Inside rollercoaster life of Burt Bacharach as composer dies at age 94

2023-02-09

The debonair composer who wooed the world with love songs… while suffering through bitter heartache: How Burt Bacharach overcame THREE divorces and his autistic 40-year-old daughter’s tragic suicide to become a music legend famed for romantic melodies

Bacharach’s publicist confirmed he died in his sleep at age 94 on Wednesday
He wrote more than 500 songs over his seven-decade-long career
But he struggled to find love, and was married four times over the years

Burt Bacharach once wrote in one of his most famous songs, ‘The blues they send to meet me won’t defeat me’ – and it was a mantra that the famed composer and crooner embodied throughout his life, during which he dazzled the world with his unparalleled musical abilities, even as he faced a barrage of turmoil and tragedy behind closed doors.

The late 94-year-old icon died on Wednesday a legend, having created some of the most recognizable and beloved romantic melodies the music industry has ever seen, from Dusty Springfield’s I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself to Aretha Franklin’s I Say A Little Prayer.

Bacharach made his name by penning famed songs about the ins and outs of love, never revealing in any of his endlessly catchy melodies the many heartbreaks that he faced in his own lengthy quest for romance – which saw him go through three divorces before he finally found ‘the one,’ a woman who remained by his side for three decades until his death.

While the acclaimed singer and songwriter spent years writing love songs that stole the hearts of millions and skyrocketed to the top of the charts, he struggled to find love himself.

His lyrics often depicted picture-perfect romances, but in reality, his love life was much darker – and was rocked by numerous scandals and infidelities, as well as ugly jealously and bitter rivalries between his love interests and the female artists that he would write for.

The music industry has been rocked by the news that acclaimed singer and songwriter Burt Bacharach (seen in 2015) has died at age 94

The legendary composer certainly made his mark on Hollywood – writing more than 500 songs, helping big artists find fame, and creating the soundtracks to many movies

As the world comes to grips with the news of his passing, FEMAIL went ahead and recapped his impressive journey and epic feats. He is seen in the 1970s

Bacharach struggled to balance his work life with his love life for many years – and as his career flourished, his personal life crumbled.

And it was not just in romance where Bacharach faced pain, he also had to endure the devastating death of his autistic daughter, who died by suicide at the age of 40 in 2007.

Yet still, Bacharach continued his career – doing what he had done for so many years, by performing and composing through the pain.

When he welcomed his first child – a little girl in 1966 – he said it ‘changed him in ways he didn’t even understand’ and made his immense success in the music industry seem ‘unimportant.’

But by the time she was three, he ‘definitely felt something about her was off,’ with him recalling in a 2013 interview with DailyMail.com: ‘My daughter was getting weirder and weirder but I didn’t know what to do about it.’

It wasn’t until 30 years later that Bacharach’s daughter would be diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome – six years before she tragically took her own life after she placed a plastic bag with nitrous oxide over her head.

Bacharach certainly had a rollercoaster life filled with numerous ups and downs – once second he was at the bottom, struggling to break into the industry while working in a resort to make ends meet and the next he was skyrocketed into the spotlight.

Then he was Hollywood’s heartthrob – creating some of the biggest hits of all time, and was a beacon of shining success, but was secretly grappling with his immense popularity and desperately searching for a partner.

Now, Bacharach’s death marks the end of his up-and-down journey – but his impact on the music industry will never be forgotten.

On Thursday, the music industry was rocked by the news that the award-winning musician had died at age 94 – after he spent more than seven decades penning some of the most popular songs on the globe.

The legendary composer certainly made his mark on Hollywood – writing more than 500 songs over his vast career, helping enormous, record-breaking artists (like Dionne Warwick) find fame, and creating the soundtracks to some of the most beloved movies.

As the world comes to grips with the news of his passing, FEMAIL went ahead and recapped his impressive story from start to finish – from how he spent years trying to find fame to how he went on to become one of the biggest songwriters in the world, all while yearning to settle down with the woman of his dreams.

Bacharach’s rise to fame: How the Kansas City-native found success after struggling to break into the industry for years – and how he then helped artists like Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin make it big

Bacharach (seen as a teen) was born in Missouri but moved to New York City at an early age. His mother, an aspiring songwriter herself, instilled a love of music in him at a young age

His big break came in 1956, when he scored a job working as Marlene Dietrich’s arranger and conductor. They are seen in 1963

Bacharach was born in Kansas City, Missouri, but moved to New York City at an early age.

