Staff Writer Kendra Bailey
Prolific rock singer and actor, Marvin Lee Aday, professionally known as Meat Loaf, passed away Jan. 20 due to COVID-19 at 74. The Dallas native’s death came as a shock to many, bringing condolences from Mitt Romney, Cher, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Boy George and others.
His six-decade career produced smash song hits “Paradise by the Dashboard Light,” “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” and “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That).” He also appeared in movies, including the midnight audience cult favorite “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
Aday attended the University of North Texas and Lubbock Christian University prior to his groundbreaking hit “Bat Out of Hell,” which sold more than 43 million copies worldwide. The album, which stayed on charts for nearly a decade, propelled his career to new heights. He went on to appear in movies “Fight Club” and “Wayne’s World.” In 1993, he won a Grammy for his single “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)”.
In a Twitter post, Cher, who collaborated with Meat Loaf for “Dead Ringer for Love,” wrote, “Am Very Sorry For His Family, Friends, & Fans. Am I imagining It, or Are Amazing Ppl In The Arts Dying every other Day?!” Meat Loaf is one of many artists who have passed away suddenly in the last year, including of Betty White, Virgil Abloh and Sophie. “The vaults of heaven will be ringing with rock. RIP Meatloaf,” stated Andrew Llyod Webber soon after the singer’s death.
Meat Loaf was one of the most unique artists of his time. He stated that he often felt like a “circus clown” when trying to get record labels to take his music seriously. Combining an odd, yet perfect mix of musicality and theatrics, Aday showed the world how brilliant an artist could be if they weren’t restrained by the rigid standards of commercial music. Selling more than 100 million records in his time, Meat Loaf will go down amongst the likes of The Beatles, Whitney Houston and U2.
