Kevin Bacon has paid tribute to singer Bonnie Tyler, who died at age 75 on Thursday, the same day Bacon celebrated his 68th birthday. The pair collaborated on the soundtrack for the 1984 film "Footloose," for which Tyler performed the hit song "Holding Out for a Hero."
"I could not imagine chicken racing a tractor to any other song. RIP," Bacon said in a statement to Entertainment Weekly. He starred in the musical movie as Ren McCormack, a city teenager who moves to a small town where rock music and dancing are banned.
Tyler died in a hospital in Faro, Portugal, due to illness, according to The New York Times. Her family and team announced her passing on her official website, stating that she "unexpectedly passed away last night in hospital in Portugal as a result of the illness that she was being treated for."
Months prior to her death, Tyler underwent emergency intestinal surgery in May. She was placed in an induced coma and awoke in June, but remained in intensive care.
"Holding Out for a Hero," produced by Jim Steinman and co-written by Steinman and Dean Pitchford, was specifically created for "Footloose." Tyler later included the song on her 1986 album "Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire." The song has since been featured in commercials, films, and television shows, including a cover version by Jennifer Saunders for "Shrek 2" and by Ella Mae Bowen for the 2011 "Footloose" remake. It was also featured in an episode of the HBO series "Euphoria" in February 2022.
Tyler, a Welsh singer-songwriter, was also known for her 1983 hit "Total Eclipse of the Heart."