His mother, Irma Bacharach, an aspiring songwriter herself, instilled a love of music in him at a young age.

It was during this time that Bacharach (seen in 1964) started penning his own songs, and after working with Dietrich for five years, he left to focus on songwriting full-time

In his teen years, he became passionate about jazz and once recalled using a fake ID to sneak into nightclubs so he could hear live music.

After graduating high school, he studied music at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, before he transferred to the Music Academy of the West in California.

After graduating in 1948, he was drafted into the US Army and served for two years, where he would play piano in clubs for his fellow officers.

During his time in the army, he met popular singer Vic Damone, when the two served together in Germany, and they soon grew to be close friends.

After he was discharged in 1952, he landed a job as Damone’s pianist and conductor, which helped cement his drive to become a musician – but for years he struggled to break into the industry.

He then teamed up with lyricist Hal David, and together, they wrote the song The Story of My Life for singer Marty Robbins – which became Bacharach’s first number one hit

The two went on to create over 100 songs together, including many for acclaimed singer Dionne Warwick

Throughout the ’50s, he worked with other singers like Polly Bergen, Steve Lawrence, the Ames Brothers, and Paula Stewart – while also working at various resorts in the Catskills during his free time to make ends meet.

‘When I started out, I had no idea how hard writing songs was going to be, and the ones I wrote were so bad that I went close to a year-and-a-half without getting one sold,’ he recalled to DailyMail.com in 2013.

His big break came in 1956, when he scored a job working as Marlene Dietrich’s arranger and conductor.

It was during this time that he started penning his own songs, and after working with Dietrich for more than five years, they parted ways so he could focus on songwriting full-time.

During his time with Dietrich, he admitted that she was often stricken with immense jealously over his relationships – and that she became so enraged when he married second wife Angie Dickinson that she once made a voodoo doll that looked like her and put pins in it.

He recalled her saying to him, ‘You married that slut – how could you have done such a thing.’

‘She didn’t want me to marry anybody. Not just Angie. Nobody,’ he added. ‘It was a big threat for Marlene.’

During the ’60s, he had a brief stint of writing with composer Bob Hilliard, and together, they released a slew of big songs for various artists, like The Drifters’ Please Stay and Dick Van Dyke’s Three Wheels on My Wagon.

He then teamed up with lyricist Hal David, and together, they wrote the song The Story of My Life for singer Marty Robbins – which became Bacharach’s first number one hit and was the beginning of an iconic duo.

‘Like me, Hal was a perfectionist, but he didn’t have a lot of personal eccentricities and he didn’t dress like a guy in the music business,’ Bacharach gushed.

‘The best way I can describe Hal is to say that he was a regular guy, but he always had the ability to unleash some extraordinary lyrics.’

The two went on to create over 100 songs together, including many for acclaimed singer Dionne Warwick.

Bacharach discovered Warwick in 1961 while she was performing cover songs. He and David wrote her debut single, Don’t Make Me Over, which launched her into superstardom

For two decades the trio worked on music together, and Warwick’s recordings of Bacharach and David’s songs went on to sell over 12 million copies

Bacharach discovered Warwick in 1961 while she was performing cover songs, and he instantly saw the immense talent in her.

‘Right from the first time I ever saw Dionne, I thought she had a very special kind of grace and elegance,’ he said.

‘She had really high cheekbones and long legs, and she was wearing sneakers and her hair was in pigtails.

‘The more Hal and I worked with her, the more we saw what she could do. Dionne could sing that high and she could sing that low.

All the while, Bacharach was also writing songs for himself – and he released his debut album in 1965, called Hit Maker! Burt Bacharach Plays His Hits. He is seen in 1959

‘She could sing that strong and she could sing that loud, yet she could also be soft and delicate. To me, her voice had all the delicacy and mystery of sailing ships in bottles.’

He and David wrote her debut single, Don’t Make Me Over, which launched her into superstardom.

For two decades the trio worked on music together, and Warwick’s recordings of Bacharach and David’s songs went on to sell over 12 million copies.

Bacharach and David also started penning songs for movies – including What’s New Pussycat? in 1965, Alfie in 1966, and After the Fox in 1966. They also wrote Franklin’s massive hit song I Say A Little Prayer in 1967.

