Burt Bacharach, one of the most influential composers and songwriters of the 20th century, has died of natural causes at the age of 94.
Bacharach won six Grammy awards, including a lifetime achievement award calling him the industry’s “Greatest Living Composer,” and three Academy Awards throughout his long career.
After serving in the U.S. Army, Bacharach studied classical and jazz music, and his output often fused lush orchestral styles with pop sounds. He started out as an arranger for artists like Vic Damone and Marlene Dietrich. His songwriting career took off when he began to write with lyricist Hal David.
Interestingly enough, one of their first major successes was a number-one country hit for Marty Robbins. In all, Bacharach would go on to write six songs that topped the Billboard Hot 100.
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His composing credits include the film Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid, for which he won two Oscars, and the Broadway musical Promises, Promises. But his biggest fame came for his songwriting, and he worked with artists as diverse as the Carpenters, Dionne Warwick, Elvis Costello, Christopher Cross, and Aretha Franklin.
Bacharach is survived by his fourth wife, Jane Hansen, and three children.
