Straight from the Heart

by Bonnie Tyler

You know the name and you can't mistake the voice. Now you can read the incredible story of how a shy, music-loving teenager called Gaynor Hopkins morphed into legendary international superstar Bonnie Tyler and carved out an extraordinary career that is still going strong to this day.

After five decades in the business - during which time she has recorded some of the most iconic songs of all time, travelled the world and performed for royalty and the Pope - Bonnie is sharing her fascinating journey for the first time. And she's not holding back.

From her early days growing up in a tiny mining village in South Wales, to her career as a club singer that led to her accidental discovery by a talent scout, the Top of the Pops devotee had no idea she would one day grace the infamous illuminated stage alongside some of her biggest idols. Her rise to fame would sound like a fairy tale if it wasn't all true.

Bonnie has always determinedly followed her own path, even when sceptical music execs told her she would fail. Her bravery led to her working with the legendary producer and songwriter Jim Steinman, going on to record the classic power ballads 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' and 'Holding Out for a Hero', as well as duetting with some of the best-known names in the business.

She is undoubtedly one of the biggest vocal powerhouses of her generation, but her roots remain firmly in her beloved Wales. She is resolutely down to earth, funny and endlessly charming. Whether she's talking about the family she adores or sharing hilarious anecdotes from her many years in the spotlight, Bonnie never fails to entertain.

Finally, we get to hear the amazing tale of a woman who has led the way for so many other female artists - and has had a bloody great time doing it. Bonnie's much-anticipated memoir is inspirational, moving and straight from the heart.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction

240 pages, Hardcover

Published September 28, 2023

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

And it’s a quick 240 Pages, for a fast reader it was like reading an extended magazine article
Fairly interesting and did follow pretty much from birth right through to working on her new album in 2023 and all that was inbetween!
I cant help but wonder about some of the accuracy when it is quoted she met Paul McCartney at a party in 1977 he had thrown to celebrate Mull of Kintyre being number 1 with other chart acts ( including her ) of that year and she saw Frankie Goes To Hollywood there……..
Also she says repeatedly she is not interested in money or parties with the famous and name dropping and then mentions throughout many famous people she met at parties and that she drives a Bentley and a Porsche and has a ‘very big’ house ( all of this is fine of course but not in keeping with what she states )
Eurovision is almost fly swatted away as not her finest hour and she bemoans that when she performed ‘no one liked us’ and thats why she came 19th…missing the points it was a bad perfomance of a terrible song
However saying all that I did come away liking her and her grit determination to do well and succeed cannot be questioned, she came she saw she conquered then she decided she wanted a change went away came back, saw and conquered again and thats the running theme
An enjoyable couple of hours reading and now have ‘turn around’ in my head on repeat 😀

[Polinux · Rating 4 out of 5]

J’ai écouté l’audiobook lu par Bonnie elle-même comme si j’écoutais une tante super attachante me raconter sa fascinante carrière.

Elle sait détacher le show-business et la vie privée, s’épanouissant sous ses deux identités. Sa façon de rester saine vis-à-vis du succès (en dent de scie forcément dans ce genre de carrière) et de garder une humanité centrée sur son couple et sur sa famille qu’elle chérie par dessus tout est un bel exemple de ce que l’on peut souhaiter à ses stars préférées.

À travers son livre, Bonnie raconte des anecdotes sur ses grands moments de vie, sur fond de sa carrière musicale impressionnante. Son regard sur certains aspects de l’industrie musicale est bienveillant, naïf parfois, mais aussi très intéressant sur les rôles, contraintes, pressions qui la jalonnent.

J’ai adoré écouter ce livre, et découvrir qui est Gaynor Hopkins, cette personne derrière la mythique Bonnie Tyler. Je faisais souvent des pauses pour (re)découvrir certains albums en parallèle. Un livre rafraîchissant !

[Louise Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a fascinating story of her musical career and how her fabulous career started and is still going strong to this day.

[annina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read in two days! Loved it!
She's so cool :D
I've been to one of her concerts this summer and when I was reading the book I couldn't believe that she was quite shy at first. Bonnie's so natural on stage!

[truecrimereader · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the past, Bonnie Tyler stated that she would never write an autobiography, so 'Straight from the Heart,' which is also the name of a Bryan Adams song she recorded (and very well I should add), came as a pleasant surprise.

