Burt Bacharach: Last News

Burt Bacharach, the massively influential composer of dozens of hits like “Walk on By,” “Do You Know the Way to San Jose,” Alfie,” “I Say a Little Prayer” and “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” died of natural causes Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 94.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic What the world needs now, many Burt Bacharach fans can agree, is for that deep catalog of songs to not be consigned to history. Stepping up to present much of that material in a new light is a tour dubbed “What the World Needs Now: The Burt Bacharach Songbook Live,” which kicks off this weekend in southern California with Todd Rundgren in the nine-piece ensemble and handling many of the lead vocals on Bacharach/Hal David classics from the ’60s, ’70s and beyond.

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music Kanye West’s innovative use of samples was one of the hallmarks of his early hits — his slowed-down snippets of songs from Chaka Khan, Ray Charles, Daft Punk and more set a sonic path that countless artists would follow from that point on. But in recent years, as West’s behavior became more unpredictable and often aggressive, so too did his adherence to the legalities of samples, interpolations and straight covers of copyrighted songs and sounds.

he’s a workhorse.Tom Jones — who turns 85 in June — just announced his ‘Defy Expectations Tour’ that will send him to venues all over North America this spring.While the Grammy winner isn’t scheduled to drop into New York on this 17-concert run, he’ll get close when he headlines at Red Bank, NJ’s Count Basie Center on Monday, April 21.“I’m very much looking forward to be performing again for you all, see you along the road soon!” Jones shared on Instagram.Based on our findings at Set List FM, the tireless crooner goes all out at his live shows, too. Just last year, he regularly performed 20+ songs — including a number of exciting covers along with the hits — at every gig on his ‘Ages & Stages Tour.’“Jones’ voice is so strong and robust,” the New England Rock Review wrote in a review of a September 2024 show.

A.D. Amorosi Sergio Mendes, the innovative and influential pianist, composer and arranger who was one of Brazil’s earliest contemporary crossover artists, died Friday in Los Angeles, his family has confirmed.

Sérgio Mendes, the Brazilian composer, arranger and pianist whose melding of his native country’s traditional music with ’60s-vintage American pop, bossa nova, samba, funk and hints of cool jazz became one of the decade’s most beloved and popular sounds, died peacefully Thursday in Los Angeles. He was 83.

Engelbert Humperdinck has shared his hopes to become Glastonbury‘s oldest ever performer, aged 87.The British pop veteran first rose to fame during the mid-’60s, and has now revealed that he has no plans of slowing down, as he hopes to be added to the line-up for Glastonbury.The musician emerged back into the spotlight in 2012, when he famously represented the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest – finishing in 25th place with just 12 points. Now, aged 87, he is planning another comeback for 2024 with hopes to appear at the famous festival.It comes as the singer – whose real name is Arnold Dorsey – has shared a new collaboration with Azerbaijani singer Emin.

Billie Eilish’s ‘What Was I Made For?’ and Ryan Gosling’s ‘I’m Just Ken’ are among the tracks nominated for Best Original Song at this year’s Oscars.The two compositions for the film Barbie are among the five nominees in the category, which were announced earlier today (January 23).The other songs to get a nod were ‘Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People)’ from Killers of the Flower Moon, with music and lyrics by Scott George, ‘It Never Went Away’ by Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson, from American Symphony, and ‘The Fire Inside’ by Diane Warren, from Flamin’ Hot.It is the second Oscar nomination for Eilish, who previously won in this category in 2022 for writing and performing the title track of the James Bond film No Time to Die. She wrote ‘What Was I Made For?’ with her brother Finneas O’Connell, and it has also been nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year at the Grammys.Were she to win, Eilish would join an elite group of composers to have won multiple Academy Awards for Best Original Song, a list that includes Elton John, Randy Newman, Burt Bacharach, Tim Rice and Giorgio Moroder.‘I’m Just Ken’ was written by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, the latter of whom is the frontman of Swedish electro-pop band Miike Snow.

Viewers were left stunned on Saturday evening when one of the masked singers in the UK version of the hit show was revealed as music legend Dionne Warwick – and she was sent home after just one episode.

Paul Harris WASHINGTON — The Kennedy Center Honors was a decidedly tuneful affair, with musical talents representing four of its five recipients – vocalists and/or songwriters Dionne Warwick, Renee Fleming, Queen Latifah and Barry Gibb — along with actor/comedian/filmmaker Billy Crystal. The program, in its 46th year, followed the traditional format that showcases tributes to each honoree by artists and celebs whose identities are undisclosed in advance. It kicked off with a lively parade of dancers down the aisles, led by emcee and former honoree Gloria Estefan and accompanied by Sheila E on drums—a first for the event.

Doja Cat to next-level stardom — earning her a Grammy Album of the Year nomination and a win for the SZA-assisted “Kiss Me More” — it almost set her up for the sophomore slump, even though it was her third LP.But the 27-year-old rapper and singer — born Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini — had already avoided that before her fourth album, “Scarlet,” dropped on Friday. She hit No.

Bill Lee, the accomplished Jazz musician who collaborated with the likes of Cat Stevens, Aretha Franklin and Bob Dylan and also scored many of his son Spike Lee’s films, has died according to multiple reports. He was 94.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic With a new exhibit celebrating the Songwriters Hall of Fame that has opened at the Grammy Museum in downtown Los Angeles, the facility finally has a space in which the pen is definitively mightier than the sword. Although there are some axes on view, too — but this is an exhibit where attendees are at least as likely to ooh and aah over Sammy Cahn’s typewriter or Burt Bacharach’s hand-written scores as they are Tom Petty’s guitar or Jimmy Jam’s keytar. The range of artifacts on display in “The Power of Song: A Songwriters Hall of Fame Exhibit” runs a gamut from from Irving Berlin’s piano and Cole Porter’s walking stick to material contributions from contemporary writers like Benny Blanco and Imagine Dragons’ Dan Reynolds. In-between those poles, you can find handwritten lyrics and sheet music, telegrams, production notes, cassette demo tapes, Oscars, and — lest a writers’ exhibit seem like too much of a paper chase — even some jackets worn by more sartorially flashy writer-performers like John Legend and Annie Lennox.

