“Bat Out Of Hell” singer, Meat Loaf has passed away at the age of 74. His death was announced in an official post on his Facebook page early Jan. 21, 2022.
He was born on Sept. 27, 1947, and given the name Marvin Lee Aday. Meat Loaf grew up in Dallas, Texas ultimately under the care of his grandmother. His father Orvis Aday was an alcoholic and police officer who had a habit of going on binges. Wilma Artie, the singer’s mother, ended up leaving the star to be raised by her mother.
He got his nickname because his father stated he looked red like the color of meat when he was born; later his high school coach added “loaf.”
After graduating from high school he enrolled at North Texas State University (now known as the University of North Texas). He moved to Los Angeles, California in 1967 to play in local bands.
Three years later Meat Loaf moved to New York. He utilized this time to work in Broadway musicals such as “Hair,” “Rockabye Hamlet,” and “The Rocky Horror Show.” Meat Loaf was also in the Off-Broadway shows “Rainbow,” “More than You Deserve,” “National Lampoon Show,” and “As You Like It.”
He made his film debut in 1975 playing alongside Tim Curry in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” In the movie, he played a bad boy biker named Eddie.
Meat Loaf can also be seen in the movies “Roadie,” “Out of Bounds,” “The Squeeze,” “Focus,” and “Black Dog.” The rock star really made a name for himself singing “I’d Do Anything for Love,” “Two Out Of Three ain’t Bad,” “For Crying Out Loud,” and “Paradise by the Dashboard Lights.” Of course, these are just some of his fan-favorite songs.
He married his first wife, Leslie Aday on Feb. 23, 1979. They had two children together — Pearl and Amanda — before divorcing in 2001. He married his widow, Deborah Gillespie on Sept. 10, 2010.
After news of his death broke, many celebrities and fans took to social media to share their thoughts and prayers for his family.
Andrew Lloyd Webber tweeted, “The vaults of heaven will be ringing with rock. RIP Meatloaf.”
Alice Cooper wrote, “Meat Loaf was one of the greatest voices in rock ‘n’ roll...” He added “There was nobody, and I mean nobody like Meat Loaf. His shoes can never be filled.”
The rock star was one of the greats who will be highly missed. May he rest in peace.
Written by Sheena Robertson
Sources:
BBC: Meat Loaf: Stars pay tribute to ‘one-off’ Bat Out Of Hell singer
IMDb: Meat Loaf
Image Courtesy of Christie D. Mallon’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
