1. Burt Freeman Bacharach was an American composer, songwriter, record producer, and pianist who is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential figures of 20th-century popular music.
52 Facts About Burt Bacharach
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Burt Bacharach arranged, conducted, and produced much of his recorded output.
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Burt Bacharach's accolades include six Grammy Awards, three Academy Awards, and one Emmy Award.
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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"; in later years, his songs were newly appropriated for the soundtracks of major feature films, by which time "tributes, compilations, and revivals were to be found everywhere".
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Burt Bacharach was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and grew up in Forest Hills, Queens, New York City, graduating from Forest Hills High School in 1946.
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Burt Bacharach was the son of Irma M and Mark Bertram "Bert" Bacharach, a well-known syndicated newspaper columnist.
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Burt Bacharach's mother was an amateur painter and songwriter and encouraged Bacharach to practice piano, drums and cello during his childhood.
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Burt Bacharach's family was Jewish, but he said that they did not practice or give much attention to their religion.
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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.
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Burt Bacharach got to hear bebop musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker, whose style influenced his songwriting.
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Burt Bacharach studied music at McGill University in Montreal, under Helmut Blume, at the Mannes School of Music in New York City, and at the Music Academy of the West in Montecito, California.
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Burt Bacharach cited Milhaud, under whose guidance he wrote a "Sonatina for Violin, Oboe and Piano", as his greatest influence.
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Burt Bacharach was drafted into the US Army in the late 1940s and served for two years.
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Burt Bacharach was stationed in Germany and played piano in officers' clubs there, and at Fort Dix and Governors Island.
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Burt Bacharach met the popular singer Vic Damone while they were both serving in the army in Germany.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Burt Bacharach then became a part-time music director for Dietrich, the actress and singer who had been an international screen star during the golden age of Hollywood.
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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.
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In 1961 Burt Bacharach discovered singer Dionne Warwick, who was working as a session backup singer at the time.
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The lyrics for this Burt Bacharach composition were provided by Hal David's brother Mack David.
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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 several other jazz artists of the time, such as Grant Green, Wes Montgomery, Bill Evans, and Cal Tjader.
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Burt Bacharach continued to get commissions for film scores, including those for the 1966 heist comedy After the Fox and the 1967 James Bond spy parody Casino Royale.
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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.
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Burt Bacharach enjoyed a great deal of visibility in the public spotlight, appearing frequently on TV and performing live in concert.
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Burt Bacharach asked David for a larger share of the profits, and David refused to renegotiate.
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David in turn sued Burt Bacharach for abandoning their legal partnership, and the lawsuits among the three parties took many years to resolve.
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Burt Bacharach eventually expressed regret over his actions during the Lost Horizon production, and wrote in his autobiography:.
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Burt Bacharach suggested in interviews he gave to promote his autobiography that he and David were out of inspiration by the time they stopped working together.
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From 1975 to 1980, Bacharach wrote songs with a number of lyricists including Paul Anka, James J Kavanaugh, Norman Gimbel, Libby Titus, Anthony Newley, and playwright Neil Simon.
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Burt Bacharach knows what I'm going to do before I do it, and the same with me.
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Burt Bacharach continued a concert career, appearing at auditoriums throughout the world, often with large orchestras.
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Burt Bacharach occasionally joined Warwick for sold-out concerts in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and New York City, where they performed at the Rainbow Room in 1996.
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Burt Bacharach's visibility increased in the second half of the 1990s due to his appearances as himself in the Austin Powers films, a US box set release of his music and a new songwriting partnership that produced a Grammy-winning album.
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Burt Bacharach formed his songwriting partnership with Elvis Costello initially to write one song, "God Give Me Strength", for the 1996 film Grace of My Heart.
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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.
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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.
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In early 2009, Burt Bacharach worked with Italian soul singer Karima Ammar and produced her debut single "Come In Ogni Ora".
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In 2018, Burt Bacharach released "Live to See Another Day", co-written with Rudy Perez and featuring the Miami Symphony Orchestra; the song was dedicated to survivors of gun violence in schools, as the proceeds from the release went to the charity Sandy Hook Promise, a non-profit organization founded and led by several family members whose children had been killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.
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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.
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Burt Bacharach appeared as a celebrity performer and guest vocal coach for contestants on the television show American Idol during its 2006 season, during which an entire episode was dedicated to his music.
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In 2008, Burt Bacharach was featured in the BBC Electric Proms at The Roundhouse with the BBC Concert Orchestra.
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Burt Bacharach performed similar shows the same year at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and with the Sydney Symphony.
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Burt Bacharach brings an incredible amount of life to the studio.
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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.
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Burt Bacharach arranged, conducted, and produced much of his recorded output.
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Burt Bacharach was married to his second wife, actress Angie Dickinson, for 16 years, though they were separated the last five.
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Burt Bacharach committed suicide in 2007 after struggling with depression for many years.
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Burt Bacharach once owned the Dover House restaurant, which was located across the street from Roosevelt Raceway in Westbury, New York.
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Burt Bacharach died of natural causes at his home in Los Angeles, California, on February 8,2023, at the age of 94.