The blues rock smash hit “Something to Talk About” was the first single from Bonnie Raitt’s 1991 album “Luck of the Draw” and spent 20 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100.
NEW YORK — Shirley Eckhardt, the singer-songwriter who provided songs for Cher, Emmylou Harris, Anne Murray, Chet Atkins and found lasting fame. Bonnie Raitt’s 1991 Grammy-winning film “Something to Talk About” have died. She was 67 years old.
Eikhard died Thursday of complications from cancer at Headwater Health Care Center in Orangeville, Ontario, publicist Eric Alper said.
The blues-rock smash hit “Something to Talk About” was written in 1985 and Eckhardt pitched it to Murray and other artists, who declined to record it. Then years later Wright left a message on Eckhardt’s phone saying he had just recorded it. Raitt said that he later discovered the song on a demo that Eikhard had sent and admired.
The song was the first single from Wright’s 1991 album “Look of the Draw” and spent 20 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 5. It would earn Wright Best Pop Vocal Performance at the 1992 Grammy Awards and was also nominated. In the year’s record.
On Grammy night, Raitt made sure to thank Eikhard and took to Twitter after Eikhard’s death to say she was “deeply saddened,” adding, “I will always be grateful for our beautiful relationship and friendship. “
Eckhardt received Juno Awards for Best Country Female Artist in 1973 and 1974 and won several BMI Awards. He was inducted into the Canadian Songwriter’s Hall of Fame in October 2020. His most recent album was 2021’s “On My Way to You.”
During his career, Eckhardt released 18 full-length albums between 1972 and 2021 and taught himself to play guitar, piano, bass, drums, percussion, harmonica, sax, banjo and mandolin.
At age 15, Eikhard’s song “It Takes Time” was recorded by country singer Murray in 1971, and later became popular in his native Canada. Eckhardt released his debut album the following year in 1972. The title track of Atkins’ 41st studio album, “Pickin’ My Way”, was one of Eckhardt’s early hits.
He also produced the frenetic dance track “Lovers Forever” for the 1994 film “Interview with the Vampire” with Cher, but did not make the final soundtrack cut. They collaborated again on “Born With the Hunger” from Cher’s 2000 album “Not.com.mercial”.
Eikhard sang the theme song for Stanley Kramer’s 1976 film “The Domino Principle” starring Gene Hackman and Candice Bergen, as well as the theme song for “The Passion of Ayn Rand” in 2000.