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Canadian singer-songwriter Shirley Eikhard, known for Grammy-winning ‘Something to Talk About’, has died aged 67

December 18, 2022

Shirley Eikhard, the singer-songwriter who penned Bonnie Raitt’s 1991 hit “Something to Talk About” has died. She was 67 years old.

Eikhard’s publicist, Eric Alper, confirmed her death to The Associated Press, saying she died Thursday of complications from cancer at Headwaters Health Care Center in Orangeville, Ont.

The Canadian native has written songs for Cher, Anne Murray, Emmylou Harris, Chet Atkins, Ginette Reno, Alannah Myles and Rita Coolidge. However, she was best known for “Something to Talk About”, which won Raitt Best Pop Vocal Performance at the 1992 Grammy Awards and was also nominated in the Record of the Year category.

Shirley Eikhard, the singer-songwriter who penned Bonnie Raitt’s hit “Something to Talk About” in 1991, has died aged 67.
(Courtesy of Eric Alper via AP)

Eikhard wrote the blues-rock hit in 1985 and offered it to Murray, who was interested in recording it but declined after his producers rejected the song. Nevertheless, Murray continued to title his 1985 album “Something to Talk About”, although it did not include Eikhard’s song.

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Eikhard offered the song to other artists, all of whom refused to record it. Years later, Raitt left a voicemail on Eikhard’s phone saying she had just recorded it. The American singer later said she discovered the song on a demo Eikhard sent and admired it.

“I came home and there was this thing on my machine. There was Bonnie…I was numb,” Eikhard recalled in a press release for the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.

The song was the lead single from Raitt’s 1991 album “Luck of the Draw” and spent 20 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 5.

“Something to Talk About” inspired the title of the Warner Bros. from 1995 with Julia Roberts and Dennis Quaid.

During his career, Eikhard released 18 full albums between 1972 and 2021 and learned to play guitar, piano, bass, drums, percussion, chromatic harmonica, sax, banjo and mandolin.

She died Thursday of complications from cancer in Orangeville, Ont.
(Photo by Reg Innell/Toronto Star via Getty Images)

At age 15, Eikhard wrote “It Takes Time”, which was recorded by country singer Murray in 1971, and later became a hit in Canada. In 1972, Eikhard released his self-titled debut album. The title track from Atkins’ 41st studio album, “Pikin’ My Way” was one of Eikhard’s early hits.

Cher and Eikhard co-wrote the frantic dance track “Lovers Forever” for the 1994 film “Interview with the Vampire,” but it didn’t make the soundtrack’s final cut. However, Cher included “Lovers Forever” on her 2013 album “Closer to the Truth.”

Eikhard wrote “Born With the Hunger” for Cher’s 2000 album, “not.com.mercial”. It was one of only two songs on the album that were not written by Cher.

She sang the theme song for Stanley Kramer’s 1976 film “The Domino Principle” with Gene Hackman and Candice Bergen, as well as the theme song for “The Passion of Ayn Rand” in 2000.

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Eikhard was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame for “Something to Talk About” in 2020. Raitt joined Eikhard in a virtual induction ceremony that aired on Canada’s Global News Network.

On Friday, the “I Can’t Make You Love Me” hitmaker paid tribute to Eikhard on Instagram.

“I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of my friend Shirley Eikhard, the wonderful Canadian singer/songwriter who wrote my hit song, ‘Something to Talk About’,” Raitt wrote alongside a black and white photo. Eikhard white.

“My condolences go out to his family and friends. You can read more about his life and music at the link in my bio. Another, gone too soon. I will be forever grateful for our beautiful connection and friendship.”

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ashley Hume is an entertainment writer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to ashley.hume@fox.com and on Twitter: @ashleyhume