Meat Loaf, the legendary American singer, has died at the age of 74.
The Grammy winner, born Marvin Lee Aday, died on Thursday with his wife Deborah by his side. The cause of his death has not been disclosed.
A post on his official Facebook page 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...
“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.
“We thank you for your understanding of our need for privacy at this time. From his heart to your souls… don’t ever stop rocking!”
In a career spanning six decades, Meat Loaf sold more than 100million albums worldwide and starred in 65 movies, including Fight Club, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Wayne’s World and the Spice Girls movie Spice World.
Widely regarded as having one of the most iconic voices in rock music, he enjoyed huge success around the world with tracks such as Dead Ringer For Love, Bat Out Of Hell and I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That).
The rocker’s 1977 Bat Out Of Hell album sold 14 million copies and remains one of the top 10 best-selling albums of all-time. It was also adapted into a successful stage musical, written by long-time collaborator Jim Steinman, who died last year, aged 73.
The musician went on to make two more records in the Bat Out of Hell trilogy: Bat Out Of Hell II: Back Into Hell and Bat Out Of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose.
In 1994, Meat Loaf won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Solo for I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That).
The song was a massive worldwide hit, hitting the number 1 spot in 28 countries.
Following he news of his death, tributes began poured in from the entertainment world...
Paying tribute on her Radio 2 Breakfast Show, presenter Zoe Ball said: “He was such an incredible force of nature, I was so lucky to interview him in my time.”
Meat Loaf made 12 albums in total, releasing his last album, Braver Than We Are, in 2016.
The singer had spoken openly about the health issues that had plagued him, notably asthma, which caused him to collapse on stage during a concert in Pittsburgh in 2011, and again in 2003 at Wembley Arena in London.
He initially made his name in theatre productions, including a Broadway run of Hair, and in 2012 he told the PA news agency about his roots as an actor.
He said: “I started as an actor, I am an actor. I started in New York in theatre, almost 10 years before Bat came out.
“While other people were playing out in bars and doing music, I was doing theatre, so that’s why Jim (Steinman) and I struggled so much because Jim and I both came from theatre, and they went ‘You’re not rock people. You’re theatre people. Theatre people don’t make records’. The public didn’t care, but I’ve gone up against that my entire career.”
He is survived by his wife Deborah, daughter Amanda and stepdaughter Pearl.