All the while, Bacharach was also writing songs for himself – and he released his debut album in 1965, called Hit Maker! Burt Bacharach Plays His Hits.

While the album didn’t get much recognition in America, it did reach number three in the UK, and landed him a record deal with A&M Records.

His massive stardom: Bacharach penned songs for some of the biggest artists of all time and wrote the soundtracks for numerous movies and shows, all while releasing his own set of successful albums

Bacharach released his second LP, Reach Out, two years later, and it was a major success – ultimately getting certified gold in the US. He is seen in 1966

Bacharach released his second LP, Reach Out, two years later, and it was a major success – ultimately getting certified gold in the US.

Soon, the singer and songwriter’s career took off. In 1967, he also composed and arranged the soundtrack for the movie Casino Royale, and one year later, he helped compose the music for the Broadway musical Promises, Promises. He is seen in 1972

In 1969, he and David reached a big milestone when they won an Oscar for their song Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head, which was featured in the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

His third solo album, Make It Easy on Yourself, also dropped that year, followed by his fourth, Burt Bacharach, in 1971, and both were certified gold.

By the mid-1970s, Bacharach had become one of the most famous songwriters on the globe.

He continued to write immensely popular songs for himself and other artists, he embarked on numerous world tours, he was asked to compose music for multiple movies and shows, and he even landed two televised concerts on NBC – called An Evening with Burt Bacharach and Another Evening with Burt Bacharach.

In 1969, he and David won an Oscar for their song Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head, which was featured in the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Bacharach (seen with Dusty Springfield) soon became one of the most famous songwriters on the globe, and he continued to write immensely popular songs for himself and others

When the ’80s hit, he teamed up with fellow lyricist Carole Bayer Sager (seen in 1982), who later became his wife, to pen a series of successful hits

In 1998, Bacharach teamed up with beloved singer Elvis Costello, and together, they co-wrote and co-performed the Grammy-award winning album Painted From Memory

When the ’80s hit, he teamed up with fellow lyricist Carole Bayer Sager, who later became his wife, to pen a series of successful hits like the theme song in the movie Arthur, which won an Academy Award, Neil Diamond’s Heartlight, Pitt LaBelle and Michael McDonald’s On My Own, and Warwick’s That’s What Friends Are For.

Over the course of his decades-long career, he earned seven Grammys – including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008 – and three Oscars in total. He is seen in 2006

In 1998, Bacharach teamed up with beloved singer Elvis Costello, and together, they co-wrote and co-performed the Grammy-award winning album Painted From Memory.

He also released five more solo albums, and worked on soundtracks for the films Lost Horizon, Night Shift, Isn’t She Great, and most recently, A Boy Called Po.

In recent years, he also helped write songs for acclaimed singer Ronald Isley, Italian soul artist Karima Ammar, and instrumentalist Daniel Tashian.

Over the course of his decades-long career, he earned seven Grammys – including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008 – and three Oscars in total.

He also landed a few acting cameos in movies and TV shows like Austin Powers, Analyze This, and The Nanny, and released a memoir, entitled Anyone Who Had a Heart, in 2013.

Bacharach’s heartache: Despite penning some of the most successful love songs of all time, the superstar struggled to find the one and went through multiple failed marriages during his desperate search

While Bacharach spent decades writing love songs some of the most successful love songs of all time, he struggled to find the one. His first marriage was to actress Paula Stewart (seen)

He split from Stewart in 1958, and he then tied the knot with TV star Angie Dickinson in 1965. They are seen together in 1966

They divorced in 1980 – but during their 15-year marriage, the couple welcomed one child together, a daughter, named Nikki, in 1966. The family is seen in 1974

While Bacharach spent decades writing love songs some of the most successful love songs of all time, he struggled to find the one – and went through multiple failed marriages during his desperate search.

His first marriage was to actress Paula Stewart, whom he wed in 1953. They were together for five years before they split in 1958.

However, the singer faced tragedy in 2007 when Nikki, who suffered from Asperger’s Disorder, a form of autism, tragically took her own life at age 40. Bacharach and his daughter are seen in 1982

He then tied the knot with TV star Dickinson in 1965, but almost immediately, Bacharach said there was problems in their marriage.