I think the photo on the front cover says a lot: many people still see her as an artist from the 1980s. While it's true that she hasn’t had a major hit single in Britain since 1984, she has enjoyed greater success in other countries. Many will be surprised to learn that between 1991 and 1993, she was extremely popular in Germany, releasing a trio of bestselling albums that were never released in the UK. In 1992, she achieved a number one single in Greece and spent twelve weeks at the top of the French charts in 2004. Her last three albums, released between 2013 and 2021, are all of high quality. Bonnie has never stopped working and is more than just a few, albeit very big, hit wonders. You'll discover in this book that she hasn’t always received the best support from record labels and has missed out on opportunities for more hits.

'Straight from the Heart' is a slim volume, and it shouldn't take long for readers to finish. It’s not a scandalous tell-all; there are no addictions or affairs that would have guaranteed Bonnie headlines. For the most part, it's quite gentle, although she does discuss some difficult times. Three main themes resonate throughout the book:
1. She is a very nice woman.
2. She loves her family.
3. She has a strong work ethic and is determined to achieve her goals.

It was enjoyable to read about her childhood, growing up in a large family in Wales, and her early days as a singer. As a fan, I appreciated how she dives deeply into the albums she has recorded, discussing the songs that made her famous as well as those that didn’t perform as well. It was interesting to learn her true feelings about them. If you pick this book to find out more about her career, you won’t be disappointed. I hope that those who only know her for hits like 'Lost in France,' 'It’s a Heartache,' 'Total Eclipse of the Heart,' and 'Holding Out for a Hero' will be encouraged to explore more of her work - she is definitely worth it. Just listen to her lesser-known albums, 'Hide Your Heart,' 'Free Spirit,' and 'All in One Voice,' which are particularly good.

The book is littered with lots of little stories that I found either heart-warming, inspiring, and amusing. Bonnie has worked with some of the biggest names in the music business, and she shares more than a few anecdotes about the people she's met throughout her long and fruitful journey.

There are a few topics that were omitted from the book that I would have loved to read about. One was the Reading Festival back in 1988, where she bravely stuck it out despite having bottles thrown at her. Another was her issues with the record label EastWest, which allowed 'Free Spirit' and 'All in One Voice' to fizzle out without much promotion. The former could have provided her with a big comeback in the UK back in 1995 if it had been supported properly.

In short, this is a lovely book. It was ghostwritten and reads well, although I noticed a few songs were mistitled and not all of the chart positions were accurate. The book also includes a section of wonderful photographs from her childhood to the present day. If you’re a fan, you’ll love it; if you aren't, I believe this sweet lady will win you over with her kindness.

[Sarah Hopkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sense of Bonnie's vibrancy is gained yet also a glimpse into how she is still quite down-to-earth. She has a humble acceptance of her career journey. There are times when her instincts have been right and she has been able to belt out ballads with gusto "straight from her heart" and there have been times where she has followed advice and been pleasantly surprised or a possibility has evaded her. She reveals these with gracious embracing of the path she has been enabled to take. You still feel she is bursting with enthusiasm for the music she credits others with helping her create and that she thrives on stage.
Yet, you also gain insight into the shyness of her mother and the unprivileged background she has advanced from. The difficulties she had early in her career have been a considerable obstacle which she has also forged forward from and in some ways this has helped shape her distinctive appeal. I found this, amongst other anecdotes, quite inspirational, as Bonnie is philosophical about her life, providing a positive role model for attitude shaping. I am always impressed when someone achieves in a domain despite difficulties. Also there is a generosity in her sharing some missed opportunities, including personal ones. It is admirable for her to be able to show content with her lot, giving gratitude for opportunities offered without resent for those not. She has certainly worked hard with determination and some personal sacrifice.
She shows how grounded she is with her strong roots bedded in her unprivileged base, yet there is still a sense of appreciation for her close-knit family bonds and her fondness for her family members shines through. She also has not lost that down-to-earth at heart self and the reader can well appreciate her genuine awe and amazement at the many famous people she meets and her respect for their work, even when her own has reached a height. You get a real sense of her nerves at times with meeting major stars and this creates a real empathy with an innate timid tendency she has risen above. It also reveals her unassuming nature and her genuine gratitude for compliments she has received. Throughout, she is mindful to give due credit to others and manages to make some redress for some misrepresentations in the media for herself as well as on behalf of others she admires.
In the end I feel that there is much credit we should give to Bonnie for being such a wonderful inspiration and for her continued positivity and sense of hope. This is an uplifting read that will bring to mind some unmistakably distinct tracks of music. It offers insight into the blossoming of a girl from a Welsh village to major musical prowess. However, whilst she has flown high she shows how she still values her roots and has continued love for those dear to her. She is an effusive personality who seems to have done best when she has been able to be more true to herself.

