Legendary Composer Burt Bacharach Dead at 94

Legendary composer Burt Bacharach passed away at the age of 94. The news was reported by The Associated Press. In the music business, the gifted song crafter helped bring hits like “Walk on By” and “Do You Know the Way to San Jose” to the airwaves. Tina Brausam, his publicist, confirmed the news that he died of natural causes in his Los Angeles home. Bacharach’s run consists of 70 years of pop culture prominence. Back in the 1950s, he had a string of Top 10 hits and that proficiency kept on running. It’s hard to imagine piano bars and easy listening sessions without “I Say a Little Prayer” or “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again.” It’s the kind of understated work that forms the backbone of some many FM stations throughout the years. Not that long ago, he crafted a song in memory of the Parkland school shooting survivors and talked to the AP about why he chose to make that record.

“Music softens the heart, makes you feel something if it’s good, brings in emotion that you might not have felt before,” Bacharach explained to The Associated Press in 2018. “It’s a very powerful thing if you’re able to do to it, if you have it in your heart to do something like that.”

“It’s just crazy,” he added when asked about the school shootings. “I think the best you can do (as a songwriter) as far as putting out a message, is … move people… You can throw up your hands and say, ‘I can’t do this anymore,’ but it’s what I do. I’m not just going to stop and retire, that is like dying, you know.”

A Long Run of Excellence

His most prolific work was with Dionne Warwick and Hal David. The latter would handle the lyrics for so many beloved songs, while Warwick’s ultimately soothing voice provided the soundtrack to many people’s memorable moments. But, Bacharach was not limited to just those collaborations. Throughout his career, he worked with high-profile names like Aretha Franklin nd Tom Jones. As the years stretched on, the compaser found his work being covered or interpolated by other artists too. Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra covered some of his work. In the modern era Ashanti and Twista sampled the strings and light piano tones. So, as an innovator in the popular music realm, his catalogue os felt throughout genres and musical histories in the 20th century to now. 

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Bacharach family at this difficult time.