Bonnie Tyler has paid tribute to songwriter Jim Steinman following his shock death earlier this week.
The music legend wrote a number of pop classic, including Bonnie’s massive hits Holding Out for a Hero and Total Eclipse of the Heart, and in a statement the singer admitted she’s “devastated” by the news.
“I am absolutely devastated to learn of the passing of my long-term friend and musical mentor Jim Steinman,” Bonnie wrote. “Jim wrote and produced some of the most iconic rock songs of all time and I was massively privileged to have been given some of them by him.
“I made two albums with Jim, despite my record company initially thinking he wouldn’t want to work with me. Thankfully they were wrong, and I can say without any doubt that Jim was a true genius.
I am absolutely devastated to learn of the passing of my long term friend and musical mentor Jim Steinman. pic.twitter.com/TvR01AUXKr
— Bonnie Tyler (@BonnieTOfficial) April 20, 2021
“He was also a funny, kind, supportive, and deeply caring human being and the world is a better place for his life and his work and a worse one for his passing. I will always be grateful to him for the opportunity to work with him and also to know him, too. Rest in peace, Jim my friend.”
Steinman, who also wrote and produced hits for Celine Dion, Boyzone and Nicki French, as well as Meat Loaf’s classic ‘Bat Out of Hell’ albums, passed away in Connecticut on Monday, April 19, aged 73.
And singer Ronan Keating also paid tribute in a post of his own, sharing a snap of himself, bandmate Keith Duffy and the late Stephen Gately with Jim and Andrew Lloyd-Webber, who co-wrote their classic hit No Matter What.
“Rest in peace the mighty Jimbo. @BoyzoneOfficial were lucky to get their hands on “No Matter what” and it sent us global. Thank you to you and @andrewlloydwebber,” he penned.