[Anschen Conradie · Rating 4 out of 5]

#StraightFromTheHeart – Bonnie Tyler
#Coronet
#JonathanBall

The 1980’s was big. Big hairstyles. Big shoulder pads. And big music. Some thereof so big that they have become classics, immortalizing artists in the annals of international music. One of the big ones was ‘Total eclipse of the heart’ by Bonnie Tyler. Most people know that well enough to hum the tune to this day. But few know the history of the humble Welsh girl, Gaynor Hopkins.

Gaynor was born on 8 June 1951 in the tiny village of Skewen, near Swansea, in a Welsh mining community. She was part of a large family with eclectic tastes in music and grew up with the sounds of Elvis Presley, Perry Como, Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, Janis Joplin, Nina Simone, Tina Turner, and Otis Redding. The shy young girl who watched ‘Top of the Pops’ in awe and who started her singing career in a local club under the stage name Shereen Davis, would later follow a trail of M&M’s leading to the door of an apartment overlooking Central Park, occupied by the legendary Jim Steinman. She was then known as Bonnie Tyler, the singer of ‘Lost in France’ but that meeting would skyrocket her career.

She was not born under a lucky star, her father suffered from tuberculosis and trauma after seeing his brother killed at Dunkirk, the siblings were clothed in hand-me-downs, and her mother worked tirelessly to make ends meet, but they were a close knit and loving family.

Any vocal artist’s greatest fear is no doubt any risks involving the voice, and she was no exception. In her case it was very real, she had scarring to the vocal cords due to childhood exposure to tuberculosis, had to have nodules removed and lost her voice for a period. Life’s hardships did not pass her by either, she experienced the pain of losing a parent to Alzheimer’s disease, the death of a beloved brother, and the trauma of a miscarriage.

Her autobiography is narrated in simple, down-to-earth, almost naïve language. The childlike wonder is captured using several exclamation marks, and words like ‘lovely’, ‘wonderful’ and ‘amazing’. Despite a successful career spanning half a century and having achieved the status of a legendary international superstar, she is still true to her roots, still married to her first love, and still the eight-year-old girl who fed her Gran’s chickens. This is her story, straight from the heart.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #Uitdieperdsebek

[Adrian]

Having seen La Bonnie this summer, I felt I might as well read this slip of an autobiography. Naturally, it was very chaste. At one point Bonnie talks politics, saying that she believes everyone should get along and that she won't say anything else, as if those comments were somehow incendiary.

Three things for me to remember should I turn around and re-read this review in the future.

Bonnie could have paid for It's All Coming Back to Me but didn't. She says it's not necessarily a regret but such a recording would have been the triple for her Steinman single collaborations.

She accidentally replaced F with B for Buck's Fizz when the single got to number 1. In her voice, it would have sounded very charming.

A barmaid once said to Bonnie after her first single: Here you go, love. You're probably a one-hit wonder, so you'll be needing this.

Now to listen to Power Ballads FM for the rest of the day...

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted to read this as I knew very little about Bonnie (I didn’t even know she was actually Gaynor!)
I selected the audio version and what a treat it’s been
Very interesting to hear where she came from, how she got her break. Some of the song opportunities missed by record companies. One of my favourite anecdotes she tells is about Mariah Carey. I won’t spoilt it here!
But she is funny and lovely, and her openness in this book gave me a lump in my throat at times. Mostly when talking about her parents later years. And her dog 🙈
Wonderful, if you read it you won’t be disappointed

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

From South Wales, like myself, I knew she’d be pretty down to earth and humble. She does talk about famous people she has met and some things fame and wealth has brought her but as it’s a book about her life, why wouldn’t she? it would be a boring and pointless autobiography without any of that. I think her home loving family orientated personality still shines through and she’d probably have a good chat with you if you ever bumped into her. Enjoyed it.

[Goose · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like Bonnie Tyler, you will like this book. Great story of her growing up and singing in clubs before becoming famous. Love her mindset when it comes to being a famous singer. I could hear her voice in my head as I read this memoir. Highly recommended to all her fans and anyone who followed her career.

[Saturday's Child · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read that took me back to the 80's and now has 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' stuck in my head. What I appreciated about this was that Bonnie told her story with no nasty gossip or embellishments.

[Purple Booklover · Rating 5 out of 5]

~☆☆☆☆☆~
5*****/5*****.
•🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇•

[Maggles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seems like such a lovely person.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read, but interesting autobiography which gives a great flavour of someone who comes across as a really down to earth person.

[Aaron Badgley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reads so well. It is as if Bonnie is just talking to you about her life and career. Often funny and very honest.

[Siobhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it

[pac7kaa_11 · Rating 2 out of 5]

idk two events were described identically word by word - i checked it - it was so weird