The punnet of strawberries that changed pop historypublished at 11:26 BST
11:26 BST
Colin Paterson
Entertainment correspondent
Tyler’s trademark raspy voice was caused by a very un-rock‘n’roll reason – forgotten strawberries.
In the mid-1970s, about the time of her breakthrough hit Lost in France, she developed vocal nodules due to strain.
The medical advice was to have surgery, which she did.
Her recovery involved complete vocal rest. However, one day she was going to visit her brother in hospital and on the way, realised that she had forgotten her gift of some strawberries.
In her autobiography Straight from the Heart, she explained what happened next.
“I was so frustrated that I’d have to drive all the way back home, I let out an ‘Oh no!’ scream.”
Her consultant told her there had been permanent damage. But what could have ended her career, actually turned out to be a blessing.
Tyler was left with a new – more husky – voice, which she came to love. In particular the emotional depth it gave her vocal performances. She even joked that it made her sound like a female Rod Stewart.
Pop history – changed forever by one purchase of a punnet.