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Burt Bacharach, American composer and three-time Academy Award winner, has died. He was 94.
According to Variety, Bacharach died of natural causes in Los Angeles on Wednesday (Feb. 8). The news was confirmed by his publicist Tina Brausam today.
The composer won six Grammy Awards and three Academy Awards over the course of his career, which began in 1950. Bacharach had his breakthrough in 1957 with the song “The Story of My Life,” written in partnership with lyricist Hal David.
Bacharach continued to collaborate with a variety of different lyricists, creating many popular songs, including “Please Stay” by The Drifters and “Three Wheels on My Wagon” by Dick Van Dyke.
He also had a long-time collaboration with Dionne Warwick, composing the songs “Alfie,”“Don’t Make Me Over” and “Say A Little Prayer,” among others.
Bacharach won two Academy Awards for his work on the 1969 Western movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Best Original Score and Best Original Song for “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head,” and received his third in 1981 for Best Original Song for “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” from the romantic comedy Arthur.
The composer also wrote the music for the Broadway musical Promises, Promises, which featured lyrics by David and a book by Neil Simon. The work went on to win Best Musical at the 1969 Tony Awards.
Some of his more contemporary work includes a collaboration with Elvis Costello for his 1998 album Painted From Memory, the score for the 2016 drama A Boy Called Po, and a collaboration with Daniel Tashian for the EP Blue Umbrella, which earned a Grammy nomination in 2021.
The jazz artist also frequented the screen quite often, appearing on The Merv Griffin Show and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and making cameos in all three Austin Powers movies. Additionally, Bacharach appeared as a mentor on American Idol in 2006.
Bacharach is survived by his wife Jane and three children.
