45 Facts About Burt Bacharach

Burt Freeman Bacharach is an American composer, songwriter, record producer and pianist who composed hundreds of pop songs from the late 1950s through the 1980s, many in collaboration with lyricist Hal David.

Burt Bacharach is considered one of the most important composers of 20th-century popular music.

Burt Bacharach's music is characterized by unusual chord progressions, influenced by his background in jazz harmony and uncommon selections of instruments for small orchestras.

Burt Bacharach arranged, conducted, and produced much of his recorded output.

Significant figure in easy listening, Burt Bacharach is described by writer William Farina as "a composer whose venerable name can be linked with just about every other prominent musical artist of his era".

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Burt Bacharach has been noted for his influence on later musical movements such as chamber pop and Shibuya-kei.

Burt Bacharach was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and grew up in the Kew Gardens section of New York City, graduating from Forest Hills High School in 1946.

Burt Bacharach is the son of Irma M and Mark Bertram "Bert" Bacharach, a well-known syndicated newspaper columnist.

Burt Bacharach's mother was an amateur painter and songwriter who was responsible for making Bacharach learn piano during his childhood.

Burt Bacharach's family was Jewish, but he says that they did not practice or give much attention to their religion.

Burt Bacharach showed a keen interest in jazz as a teenager, disliking his classical piano lessons, and often used a fake ID to gain admission into 52nd Street nightclubs.

Burt Bacharach got to hear bebop musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie and Count Basie, whose style would later influence his songwriting.

Burt Bacharach studied music at Montreal's McGill University, under Helmut Blume, at the Mannes School of Music, and at the Music Academy of the West in Montecito, California.

Burt Bacharach was drafted into the United States Army in 1950 and served for two years.

Burt Bacharach was stationed in Germany and played piano in officers' clubs there, and at Fort Dix and Governors Island.

Burt Bacharach met the popular singer Vic Damone while they were both serving in the army in Germany.

Burt Bacharach was an exceptionally talented, classically trained pianist, with very clear ideas on the musicality of songs, how they should be played, and what they should sound like.

When he was unable to find better jobs, Burt Bacharach worked at resorts in the Catskill Mountains of New York, where he accompanied singers such as Joel Grey.

In 1956, at the age of 28, Burt Bacharach's productivity increased when composer Peter Matz recommended him to Marlene Dietrich, who needed an arranger and conductor for her nightclub shows.

Burt Bacharach then became part-time music director for Dietrich, the actress and singer who had been an international screen star in the 1930s.

Burt Bacharach liked Edinburgh and Paris, along with the Scandinavian countries, and "he felt at home in Israel", she wrote, where music was similarly "much revered".

Burt Bacharach's career received a boost when singer Jerry Butler asked to record "Make it Easy on Yourself", and wanted him to direct the recording sessions.

In 1961 Burt Bacharach discovered singer Dionne Warwick while she was a session accompanist.

The lyrics for this Burt Bacharach composition were provided by Hal David's brother Mack David.

Burt Bacharach released his first solo album in 1965 on the Kapp Records label.

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Burt Bacharach's songs were adapted by a few jazz artists of the time, such as Stan Getz, Cal Tjader, Grant Green, and Wes Montgomery.

Burt Bacharach composed and arranged the soundtrack of the 1967 film Casino Royale, which included "The Look of Love", performed by Dusty Springfield, and the title song, an instrumental Top 40 single for Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass.

Burt Bacharach, who had just been released from the hospital after contracting pneumonia, was still sick, but worked with David's lyrics to write the song which was performed for the show's opening.

Burt Bacharach enjoyed a great deal of visibility in the public spotlight, appearing frequently on TV and performing live in concert.

Burt Bacharach's reportedly felt abandoned when Bacharach and David refused to work together further.

Burt Bacharach tried several solo projects, including the 1977 album Futures, but the projects failed to yield hits.

Burt Bacharach knows what I'm going to do before I do it, and the same with me.

Burt Bacharach continued a concert career, appearing at auditoriums throughout the world, often with large orchestras.

Burt Bacharach occasionally joined Warwick for sold-out concerts in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and New York, where they performed at the Rainbow Room in 1996.

In 1998, Burt Bacharach co-wrote and recorded a Grammy-winning album with Elvis Costello, Painted from Memory, on which the compositions began to take on the sound of his earlier work.

Burt Bacharach's 2005 solo album At This Time was a departure from past works in that Burt Bacharach penned his own lyrics, some of which dealt with political themes.

In 2008, Burt Bacharach opened the BBC Electric Proms at The Roundhouse in London, performing with the BBC Concert Orchestra accompanied by guest vocalists Adele, Beth Rowley and Jamie Cullum.

In early 2009, Burt Bacharach worked with Italian soul singer Karima Ammar and produced her debut single "Come In Ogni Ora".

In July 2020, Burt Bacharach collaborated with songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Daniel Tashian on the EP "Blue Umbrella", Burt Bacharach's first new material in 15 years.

Burt Bacharach appeared as a celebrity performer and guest vocal coach for contestants on the television show, "American Idol" during the 2006 season, during which an entire episode was dedicated to his music.

In 2008, Burt Bacharach featured in the BBC Electric Proms at The Roundhouse with the BBC Concert Orchestra.

Burt Bacharach performed similar shows in the same year at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and with the Sydney Symphony.

Burt Bacharach's music is characterized by unusual chord progressions, influenced by jazz harmony, with striking syncopated rhythmic patterns, irregular phrasing, frequent modulation, and odd, changing meters.

Burt Bacharach arranged, conducted, and produced much of his recorded output.

Burt Bacharach married his fourth wife, Jane Hansen, in 1993: they have two children, a son named Oliver and a daughter named Raleigh.

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