Shirley Eikhard Cause of Death: Did 'Something to Talk About' Songwriter Die of Health Issue?

Singer-songwriter Shirley Eikhard, who collaborated with Bonnie Raitt on the hit song "Something to Talk About," has died. She was 67.

Eikhard's publicist announced the devastating news on Thursday, confirming the famed songwriter's passing. The statement revealed that the musician passed away at the Orangeville Hospital in Ontario, Canada, with her family surrounding her.

Her longtime friend, Deborah Duggan, also disclosed that Eikhard died on Thursday.

Both announcements did not divulge Shirley Eikhard's cause of death. But CBC News revealed that she died of cancer.

The National Cancer Institute explains that cancer is a dreaded disease that occurs when a person's cells grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body. The most common types of cancer in women include breast, colorectal, endometrial, lung, cervical, skin, and ovarian cancers.

Eikhard's colleagues and fans took to Twitter and paid tribute to the Canadian musician. They shared the memories they had with her as they honored her legacy following her death.

Shirley Eikhard's Life and Career

The New Brunswick native was the daughter of musically inclined parents, June and Cecil Eikhard. The family relocated to Oshawa, Ontario, where the singer-songwriter performed on stage for the first time at a fiddling festival.

She marked her debut performance in Cobourg when she was 13. After that milestone, she made it to the Songwriter's Workshop at the 1969 Mariposa Folk Festival in Toronto. She met Joni Mitchell, Bruce Cockburn, and Ian & Sylvia at the event.

Eikhard reached a new milestone when her song "It Takes Time" dominated Canada after Anne Murray recorded it. Due to her continuous success, Earl Ball of Capitol Records cast her and signed her to the company.

Through the agency, Eikhard released her first self-titled album. Although it did not perform that well, she got back on track when she released three albums under Attic Records after three years of break.

Throughout her career, she released several albums and hit singles. Among the albums she made include, "Child of the Present," "Let Me Down Easy," "Horizons," "If I Had My Way," "The Jazz Sessions," "The Last Hurrah," "Stay Open," "The Holidays are Here," "Riding on the 65," "Dream of a Perfect Day," and "On My Way to You."

Meanwhile, her singles that dominated the charts were "It Takes Time," "Smiling Wine," "Rescue Me," "Play a Little Bit Longer," "Say You Love Me," "Let Me Down Easy," "Something That Lasts," and "Take the Fall," among others.