Bonnie Tyler shares the best advice her mother gave her

Bonnie Tyler’s earliest memories of music in her household was her mother singing.

The 65-year-old performer said her mother had a beautiful voice but didn’t have the confidence to perform in public. But it was her mother’s advice, to believe in herself, that allowed Bonnie, who was also shy, to step into the public eye and take her own talent as far as she could go.

And far she has. These days Bonnie admits she doesn’t have to work any more. Speaking to Starts At 60 Bonnie said she still performs simply because she loves it. With big hits like ‘It’s a Heartache’ and ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ Bonnie has made 16 studio albums, two live albums and been involved in numerous compilations. Her music has featured in a number of movies too, from Footloose to Shrek. Bonnie is currently working on a new album with Johnny Cash’s son John Carter Cash. They are recording in Johnny Cash’s old studio which Bonnie said was an amazing experience in itself.

Growing up in a modest home, a ‘council house’, Bonnie said it makes her appreciate everything more. While both her parents have now passed away, Bonnie remains very close to her family. It was her siblings, three sisters and two brothers, who introduced her to a variety of music, from Elvis to The Beatles, while Bonnie said Janis Joplin and Tina Turner were her favourites. She remembers singing a Tina Turner song into her hairbrush in front of the mirror before her rise to fame, so was excited when Tina Turner later took one of her songs and turned it into a hit. That song was ‘Simply The Best’, originally recorded as ‘The Best’, which not only became a big hit for Tina, her version became the NRL campaign song in 1990 and is still often played at games today.

It was an early health issue that gave Bonnie the voice she has today. After having treatment for nodules on her vocal cords Bonnie couldn’t wait the six weeks required of no talking. “You’ve really gone and done it now,” Bonnie said her doctor told her. But the difference in her voice made a difference in her career, giving her a new husky tone to her voice and a hit song. Now she says her health is great.

When it comes to her looks, Bonnie brushed aside the idea of getting dressed up. Claiming to be a pants and jackets ‘girl’, then correcting herself to ‘woman’, she said she felt she can’t sing while wearing a dress. In fact, the only time she has done it was when she had no option while performing at the Grammys, in a mini-dress no less. “I was terrified, I felt like I was going to fall over the whole time,” she said.

Now she lives between Wales and the Algarve in Portugal. Because she travels so much around the world she considers her Portugal home as her favourite getaway. So far this year alone she has been to New Zealand, Tel Aviv, Switzerland, Germany and Mexico last week, and is going to Brazil after her Australian tour. “As long as people ask me, I’ll be there.”

Bonnie is now touring Australia. Starting on the Gold Coast last weekend she has also been to Perth, before heading back to the East Coast to finish her shows, appearing in NSW from tonight.

What is your favourite Bonnie Tyler song?