Jim Steinman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jim Steinman
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Steinman at Joe's Pub in New York City, 2005
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| Background information | |
| Born | November 1, 1947 Hewlett, New York, U.S. |
| Died | April 19, 2021 (aged 73) Danbury, Connecticut, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1969–2021 |
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James Richard Steinman (born November 1, 1947 – died April 19, 2021) was an American composer, lyricist, and record producer. He also worked as an arranger, pianist, and singer. His music included rock, pop, and songs for musicals and movies.
He produced albums for famous singers like Bonnie Tyler and Meat Loaf. These included Bat Out of Hell, which is one of the best-selling albums ever. He also produced Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell.
Some of his most popular songs include:
- Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart"
- Air Supply's "Making Love Out of Nothing at All"
- Meat Loaf's "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)"
- Celine Dion's "It's All Coming Back to Me Now"
- Boyzone's "No Matter What"
Jim Steinman also created music for the theater. He wrote the story, music, and lyrics for Bat Out of Hell: The Musical. He also wrote lyrics for Whistle Down the Wind and music for Tanz der Vampire.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jim Steinman was born on November 1, 1947, in Hewlett Harbor, New York. His mother, Eleanor, was a teacher, and his father, Louis, owned a steel business. He came from a Jewish family.
He finished high school in 1965. In 1963, he won an essay contest about American History. Steinman earned his college degree from Amherst College in 1969.
A Career in Music
Starting in Theater
In college, Steinman wrote a musical called The Dream Engine in 1969. It was about a group of young rebels. Many ideas and lyrics from this show later appeared in his famous songs. For example, the words "turn around bright eyes" from "Total Eclipse of the Heart" were first heard in The Dream Engine.
After college, he worked with Joseph Papp, who founded the New York Shakespeare Festival. In 1973, his song "Happy Ending" was released, sung by Yvonne Elliman. This was the first time a song he wrote was released commercially.
That same year, Steinman wrote a musical called More Than You Deserve. An actor named Marvin Lee Aday, known as Meat Loaf, was in this show. They later became famous for working together.
Big Hits in the 1970s
In 1977, Steinman and Meat Loaf released the album Bat Out of Hell. It was very hard to find a record company to sign them. But once released, the album became a huge success in many countries. It sold around 40 million copies. The song "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad" from the album became a top hit.
Success in the 1980s
In 1981, Steinman released his only solo album, Bad for Good. He sang most of the songs himself. Meat Loaf also recorded more of Steinman's songs on the album Dead Ringer in 1981. This album included a duet with Cher called "Dead Ringer for Love" and reached number one in the UK.
Steinman produced Bonnie Tyler's album Faster Than the Speed of Night in 1983. He wrote two songs on it, including "Total Eclipse of the Heart". For a time in 1983, two songs written and produced by Steinman were the top two songs on the Billboard charts: "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and Air Supply's "Making Love Out of Nothing at All".
He also wrote and produced "Read 'Em and Weep" for Barry Manilow in 1983. In 1984, he wrote two songs for the film Streets of Fire: "Tonight Is What It Means to Be Young" and "Nowhere Fast".
For the 1984 film Footloose, Steinman produced and co-wrote "Holding Out for a Hero", sung by Bonnie Tyler. This song became a big hit.
In 1989, Steinman put together a group called Pandora's Box. They released the album Original Sin. This album included the first recording of "It's All Coming Back to Me Now".
The 1990s and Beyond
In 1993, Steinman and Meat Loaf worked together again on Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell. Steinman wrote and produced all the songs. This album was also a huge success, reaching number one in many countries. The song "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" was a number one hit in 28 countries.
Celine Dion's album Falling into You (1996) featured her version of "It's All Coming Back to Me Now", which Steinman wrote and produced. This song reached number 2 on the Billboard charts.
Steinman wrote lyrics for Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Whistle Down the Wind, which opened in 1996. A song from this musical, "No Matter What" performed by Boyzone, became a chart-topping hit in 1998.
Tanz der Vampire (Dance of the Vampires), a musical based on a vampire movie, opened in Vienna, Austria, in 1997. Steinman wrote the music for it. The show was very popular and won several awards.
In the 2000s, Steinman continued to work on new projects. He was an executive producer for the 2003 MTV film Wuthering Heights. He also worked on a musical based on the Batman comic books, but it was never fully staged.
In 2012, Jim Steinman was recognized for his amazing work and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Bat Out of Hell: The Musical
In 2017, Steinman's musical Bat Out of Hell The Musical opened in Manchester, England. This show was based on his Neverland musical from the 1970s and the famous Bat Out of Hell albums. It featured many of his well-known songs. The musical later played in London, Toronto, and New York City.
Personal Life
Jim Steinman lived in Ridgefield, Connecticut. His house was very unique, described as a "majestic museum of the self."
Health and Passing
Steinman had a stroke in 2004, which made it hard for him to speak for a while. He passed away on April 19, 2021, at the age of 73, due to kidney failure.
His close friend and collaborator, Meat Loaf, said about him, "We didn't know each other, we were each other."
Discography
Awards and Nominations
Grammy Awards
| Year | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
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| 1985 | Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media | Footloose | Nominated | |
| 1994 | Song of the Year | "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" | Nominated | |
| Best Rock Song | Nominated | |||
| 1997 | Album of the Year | Falling Into You | Won |
See also
In Spanish: Jim Steinman para niños
