Justin Sullivan/Getty ImagesAccording to U.K. newspaper The Sun, Meat Loaf is planning to mount a new trek dubbed the “Back out of Hell” tour that will feature one-time American Idol winner Caleb Johnson stepping in to sing his classic tunes, while Meat Loaf will be on hand to introduce the songs and tell stories about his career.
An unidentified source tells The Sun, “Meat Loaf is concerned he isn’t up to some of the bigger numbers after losing his voice a couple of years ago.”
The source adds, “He’s been relying on pre-recorded vocal tracks for a while but doesn’t want to face accusations of miming on a huge tour, so is passing the baton on to Caleb, who he’s a big fan of.”
The 27-year-old Johnson, who won American Idol in 2014, is known for his powerful voice, and has often been compared to Meat Loaf.
The source further explains that rather than singing, Meat Loaf will share various stories and anecdotes, including how he met longtime collaborator Jim Steinman, who wrote the entire Bat out of Hell album and many other songs for him.
The Sun reports that the “Back out of Hell” tour will be an international trek but only will include a limited number of performances. In addition, the newspaper says Meat Loaf is hoping to eventually bring the show to Las Vegas.
Besides his reported vocal issues, Meat Loaf, who turns 71 in September, has suffered from back problems in recent years. In a video posted on his Facebook page in February, he revealed that he needed multiple surgeries to alleviate his back pain but hoped to be ready to tour again by the summer.
Meat Loaf’s latest album, Braver than We Are, was released in 2016. All the songs on the record were written or co-written by Steinman.
Copyright © 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.