Burt Bacharach
The master of orchestral pop who wrote timeless hits and changed popular music.
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Raph_PH · CC BY 2.0
Burt Freeman Bacharach (May 12, 1928 – February 8, 2023) was an American composer, songwriter, record producer, and pianist, widely regarded as one of the most important and influential figures of 20th-century popular music.
Background
Bacharach was drafted into the U.S. Army in the late 1940s and served for two years. He was stationed in Germany and played piano in officers' clubs there, and at Fort Dix and Governors Island.
Did You Know?
- Bacharach composed 52 U.S. Top 40 hits between 1957 and 1987, including six chart-toppers.
- He received six Grammy Awards, three Academy Awards, and one Emmy Award.
- In 2012, Bacharach and Hal David were the first songwriting team to receive the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.
- Over a thousand musicians have recorded Bacharach's songs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Burt Bacharach?
Burt Bacharach (1928–2023) was an American composer, pianist, and record producer best known for shaping the sound of mid-century orchestral pop and easy listening. He wrote, arranged, and produced hundreds of songs, many of which became defining tracks of the 1960s.
Who was Burt Bacharach's main songwriting partner?
He teamed up with lyricist Hal David in a partnership that yielded fifty-two U.S. Top 40 hits, including nine number-one singles. Together they wrote enduring standards such as "Walk on By" and "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head."
Did Burt Bacharach compose for film and Broadway?
Yes, beyond the recording studio he wrote scores for several Hollywood films and contributed music to Broadway productions. That cross-medium work reinforced his reputation as a versatile composer whose talent extended well beyond the pop singles chart.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Burt Bacharach (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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