He admitted to DailyMail.com that he was more focused on his work than his marriage to Dickinson – and that he even cheated on her multiple times.

‘I had only been married to the Hollywood actress Angie Dickinson for about nine months when I started thinking about getting a divorce,’ he said in the 2013 interview.

‘Our problems had nothing to do with the fact that she was a much bigger star than me.

‘I’d already had a couple of affairs by this time. There was a stunning violinist who was on the road with me, and another woman in New York, too.

Plus, we just weren’t really communicating with one another. I was still pretty immature, and so totally into my music that I couldn’t have kept a real relationship going with anyone for an extended period of time.’

But when Angie became pregnant in 1965, Bacharach said he became ‘overjoyed at the prospect of having a child’ and that he ‘began doing everything he could to keep their marriage going.’

Bacharach wed Sager in 1982, and they were married for three years before divorcing in 1991. While they were together, they adopted a baby boy, named Cristopher (seen in 1986)

After years of heartache, he was ultimately able to find his soulmate. His married his fourth and final wife – Jane Hansen – in 1993, and they were together up until his recent death

The couple welcomed their daughter, named Nikki, in July 1966, which the singer and songwriter said changed everything for him.

‘Having a child changed me in ways I didn’t even understand. Despite all the hits I had already written and all the success I’d had in the music business, none of that seemed all that important to me any more,’ he revealed.

By the time Nikki was four, however, Bacharach said her behavior had become ‘so strange’ that he started to ‘feel something about her was off.’

Dickinson told DailyMail.com: ‘Early on, Nikki started cutting the hair off her dolls and the manes of her toy horses.

‘When she was around four years old, she began saving everything – broken toys, pieces of glass, old batteries, and dog poo – in a mound on top of a dresser in her closet.’

Bacharach added: ‘By the time she was eight years old, Nikki was really out of control.

‘She would take the pet mice Angie would buy her, throw them against the wall and kill them. Then Angie would go out and buy her some more.

‘It’s hard even now for me to explain how stifling it was to live like that, because at this point, Nikki was really quite nuts.’

They went on to have two children together, a son named Oliver, and a daughter named Raleigh. The family is pictured in 2010

Bacharach and Dickinson ended up getting divorced in 1980, after 15 years of marriage, and Nikki’s problems had a lot to do with his marriage to Dickinson dissolving.

‘She was so tied to Nikki, and Nikki was so tied to her, that I wound up leaving,’ the singer explained.

Nikki spent 10 years living in a treatment center from age 16 to 26, but is wasn’t until years later – when she was age 34 – that was diagnosed with Asperger’s Disorder, a form of autism.

‘Her inability to interact with other people, her total lack of empathy and all the compulsive and obsessive behaviors Nikki had demonstrated ever since she was a kid were all symptoms of a form of autism known as Asperger’s syndrome,’ Bacharach said.

‘Back when Nikki was born, no one knew nearly as much about this disease as they do now.

‘Nobody ever said to me that this was an autistic child. You’d think someone would have seen it, but no one ever did. And all the while, Nikki just kept getting worse.’

In 2007, Nikki tragically took her own life. She died of suffocation using a plastic bag and helium, the Ventura County coroner’s office reported.

‘She quietly and peacefully committed suicide to escape the ravages to her brain brought on by Asperger’s,’ the family said in a statement afterwards.

Bacharach went on to wed Sager in 1982, and they were married for three years before divorcing in 1991. While they were together, they adopted a baby boy, named Cristopher.

After years of heartache, Bacharach was ultimately able to find his soulmate. His married his fourth and final wife – Jane Hansen, who served as the Chair of the Melbourne Theatre Company – in 1993, and they were together for nearly 30 years, up until his recent death.

They went on to have two children together, a son named Oliver, and a daughter named Raleigh.

According to reports, Oliver is a graduate from University of Oregon and is the owner of an ice-cream shop in Aspen, Colorado. He also plays piano and went on tour with his dad in 2013.

Bacharach said in 2014 of working with his son: ‘It is hard to even describe, because when you get a connection like that with a child of yours and go out afterward, and you’re making music together, it’s very, very hard to come by and very special.’

As for Raleigh, she earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of South Carolina before pursuing her master’s degree at San Diego State University.

She is a talented equestrian and works as a health promotion program administrator in Pitkin County, Colorado, per her LinkedIn.

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