A sad farewell
Bonnie Tyler died on the 8th of July in Faro Portugal and will be sorely missed by family, friends and fans. She will always be known for her distinctive husky voice and came to prominence in 1977 with the release of her album “The World Starts Tonight” and its single “Lost in France.” She went on to record international hits like “Total Eclipse of the Heart”, “Holding Out for a Hero”, “Faster than the Speed of Night”, “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” and “If You Were a Woman (And I Was a Man)”. For her, singing always took priority over fame.
“I’ve been singing since I was 16 because I love it – I wanted to be a singer, not a star. There’s a difference between wanting to be famous and wanting to sing well.”
A new version of Under Milk Wood
In October 2003, former Beatles producer George Martin gave a talk at the Dylan Thomas Centre in Swansea to launch events for the city’s two-week festival. It was a special year, as the festival celebrated the life and work of Dylan Thomas and marked the 50th anniversary of the death of Wales’s most famous poet.
In 1988, George Martin had put together a new arrangement of “Under Milk Wood” for EMI recordings which included musical pieces and songs by Elton John. The recording featured a renowned, largely Welsh cast, including Sir Anthony Hopkins, Bonny Tyler, Mary Hopkins, Catherine Zeta Jones, Alan Bennett, Jonathan Pryce, Mark Knopfler and others. Bonny Tyler played Polly Garter and sang “I loved a Man”, which tells the story of a woman reflecting on her romantic past and present.
George Martin talked about the difficulties of people’s expectations when it came to creating a new version of this work. He drew extensively on documentary material produced originally from Melvyn Bragg’s ITV show and used a film and slide show to illustrate his talk. This culminated in the festival’s release of a double CD.
When Bonnie stepped in
A reception was held after the talk. I was told the great man, now 77, was to be seen in a melee of people in a large side room. I believe Aeronwy, Dylan’s daughter, was among the civic guests and those involved in the special double CD festival release, although my initial attention was drawn to George Martin, who seemed constantly surrounded. As a young impressionable man, I hoped I’d catch George Martin at a quiet moment. When it finally came, I approached him, told him how much I enjoyed his musical productions and asked if I could have his autograph. Without a word, he turned away. Well, there was my answer.
Later, I heard George Martin call out, “How are you Bonnie?” as she entered the room. They were soon in conversation, then she turned and mingled with the crowd. She had a fresh complexion, blue eyes and immaculate make up but was quite a diminutive figure without the large diva hairstyles which came later.
Finally, she headed my way and I had the opportunity to talk to her briefly. I felt like a star-struck teenager. She signed her autograph and just before she finished, I said, “You’re a good Welsh girl, I don’t suppose you could ask George for his autograph?” She was across the room in a second. I looked up to see George scrawling his name. Then she returned with a smile. “There you are,” she said.
Looking back on the two autographs now, I know which one means more to me. I remember Bonnie not just for her voice, but for that simple act of kindness — the warmth of a true Welsh girl who put people at ease and who will be sorely missed by so many.
More from John Greeves
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