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor The Songwriters Hall of Fame announced today that Post Malone will be the 2023 recipient of the Hal David Starlight Award, which is intended to honor “gifted young songwriters who are making a significant impact in the music industry with their original songs.” The award was created in 2004 to honor Hal David, Burt Bacharach’s longtime songwriting partner and SHOF chairman emeritus, for his support of young songwriters. Past recipients include Taylor Swift, Drake, Ed Sheeran, Lil Nas X, Sara Bareilles, Nick Jonas, Halsey, Nate Ruess, Imagine Dragons’ Dan Reynolds, John Legend, Alicia Keys, Ne-Yo, Benny Blanco, Jason Mraz, John Mayer, Rob Thomas, and John Rzeznik.

"Police Woman" actress Angie Dickinson helped pave the way for generations of women with her starring role as undercover cop Sgt. Pepper Anderson in the '70s drama. Not only was Dickinson the first female to lead a successful, hour-long television drama, she also helped promote the message that women could have rewarding careers in the law enforcement field.  Dickinson was reportedly responsible for a surge in applications from women across the country wanting to join the force after seeing the actress playing a police officer on the small screen.

John Travolta got emotional as he paid a sweet tribute to the late Olivia Newton-John while introducing the In Memoriam segment at the 2023 Oscars on Sunday.

Lenny Kravitz performed his song ‘Calling All Angels’ on piano for the 2023 Oscars In Memoriam tribute segment last night (March 12).The musician sang and played piano as the slideshow played out honouring those in the film industry who have died in the past year.‘Calling All Angels’ is taken from Kravitz’s 2004 album ‘Baptism’. Watch below.This year’s tribute honoured the late Olivia Newton-John, Vangelis, Jean-Luc Godard, James Caan, Ray Liotta, and Angelo Badalamenti.

John Travolta fought back tears as he paid tribute to stars we've recently lost at the 95th Academy Awards. The actor, 69, was tasked with introducing the In Memoriam section, which paid tribute to stars who have sadly passed away including his Grease co-star and dear friend, Olivia Newton-John.The Australian actress and singer, best known for her role as Sandy in Grease and her hit single Physical, died in August 2022 after a 30 year battle with cancer, at the age of 73. Introducing the late celebrities being celebrated, John said: “Each of them left an indelible mark that shared and informed us." In a sweet nod to Olivia, he said: They’ve touched our hearts, they’ve made us smile, and became dear friends, who we will always remain hopefully devoted to.” Lenny Kravitz then performed a rousing rendition of his 2004 track Calling All Angels as names were shown on a screen.

Pat Saperstein Deputy Editor John Travolta introduced the Oscars In Memoriam segment, tearing up while remembering his “Grease” co-star Olivia Newton-John. “They’ve made us smile, and became dear friends who we will always remain hopelessly devoted to,” a visibly emotional Travolta said before the video montage began. The Oscars recognized the actors and filmmakers we lost over the past year in the annual In Memoriam segment, which this year unfurled to the sound of Lenny Kravitz playing “Calling All Angels.” The emotional segment is a viewer favorite, but omissions of high-profile Hollywood figures spark annual debate.

2023 Oscars took time to share some love and respect for all of the beloved entertainment icons who died over the last year during the show's gala ceremony.John Travolta took to the stage at the iconic Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, to introduce the emotional In Memoriam segment, featuring a performance from Lenny Kravitz.«In this industry, we have the rare luxury of getting to do what we love for a living, and sometimes getting to do it with people that we come to love,» shared Travolta. «And since tonight is a celebration of the work and the accomplishments of our community in this past year, it is only fitting then that we celebrate those we've lost, who dedicated their lives to their craft, both in front of and behind the camera.»«Through their immeasurable contributions, each of them left an individual and indelible mark that shared and informed us. They've touched our hearts, they've made us smile, and became dear friends,» he continued, as his voice cracked and tears welled up in his eyes, «who we will always remain hopelessly devoted to.»Travolta's introduction paid special tribute to Olivia-Newton John, who sang «Hopelessly Devoted to You» in their 1978 musical, Travolta then introduced Lenny Kravitz, who sat at a piano and performed a moving rendition of his song, «Calling All Angels.»This year's In Memoriam honored a multitude of actors, actresses, filmmakers and entertainers who had won Oscars or were nominated during their illustrious careers, including three-time Oscar winning singer-songwriter/composer Burt Bacharach — who died on Feb. 8, 2023, at the age of 94 — as well as Oscar-winning singer Irene Cara, who died on Nov.

The Oscars’ annual In Memoriam segment on Sunday included a live performance of the song “Calling All Angels” by Lenny Kravitz.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic What the world needs now is Burt, sweet Burt, and there’s a bereft feeling to be had in knowing we won’t be getting any more of the haunting, mind-twisting melodies that characterized the composer’s work over a period of more than six decades of sumptuous pop. But Burt Bacharach left a gift behind — something he actually held the finished product of in his hands, before he died Feb. 8 at age 94: “The Songs of Bacharach & Costello,” a deluxe boxed set of the material he worked on with Elvis Costello from the mid-’90s on up till nearly the present day. As anthologized by Costello with Steve Berkowitz (who also helps assemble Bob Dylan’s “Bootleg Series” sets), the new collection is a worthy testament to a true maestro who was doing some of the best work of his life in his final decades.