Burt Bacharach
US composer dies aged 94
Burt Bacharach alongside his fourth wife, Jane Hansen.
© imago/MediaPunch
Burt Bacharach is dead. The composer of world hits like “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” and “I Say a Little Prayer” was 94 years old.
The American composer and pianist Burt Bacharach is dead. The seven-time Grammy and three-time Oscar winner died according to consistent US media reports at his home in Los Angeles last Wednesday (February 8) at the age of 94 from old age.
Countless world hits go to Bacharach’s account, of which well over 100 were also able to place in the US charts. Some of the most famous works include “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” (BJ Thomas), “I Say a Little Prayer” (Aretha Franklin), “Walk On By” (Dionne Warwick), “What’s New Pussycat?” (Tom Jones) and “I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself” and “The Look of Love” (each Dusty Springfield), to name a few. He had composed many of the songs together with his colleague Hal David (1921-2012), who contributed the lyrics.
Orchestra leader by Marlene Dietrich
Bacharach went on tour in the 1950s, among other things, as orchestra conductor for Marlene Dietrich (1901-1992). His successful career as a pop song composer began in the early 1960s, even though critics initially dismissed his arrangements as superficial “easy listening”. In 1970 Bacharach received two Oscars (“Best Song” and “Best Film Score”) for the soundtrack to the film “Two Bandits”, Goldjunge number three followed in 1981 for the song “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)”.
Burt Bacharach also made a name for himself on screen. As a running joke, he appeared in all three “Austin Powers” films with Mike Myers (59), and he also had a small role in “Reinenervesache” with Robert De Niro (79).