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Burt Bacharach (born May 12, 1928 in Kansas City, Missouri) is a Jewish-American pianist and composer.

Biography

Bacharach studied music at McGill University and Mannes School of Music. In the 1950s and the early 1960s he was the pianist, arranger and bandleader for Marlene Dietrich with whom he toured. He teamed with lyricist Hal David and others to write many popular songs in the 1960s and 1970s.

Bacharach's music has been sung by a number of popular singers including the Carpenters, Aretha Franklin, Jack Jones, Tom Jones, Dusty Springfield, Luther Vandross, and especially Dionne Warwick, who recorded his demos. His music, which is mostly classified as Easy listening has been praised for its distinctive melodies, sophisticated style, and light classical feel. He has a total of 52 Top 40 hits. In addition, many of his songs were adapted by jazz artists of the time, such as Stan Getz and Wes Montgomery. The Bacharach-David composition "My Little Red Book", written for Manfred Mann in 1965, has become a rock standard.

He has been married four times, to Paula Stewart, actress Angie Dickinson, lyricist Carole Bayer Sager (with whom he collaborated on a number of pieces), and currently (as of 1993) Jane Hanson. He has a total of 4 children, 2 girls and 2 boys.

In 1998 he collaborated on an album called Painted From Memory with singer/songwriter Elvis Costello. His 2005 album At This Time features collaborations with Costello, Rufus Wainwright, and Dr. Dre (who provides bass-and-drum loops).

Bacharach has had cameo roles in a number of Hollywood movies including all three Austin Powers movies. His music is also credited as providing inspiration for these movies.

On Status Quo's album "Heavy Traffic", Track number 8 is named "Diggin' Burt Bacharach".

Known albums

• Hitmaker! Burt Bacharach Plays His Hits (1965)
• What's New Pussycat Soundtrack (1965)
• Reach Out (1967)
• Casino Royale Soundtrack (1967)
• Make it Easy on Yourself (1969)
• Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid Soundtrack (1969)
• Promises, Promises Soundtrack (1969)
• Burt Bacharach (1971)
• Living Together (1974)
• Futures (1977)
• Woman (1979)
• One Amazing Night (1998)
• Painted From Memory with Elvis Costello (1998)
• Isley Meets Bacharach: Here I Am with Ronald Isley (2003)*
• At This Time (2005)

Hits

• "The Story of My Life" (Marty Robbins, (US c&w no. 1, pop no. 15, 1957 - his first hit)
• "Magic Moments" (Perry Como, US no. 4 / UK no. 1, 1957/1958 - his first big pop hit)
• "The Blob" (Five Blobs, 1958 with Mack David—brother of Hal David—from the movie of the same name)
• "Baby It's You" (The Shirelles, 1961)
• "(The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance" (Gene Pitney, 1962, from the movie of the same name)
• "Only Love Can Break a Heart" (Gene Pitney, (1962)
• "Don't Make Me Over" (Dionne Warwick, 1962)
• "Make it Easy On Yourself" (Jerry Butler, 1962, then a UK no. 1 for the Walker Brothers, 1965)
• "Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa" (Gene Pitney, 1963)
• "Blue on Blue" (Bobby Vinton, 1963)
• "Anyone Who Had a Heart" (Dionne Warwick, 1963)
• "Wives and Lovers" (Jack Jones, 1963). Grammy nominee Record of the Year and Song of the Year
• "Walk On By" (Dionne Warwick, 1964, then Isaac Hayes,1970 and The Stranglers in 1978)
• "Wishin' and Hopin' " (Dusty Springfield, 1964)
• "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself (Dusty Springfield, (UK no. 3 hit, 1964, then The White Stripes, 2003)
• "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me" (Sandie Shaw, UK no. 1, 1964, then Naked Eyes, 1982)
• "A House is Not a Home" (Brook Benton, 1963, Dionne Warwick, 1964, then Luther Vandross, (1981)
• "What the World Needs Now Is Love" (Jackie DeShannon, 1965)
• "What's New Pussycat?" (Tom Jones, 1965, from the movie of the same name)

This song was nominated for the Academy Award for Original Song in 1965.

• "Alfie" (Cilla Black, 1966, then Dionne Warwick, 1967, originally from the movie of the same name)

This song was nominated for the Academy Award for Original Song in 1966, and won Bacharach a Grammy for instrumental arrangement in 1967.

• "My Little Red Book" (Love, 1966)
• "I Say a Little Prayer For You" (Dionne Warwick, 1967, then Aretha Franklin, 1968)
• "The Look of Love" (Dusty Springfield, 1967, in the movie Casino Royale, then Sergio Mendes & Brazil '66, 1968)

This song was nominated for the Academy Award for Original Song in 1967.

• "This Guy's in Love With You" (Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, US no. 1, 1968)

This song was covered by Oasis' Noel Gallagher in tribute to Bacharach on his 70th Birthday

• "Do You Know the Way to San José" (Dionne Warwick, 1968)
• "Promises, Promises" (Jill O'Hara, 1968, and Dionne Warwick, 1968)

The Broadway soundtrack won Bacharach a Grammy in 1969.

• "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" (B.J. Thomas, US no. 1, 1969, from the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid)

This song won the Academy Award for Original Song in 1969. Bacharach also won the Academy Award and Grammy for Original Score for the movie. Grammy nominee Song of the Year

• "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" ( (UK no. 1,1969), then Dionne Warwick 1969, originally from the musical Promises, Promises). Grammy nominee Song of the Year
• "(They Long to Be) Close to You" (Carpenters (US no. 1, 1970). Grammy nominee Record of the Year
• "One Less Bell to Answer" (the 5th Dimension (US no. 2, 1970)
• "Arthur's Theme (The Best That You Can Do)" (Christopher Cross, 1981, from the movie Arthur)

This song won the Academy Award for Original Song in 1981. Grammy nominee Record of the Year and Song of the Year

• "On My Own" (Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald (1986)
• "That's What Friends Are For" (1982)

This song was originally written for the movie Night Shift and performed on the soundtrack by Rod Stewart. In 1986, a cover version by Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, and Elton John became an enormous hit, raising millions for AIDS charities. The song also won the Grammy for Song of the Year. Grammy nominee Record of the Year

Complete Work for Broadway

• Marlene Dietrich (1968) - concert - music arranger and conductor
• Promises, Promises (1968) - musical - composer - Tony Nomination for Best Musical
• André DeShield's Haarlem Nocturne (1984) - revue - featured songwriter
• The Look of Love (2003) - revue - composer
• The Boy from Oz (2003) - musical - additional composer

External links

• Burt Bacharach--interactive career timeline, concert photos, composer credits

• Biography
• Art of the States: Burt Bacharach
• Burt Bacharach Lyrics
• The Hitmaker Archive--a database of recordings of Burt Bacharach's songs
• The Hitmaker Archive of recordings by Marlene Dietrich associated with Burt Bacharach's musical direction
• Burt Bacharach on Internet Broadway Database
• Burt Bacharach at IMDb

• 1928 births
• Musical theatre composers
• Songwriters
• American songwriters
• Kansas Citians
• Jewish Americans