Legendary songwriter Burt Bacharach dies at 94
The famous artist wrote several hits over his lifetime, including one that skyrocketed up the charts after it was featured in a famous but unconventional Western film.
FILE - Composer Burt Bacharach performs in Milan, Italy on July 16, 2011. The Grammy, Oscar and Tony-winning Bacharach died of natural causes Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, at home in Los Angeles, publicist Tina Brausam said Thursday. He was 94. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File)
American composer and songwriter Burt Bacharach, who wrote the award-winning song "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head," died on Wednesday, Feb. 8, at the age of 94.
Bacharach died at his home in Los Angeles of natural causes, his publicist Tina Brausam confirmed with The New York Times. His death was also announced on his Instagram.
"It is with saddened hearts that we share the passing of our father, husband and friend," the post reads. "He gave the world so much, and we are eternally grateful. The music is always there, so please keep listening. We send our love from team Bacharach, because that's what friends are for."
The Grammy, Oscar and Tony-winning composer was known for his work alongside lyricist Hal David to create a handful of classics throughout the '60s, including the whimsical song "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head."
Burt Bacharach attends the 2016 Newport Beach Film Festival Honors in Newport Beach, Calif. on April 23, 2016. The Grammy, Oscar and Tony-winning Bacharach died Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, at home in Los Angeles of natural causes, publicist Tina Brausam said Thursday. He was 94. (Photo by John Salangsang/Invision/AP, File)
The hit was sung by B.J. Thomas in George Roy Hill's Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, the 1969 Western starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford. The song was played over a light-hearted scene where the outlaws Butch Cassidy (Newman) and Etta Place (Katharine Ross) rides through a field on a bicycle. Ironically, the sun was shining overhead in the cut, despite the title. The playful scene contrasted the otherwise gritty story of Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, subverting the expectations set by other Western scores, according to Vanity Fair.
But the choice to use a more contemporary song, while controversial, would pay off.
The Butch Cassidy soundtrack became one of A&M Records' best-selling albums in 1969, and when a single version of the song was released that October, it reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and remained there for four weeks. "Raindrops" would win the Academy Award for best original song, and Bacharach would win a second Oscar for the movie's score.
Bacharach collaborated with David and vocalist Dionne Warwick for several hits, including "I Say a Little Prayer," "Walk On By" and "Do You Know the Way to San Jose."
Billboard called Bacharach "one of the most accomplished pop music composers of the 20th century" and said he had an "untouchable run in the 1960s and 1970s." By the end of his career, he had been behind 52 top 40 songs and won 6 Grammys, three Oscars and an Emmy.
Bacharach is survived by his fourth wife, Jane Hansen, and his children Raleigh, Oliver and Cristopher.
Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app.AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.
Report a Typo
