debut album.
The singer also starred in 65 films including his most notable performance of Eddie in The Rocky Horror Picture Show in 1975 along with Bob Paulson in Fight Club in 1999.
The late singer, who was born Marvin Lee Aday before he legally changed his name to Michael in 1984, formed his first band in Los Angeles and named his band, Meat Loaf Soul, as a nod to the nickname that was coined by his football coach because of his weight.
In October 1977 the Bat Out Of Hell album was released by Meat Loaf and composer Jim Steinman which sold over 43million copies around the world making it one of the best-selling albums of all time.
Meat Loaf married Leslie G. Edmonds just a month after they met while she was working as a secretary at Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, New York.
Leslie had a daughter named Pearl from a previous relationship who Meat Loaf later adopted and gave birth to Amanda Aday in 1981 before the pair divorced in 2001.
Bat Of Of Hell also had two sequel albums including Bat Out Of Hell II: Back Into Hell in 1993 and Bat Out Of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose in 2006 and was also adapted as a stage musical and was written by Steinman.
Meat Loaf won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance, Solo, in 1994 for I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That) after it reached number one in 28 countries and stayed at the top spot in the UK chart for seven consecutive weeks.
Meanwhile, aside from his music, Meat Loaf also featured in a number of films and TV shows and even made an appearance in the 1997 Spice Girls film, Spice World, as a bus driver along with the part of Red in thriller Black Dog alongside Patrick Swayze and in an episode of South Park.
In 2007 Meat Loaf tied the knot with Deborah Gillespie and in 2011 the singer fainted on stage while performing in Pittsburgh before he collapsed again in 2016 due to severe dehydration.
The heartbreaking news was announced on his Facebook page on Friday 21 January and read: "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.
"His amazing career spanned 6 decades that saw him sell over 100 Million albums worldwide and star in over 65 movies, including “Fight Club”, “Focus”, “Rocky Horror Picture Show” and “Wayne’s World.”
Source: Read Full Article