Culture on My Mind
Bonnie Tyler
July 14, 2026
On July 8, 2026, Gen Xers were rocked with bad news about an incredibly talented influence in their lives: Bonnie Tyler, the First Lady of Rock, was dead at the age of 75.
Tyler was a Welsh singer and songwriter who started recording in 1975. Before that, she worked as a backup singer for Bobby Wayne & the Dixies and formed the band Imagination. Her career was inspired by a second place win during a 1969 local talent show. She chose her stage name after compiling a list of names from a newspaper.
She was known for her trademark husky vocals which were a result of a surgery in the mid-’70s to remove nodules from her vocal cords. Her biggest influences were Janis Joplin and Tina Turner, and she had a list of other influences and artists whom she admired. Her style was an eclectic mix of country, rock, pop, blues, and Celtic music. Her distinct voice drove her popularity.
She was also a huge philanthropist, donating time and money to numerous causes.
Bonnie Tyler published 18 albums (not counting compilations). Her work and talent are extensive, and over those 44 years there are three tracks that really stand out as influences in my life. “It’s a Heartache” from 1977 comes from her country and folk rock roots and was among the first recordings she made after her vocal surgery.
Part of my childhood was spent on the rodeo circuits in Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado. My parents first met on the rodeo circuit – Mom was a barrel racer and Dad was a bullrider and rodeo clown – and their love of the sport spun off a photography business focused on shooting professional and amateur rodeo events. One of my childhood aspirations was to be a professional bull rider, and I competed in a handful of events until one of the pros I knew was killed by the sport.
I remember hearing “Bonnie Tyler’s “It’s a Heartache” several times at various arenas and fairgrounds, echoing around the dusty venues that smelled of earth and livestock. Hearing the song again now brings back the feeling of the summer sun and the core memories of boots and cowboy hats. It’s also where I first started to dabble in fiction writing, though those early works are thankfully now lost to time.
The second song is Bonnie Tyler’s biggest career hit. “Total Eclipse of the Heart” from 1983 sold over 13 million copies and was actually shortened from 7:02 to 4:30 for radio play.
The song is a power ballad and it shows through Tyler’s vocals as she pours emotion and passion into her delivery. The song was written by Jim Steinman “to be a showpiece for her voice” and Tyler has said that it was a challenge to sing. It’s a song that moves you and is a joy to listen to, though that music video showcasing Surrey’s Holloway Sanatorium is a mental trip.
The third song came into my life through various soundtracks. As a result, “Holding Out for a Hero” from 1984 is a core part of my childhood and pop culture-loving life.
The song was written for 1984’s Footloose, showcased in the scene where the boys play chicken with tractors. Footloose was filmed in Utah County, Utah, and is closely linked to my family. Several of the scenes feature my grandfather working in the background, and the church and preacher’s house were both next door to his home. When working one weekend at his home, I had the opportunity to walk around the house that served as the preacher’s residence. It was abandoned by that point, but it was amazing to see the scenes playing in my head as I stood where the movie was filmed.
Sadly, that house and my grandfather’s home have since been demolished to make way for a Macey’s supermarket and a strip mall.
The song was also used in 1988’s Short Circuit 2, specifically during the sequence when a critically injured Johnny 5 heroically races to stop Oscar from getting away. Between these two movies, which got a lot of airtime in my home, “Holding Out For a Hero” became an integral part of my life. It’s a toe-tapper (at a minimum) with heavy synths and cheesy piano riffs accompanied by Tyler’s heartfelt pleas for a knight in shining armor. On the surface, it represents the overblown excesses of ’80s entertainment, but the song is so catchy that it digs into your soul and refuses to let go.
It’s the song I play when I need motivation, either at the gym or while crafting plans to take over the world.
These three songs are anchors in my life, and they’re why the news of Bonnie Tyler’s passing hit so hard. She was a fantastic talent, and I’d love the opportunity to thank her for sharing it with the world and my generation in particular.
May she rest well.
Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.
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