Bonnie Tyler, the Grammy-nominated singer known for her enduring hit “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” has died. She was 75.
“Bonnie’s family and team are heartbroken to announce that Bonnie unexpectedly passed away last night in hospital in Portugal as a result of the illness that she was being treated for,” read a message shared via Tyler’s Facebook page on Thursday, July 9. “We will issue a further statement shortly but for now ask for privacy to deal with this tragedy.”
Tyler’s death comes after she faced a health scare that left her hospitalized.
“We are very sorry to announce that Bonnie has been admitted to hospital in Faro, Portugal, where she has a home, for emergency intestinal surgery,” read a May 6 statement shared via her website. “The surgery went well and she is now recuperating.”
The statement concluded, “We know that all of her family, friends and fans will be concerned about this news and will be wishing her well for a full and swift recovery.”
Tyler’s manager later spoke out to share an update on her well-being.
“Bonnie has been put into an induced coma by her doctors to aid her recovery. We know that you all wish her well and ask for privacy at this difficult time please,” a statement from Tyler’s manager read on May 7.
Born Gaynor Hopkins in Wales on June 8, 1951, Tyler was discovered by a talent scout while singing with her band in a club in 1975. She ultimately signed a record deal with RCA Records and adopted the stage name Bonnie Tyler. Her debut single, “My! My! Honeycomb,” came out in 1976.
Tyler achieved success on the charts with her follow-up singles “Lost in France” in 1976 and “More Than a Lover” and “It’s a Heartache” in 1977. That February, she released her debut album, The World Starts Tonight. Tyler’s second album, 1978’s Natural Force, was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Tyler’s career was ultimately defined by her biggest hit, “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” Released in 1983, the lead single from her fifth album, Faster Than the Speed of Night, spent four weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart and became one of the best-selling singles of all time. The song was also nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 1984 Grammy Awards.
That same year, Tyler landed a top 40 hit with “Holding Out for a Hero” from the Footloose soundtrack. She later featured the song on her sixth album, 1986’s Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire.
Tyler continued to record for decades, releasing a total of 18 studio albums throughout her career. Her 2021 record, The Best Is Yet to Come, became her final album, though she continued to release new singles afterward.
As for her personal life, Tyler married Robert Sullivan in July 1973. The couple did not have any children.
Years before her death, Tyler opened up about her desire to keep following her passion for music as she got older.
“I’m doing all right. I’m quite fit for my age, thank God. And I’m never going to retire,” she told The Sun in 2021. “I look at Tom Jones, he’s amazing. His voice is as strong as ever — and he’s got 10 years on me.”
Tyler is survived by Sullivan.
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