American legendary composer, record producer, songwriter and pianist Mr Burt Freeman Bacharach (1928 – 2023) passed away yesterday, of natural causes, aged 94 years.
One of the most important composers of 20th-century popular music, he composed hundreds of pop songs, often in collaboration with fellow lyricist Hal David, which he met at the Brill Building in New York City, and thus began their writing partnership which included:- ‘The Story of My Life‘; – ‘Make It Easy on Yourself ‘; – ‘This Guy’s in Love with You‘; – ‘Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head‘; – ‘I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself‘; – ‘Wishin’ and Hopin‘; – ‘Walk on By‘; – ‘Always Something There to Remind Me‘; – ‘What the World Needs Now is Love‘; – ‘What’s New Pussycat?‘; – ‘The Look of Love‘; – ‘I Say a Little Prayer‘; – ‘Do You Know the Way to San Jose?‘; – ‘They Long to Be Close to You‘, – ‘Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)‘ and ‘That’s What Friends Are For‘.
Among his lifetime achievements were Six Grammy Awards; Three Academy Awards; The George and Ira Gershwin Award, for Musical Achievement; An Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music; The Thornton Legacy Award USC; National Academy Of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), New York Heroes Award; and The Polar Music Prize, latter presented in Stockholm by His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.
In his private life Mr Bacharach was married four times. His first wife was Paula Stewart for five years (1953–1958). His second marriage, to actress Angie Dickinson, lasted 15 years (1965–1980). The couple had a daughter (Nikki Bacharach), latter who died of suicide in January 2007, at the age of 40.
His third marriage was to lyricist Carole Bayer Sager, which lasted for nine years (1982–1991) during which they adopted a son named Cristopher Elton Bacharach.
His fourth wife, was Jane Hansen, whom he wed in 1993. Together they had two children, a son named Oliver and a daughter named Raleigh.
His autobiography, ‘Anyone Who Had a Heart‘, was published in 2013.
In ár gcroíthe go deo.
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