Burt Bacharach, who wrote many chart-topping and classic songs for many big artists, died at the age of 94. He was one of the best-known and most-respected pop music composers of the 20th century.
To confirm the news, Tina Brausam, confirmed the news, saying that the composer died of natural causes.
Bacharach is known as one of the most important composers of popular music in the 20th century. Between the 1950s and the 1980s, he composed hundreds of songs, including the signature hits of many big stars and songs from famous movies.
Most of the time, he worked with lyricist Hal David. Many of the songs they wrote together were made famous by Dionne Warwick, for whom they were written. These include classics like “Walk On By,” “Alfie,” “I Say a Little Prayer,” “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again,” and “Do You Know the Way to San Jose?”
But they also wrote songs that were hits for other artists, many of which were at the top of the Billboard 100 chart. These include “This Guy’s in Love with You” by Herb Alpert, “(They Long to Be) Close to You” by the Carpenters, and “That’s What Friends Are For,” an all-star charity single that became a hit and raised money for AIDS research.
Bacharach also made music for the stage and movies that people will remember. He wrote the music for the Broadway musical “Promises, Promises,” and for movies like “Arthur,” and “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.”
Both “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” from Butch Cassidy and “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” from Arthur won Bacharach & David two Academy Awards and were number-one hits on the charts. Bacharach won another Oscar for the music in “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.”
Bacharach was born in Kansas City, Missouri, but he grew up in the New York City neighborhood of Kew Gardens. Even when he was young, he liked music, especially jazz. He spent two years in the US Army.
Bacharach’s music was often called “easy listening,” and its old-fashioned style and influences set it apart from the new rock music of the time. But Bacharach’s music was a big part of what made the 1960s what they were. His upbeat pop songs and smooth jazz instrumentals will always be linked to that time. Both Mad Men and Austin Powers have songs by him.
Bacharach was also admired by musicians for how well he wrote songs, and his songs have been covered by artists in many different styles.
The shorthand version of him is that he’s something to do with easy listening,
Rock musician Elvis Costello said this, mentioning that he had worked with Bacharach.
It may be agreeable to listen to these songs, but there’s nothing easy about them. Try playing them. Try singing them.
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)
"Ladies and Gentlemen… Mr Burt Bacharach" pic.twitter.com/wkVax0qpr9
— The Movie Badger (@TheMovieBadger) February 9, 2023
Bacharach has won three Academy Awards, six Grammy Awards, and the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song from the Library of Congress, which he shared with Hal David. The pair was #32 on Rolling Stone’s list of the best songwriters of all time.
Hal David died in 2012 at the age of 91 from a stroke.
Rest in peace, Burt Bacharach, who was one of the best songwriters of all time. His songs will live on forever.
