Born 79 Years Ago Today in Dallas, the Larger-Than-Life Rock Star Behind a 50-Million-Selling Album Trilogy

Bridging the gap between operatic theatrics and hard rock music wasn’t anything new by the time the late 1970s came around. But singer-songwriter and actor Meat Loaf brought an energy to the “rock opera” that few had seen before. And by the 90s, he had become an international sensation.

Meat Loaf was born on this very day, September 27, in 1947. Let’s take a look back at a particularly eclectic and rich career, both in rock music and in the world of acting.

The Life and Career of Meat Loaf

Meat Loaf was born Michael Lee Aday on September 27, 1947, in Dallas, Texas. His musical moniker can be traced all the way back to his birth. According to the singer, he was “bright red” when he was born. His father thought he looked like “ground chuck” and convinced staff at the hospital to put the name “Meat” on his crib. His birth name initials, M.L., would later give way to the mean nickname “Meat Loaf” by his elementary school peers because of his weight. He would later lean into the name with his first band, Meat Loaf Soul. He later used the nickname as his solo artist moniker for the rest of his career.

In total, Meat Loaf has earned seven Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. His first hit was the 1977 pop-rock jam “You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth”. It wouldn’t be until 1993 that he scored his first No. 1 hit. That ended up being the Multi-Platinum smash chart-topper “I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)”. 

From there, he enjoyed additional hits. Those include “Rock And Roll Dreams Come Through” (1994), “Objects In The Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are” (1994), and “I’d Lie For You (And That’s The Truth)” (1995). Meat Loaf’s sixth studio album, Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell, was a Multi-Platinum hit across the board. It is considered by many to be his magnum opus. Throughout his career, his Bat Out Of Hell album trilogy has sold over 50 million copies around the world. 

Outside of music, Meat Loaf was an accomplished actor. During his career, he appeared in over 50 different films and television series. A few noteworthy appearances can be found in The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), Fight Club (1999), and Black Dog (1998).

Meat Loaf passed away on January 20, 2022, in Nashville, Tennessee. No official cause of death was released. He was 74 years old. Following his death, the Queen’s Guard in the UK performed “I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)” in his honor.

Photo by Fryderyk Gabowicz/picture alliance via Getty Images