Bonnie Tyler was ‘one of a kind’ and ‘loved by millions’, mourners told
By Sean O'Grady, Press Association Deputy Entertainment Editor
Bonnie Tyler was “one of a kind” and “loved by millions worldwide”, the talent scout who discovered her has told mourners at her funeral.
Fans applauded and shouted “goodbye” as the singer’s white coffin, etched with symbols including a microphone and a treble clef, was carried into Swansea Minster on Monday.
The coffin was carried to the soundtrack of Tyler’s hits If I Sing You A Love Song and It’s A Heartache.
The singer, whose real name was Gaynor Sullivan, was discovered by Roger Bell when she performed in a club in Swansea.
He spoke of her kind nature and the outpouring of tributes she received after her death at the age of 75 on July 8th.
He said: “She was loved by millions worldwide, and has all the tributes, flowers, and cards from the Houses of Parliament, Prince and Princess of Wales, the Portuguese government, Cliff Richard, Rod Stewart, Suzi Quatro, and many, many more fans.
“But in Swansea, she was loved by Robert and the family as Gaynor and Auntie Gaynor.
“There was a warmth and sincerity about her that shone through, and she never said no to having a photo taken or giving an autograph to anyone who asked.”
He added: “I think everyone here today as a story about meeting Gaynor, or Bonnie Tyler, and will treasure it.”
Tyler’s manager Matthew Davis spoke of the singer’s humble personality, saying she was “always a star but never a diva. She never forgot her roots or where she came from.”
Canon Justin Davies delivered a eulogy written by Tyler’s family, which reflected on her early life growing up in a four-bedroom council house in Skewen, North Wales with her parents and siblings.
He said: “A cute baby girl took her first breath on the eight of June, 1951.
“A star was born to Elsie and Glyndŵr Hopkins and the best was yet to come, they just didn’t know it.”
He also recalled Tyler’s first taste of performing, when she came in second place in a singing competition in Skewen Rugby Club in the late 1960s.
He said: “She came in second and won just one pound but was hooked. She sang Those Were The Days by Mary Hopkin and the rest as they say, was history.”
Tyler’s death came just months after she was treated in intensive care after being placed in an induced coma following an emergency intestinal surgery.
The singer achieved international fame in the 1980s with the release of Total Eclipse Of The Heart, which shot to the top of the charts in the UK and the US.
Faster Than The Speed Of Night, the album which featured the track, was also a chart-topping success and landed the singer her only UK number one album.
Recognisable for her husky voice, Tyler released many other hits, including Holding Out For A Hero, It’s A Heartache and If You Were A Woman (And I Was A Man).