20th-century pop composer Burt Bacharach, arguably the most accomplished of his time, has died at age 94. Over the course of his life, Bacharach helped create more than 50 songs that would become top 40 hits including “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” “Walk on By,” “Promises, Promises,” “This Guy’s In Love With You,” “I Say a Little Prayer,” “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again,” and more who he shared with artists like Aretha Franklin, Tom Jones and Dusty Springfield, throughout the 1960s, 1970s and beyond. According to the Associated Press, Bacharach died peacefully on Wednesday (Feb. 8, 2023) at his in Los Angeles of natural causes.
Throughout his career, Bacharach worked with lyricist Hal David and the two were swiftly called the Rodgers & Hart of the ’60s. Their mastery of earworms and unique arrangements were unhindered by genre–which they used to their advantage–exploring and creating songs that traversed the worlds of pop, jazz, rock and more.
Their experimentalism was raised to peak popularity with the help of Dionne Warwick, who echoed their compositions “Anyone Who Had a Heart” and “I Say a Little Prayer” to the masses. Countless other artists covered Bacharach’s songs, including some of the best and the most enduring of the past century, including Elvis Presley, The Beatles and Frank Sinatra; even more enduring were the songs themselves, which have been sampled and sung well into the 21st century.
The quality of defying time and generations was a strength Bacharach held from the start of his career. He served as both an innovator and an avenue to connect generations through catchy old-fashion sensibilities mixed with complex arrangements the most revered stars of the 20th century respected outspokenly. Through a fresh style comprised of contrasting bittersweet lyrics and uplifting melodies, regardless of age, Bacharach made ears perk up.
The first time Bacharach hit No. 1 on a Billboard chart came in the form of Bacharach/David’s “The Story of My Life,” recorded by Marty Robbins, which topped the Hot Country Songs chart in 1958. Later that same year, the duo’s “Magic Moments” performed by Perry Como launched to No. 4 on Billboard‘s Most Played by Disk Jockeys chart–a list not unlike the Hot 100.
The hits continued to roll as Bacharach explored the film industry resulting in the sensational song and Hot 100 topping “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head,” The Look of Love,” the theme of The Blob. He would go on to win two Oscars for creating “Raindrops,” the theme song of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid for best score and best theme song. Bacharach also went on to win an Oscar for Carole Bayer Sager, Peter Allen and singer Christopher Cross’s “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” and earned three other nominations for “What’s New Pussycat?” in 1965, “Alfie” in 1966 and “The Look of Love” in 1967.
The Hollywood lifestyle suited Bacharach, who was known for his good looks and hip image, which were bolstered by his marriage to actress Angie Dickinson and his well-known ownership and breeding of thoroughbred racehorses over 30 years. In 1983 his horse Burt’s Heartlight No. One was a champion, and in 1994 and 1995, Soul of the Matter was a starter in the Breeder’s cup. His suave persona earned him the highest form of compliment, imitation, as Mike Myers used Bacharach’s reputation as an inspiration for Austin Powers, in which the composer made a cameo – along with its sequel.
Burt Freeman Bacharach was born on May 12, 1928, in Kansas City, Mo. His father was a columnist for Collier’s magazine, while his mother tended to his growth and encouraged him to play piano. Bacharach took piano lessons at her behest and joined the high school band. He then discovered a passion for bop music and gained admission to Montreal’s McGill University, where he graduated with a B.A. in music in 1948.
Bacharach was then drafted into the Army during the Korean War and was stationed in Germany, where he served as a concert pianist with singer Vic Damone. After completing his service, he moved to New York City, playing in clubs and networking, eventually meeting David while the two were both working in the Brill Building.
Together they stretched and experimented with time signatures of pop compositions opting for 5/4 or 7/8 instead of the usual 4/4. Despite changing the rules, he made sure to keep his melody digestible to the average listener. Though he did keep his listening “easy,” he was often criticized by label representatives for not being danceable enough. He would go on to admit he began to produce and arrange out of self-defense. Paul McCartney would
Other accolades from Bacharach include songs created with his third wife Carole Bayer Sager: “Making Love,” “Romantic Song,” which became a hit for Roberta Flack and Peabo Bryson, and “They Don’t Make Them Like They Used To,” which was recorded by Kenny Rogers. The two would go on to win a Grammy for song of the year for Dionne Warwick and Friends’ 1985 AIDS research charity smash “That’s What Friends Are For.”
Before the turn of the millennium, in 1999, Bacharach collaborated with Elvis Costello for Painted From Memory which would go on to win a Grammy and in 2002, a musical based on Bacharach and David’s story What the World Needs Now debuted in Australia. At that time, he also collaborated with the likes of Ronald Isley and Rufus Wainwright.
Well into the golden days of his life, the eight-time Grammy award-winner was still performing. After publishing his autobiography, Anyone Who Had a Heart, in 2013, he continued to unfold his story with performances at Glastonbury Festival in the U.K. in 2015 and high-profile gigs from Vienna’s Jazz Fest Wien to Curacao North Sea Jazz Festival in the Dutch Antilles, not to mention the Nashville Symphony Orchestra in 2016.
In 2018 he released “Live to See Another Day,” a song dedicated to survivors of gun violence in schools – proceeds went to the Sandy Hook Promise charity. His final composition was Blue Umbrella, a joint EP with Daniel Tashian, which earned the two a Grammy nomination.
Bacharach is survived by his adopted son, Christopher, and two children with his fourth wife, Jane Hansen: son Oliver and daughter Raleigh.