DEBBIE ELLIOTT, HOST:
Meat Loaf, the Grammy-winning American singer and actor, has died. He was 74.
A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
Meat Loaf's 1977 debut album, "Bat Out Of Hell," is still one of the bestselling albums of all time.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
MARTÍNEZ: Meat Loaf talked to Weekend Edition Saturday host Scott Simon back in 2010.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)
SCOTT SIMON: Do I call you Mr. Loaf?
MEAT LOAF: Meat.
SIMON: (Laughter) Meat. Mr. Meat.
MEAT LOAF: Yeah.
ELLIOTT: Real name Michael Lee Aday. Meat Loaf was known for sweeping, operatic rock albums with songs like "Rock And Roll Dreams Come Through" and "Paradise By The Dashboard Light."
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "PARADISE BY THE DASHBOARD LIGHT")
MEAT LOAF: (Singing) Well, I remember every little thing, as if it happened only yesterday. Parking by the lake, and there was not another car in sight.
ELLIOTT: He described himself this way.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)
MEAT LOAF: Rob Cavallo, he basically summed me up - Meat Loaf is an actor who acts like he can sing.
SIMON: (Laughter).
MEAT LOAF: And that's basically what I am. I mean, that's what I study. I build characters for every tour.
ELLIOTT: Along with a Grammy for his song "I'd Do Anything for Love," Meat Loaf also appeared in more than 65 movies, including "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" and "Fight Club."
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "I'D DO ANYTHING FOR LOVE (BUT I WON'T DO THAT)")
MEAT LOAF: (Singing) And I would do anything love. And you know it's true, and that's a fact. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.