R.I.P. Burt Bacharach, master pop composer

Burt Bacharach, the legendary pop songwriter who charted a whopping 73 Top 40 U.S. hits—and 52 in the U.K.—has died. Bacharach’s publicist Tina Brausam confirms to The Associated Press that he died on Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles of natural causes, at the age of 94.

Known for his masterful ability to capture a buoyant romanticism in his smooth and sophisticated melodies, Bacharach’s sound became integral to the careers of countless seminal artists. An eight-time Grammy winner, Bacharach penned hits for Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, Neil Diamond, Dr. Dre, Sheryl Crow, and many more during his life. Artists like Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Cyndi Lauper, and Frank Sinatra covered his compositions; the White Stripes, Twista and Ashanti all sampled his work in later years. Even early on in his time in music, he served as an arranger and conductor for Marlene Dietrich, traveling with her throughout the ‘50s and ‘60s.

Many of his most enduring compositions he created alongside long-time writing partner, the lyricist Hal David, who he met in 1957. When they connected with then-green New Jersey singer Dionne Warwick, lightning struck and didn’t stop— starting with 1962's “Don’t Make Me Over,” David, Bacharach, and Warwick marched out a steady parade of Top 40 hits, including “Anyone Who Had a Heart,” “Walk On By,” “I Say a Little Prayer” and “Do You Know the Way to San Jose.” The trio pioneered a breezy but refined style that The New York Times’ Stephen Holden describes as an “immediate forerunner” to the Motown sound that defined the middle to late ‘60s. Bacharach credited much of his style to a childhood love for bebop and his classical training.

Bacharach’s mark on the music world extends beyond his Top 40 prowess into the cinematic pantheon. He also won the Academy Award for Best Song twice: in 1970 for “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head,” which he wrote with David, and in 1982 “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do),” which he wrote with Peter Allen, Carole Bayer Sager and frequent collaborator Christopher Cross. His score for 1969's Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid won him another Oscar, for best original score for a nonmusical motion picture. Also the composer behind soundtracks for What’s New, Pussycat?, Alfie and the 1967 James Bond spoof Casino Royale, Bacharach even made some onscreen appearances. He performed his 1965 hit “What The World Need Now Is Love” in 1997's Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery, and also made cameo’s in the films two sequels.

Bacharach is survived by his fourth wife, Jane Hansen, who he married in 1993, as well as his children Oliver, Raleigh and Cristopher, Brausam told AP. Bacharach was predeceased by his daughter, Nikki Bacharach, who died in 2007.