Four decades into one of song writing's most successful and honored careers -- with scores of "first's" and #1's" - Burt Bacharach's music continues to set music industry records and trends. Celebrated with an identity that ranges from one of music's greatest composers to a "cult celebrity" for the Easy Listening set in London, his most recent A&M compilation, "The Look of Love," entered the U.K. compilation charts at #6 in February, 1996. With the special reverence the British hold for this gifted musician, Gabrielle's recent cover of a Burt Bacharach - Hal David hit, "Walk On By," entered the U.K. Top Ten at #9, in February, 1997.

Currently dividing his time between live concerts (many with Dionne Warwick) and writing, Bacharach's songs are included in recent albums by Barbra Streisand, Aretha Franklin, Maureen McGovern, Linda Ronstadt, Neil Diamond, Dionne Warwick and Tevin Campbell. He received the Trustees Award from NARAS with Hal David in February, 1997 and he is also the subject of an upcoming "Great Performances" biography, "Burt Bacharach: This is Now" airing in May.

One of his standards, "Close To You," was recorded by the Cranberries for the "if I Were A Carpenter" tribute album to Karen and Richard Carpenter, Michael Stipe of R.E.M has recently covered a Bacharach sang, as have English notables Massive Attack and Paul Weller. Two more of his songs, "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" and "What the World Needs Now Is Love," are featured in the movie, "Forrest Gump, and on its top-selling soundtrack album. Current collaborators include Elvis Costello and BA Robertson. Burt Bacharach is a legend in the field of popular music. Along with Lennon and McCartney, Bob Dylan and Paul Simon, Bacharach revolutionized the music of the '60's and is one of America's most popular song writers, bracketed with such famous names as Cole Porter and Richard Rodgers. As a record producer, he ranks with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Phil Spector and a handful of tough-minded musical visionaries who pioneered new forms of.rhythm and blues during the early'60's. His music runs the gamut from rock and soul to highly polished Broadway show scores, and in terms of top-10 successes, few writers can match his track record during the last four decades.

His music in the '80's is making as much of an impact as his early songs. Two of the songs Bacharach cc-wrote and co-produced with lyricist, Carole Bayer Sager, captured the #1 positions on three of the most prestigious year-end record charts in 1986. "That's What Friends Are For" (recorded by Dionne Warwick with Stevie Wonder, Elton John and Gladys Knight) was the #1 song on bath the "Hot 1001pop" and "Adult Contemporary"charts for 1986, and it received the Grammy for "Sang of the Year. Also, "On My Own" (recorded by Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald) became the #1 R&B sang for that year, and that Grammy nominee was #4 for 1986.

Other recent hits include "Love Power," one of the Bacharach-Sager songs produced and written for Dionne Warwick's "Reservations For Two" album "Everchanging Times," recorded by Siedah Garrett for the film, "Baby Boom" (and now on Aretha Franklin's new album); "Over You," by Natalie Cole and Ray Parker, Jr.; "Love Always," by Fl DeBarge, and'They Don't Make Them Like They Used To" (recorded by Kenny Rogers for the film, "Tough Guys"), the country hit nominated for a Golden Globe Award. 'That's What Friends Are For," in addition to becoming an instant standard when released by Dionne and Friends, and winning a Grammy award, holds a special place in Bacharach's heart. The song writers and artists donated all the proceeds from the song to the American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFAR), and more than $1,500,000 has thus far been donated. Ironically, the song was one of the first Bacharach-Sager collaborations, originally written to be recorded by Rod Stewart for the film, "Night Shift."

"Heartfight," the Neil Diamond hit, is also a Bacharach-Sager-D Diamond collaboration. "Heartlight," which was inspired by the film, "E.T.," has another meaning to Bacharach. He and Ms.. Sager named one of their horses "Heartlight No. One" in hopes that the filly would do as well as the hit record and album. The horse was a consistent winner - winning the prestigious Eclipse Award -- and part of her inspiration comes from the fact that the Bacharachs and Diamond sang "Heartljght" to her before her races.

Bacharach might have also been expected to be talented in writing, being the only son of the late nationally-syndicated columnist Bert Bacharach. From an early age, though, he demonstrated more ability with musical notes than with words, with the result that most of his songs have been collaborations, including many with lyricist Hal David, which resulted in dozens of top 10 records.

Bacharach started taking piano lessons while in elementary school. By then, although born in Missouri, he was living in New York, where he spent most of his youth. Bacharach became an avid fan of bebop music, influenced by such artists as Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker, two musicians he now credits as having a major impact on his career.

After graduating from high school, Bacharach went on to study at McGill University and the New School for Social Research in New York and Mannes School of Music. His training included music composition from such famous teachers as Darius Milhaud, Boguslav.Martinu and Henry Cowell.

He began his career as a conductor and arranger, and toured widely during a three-year period as accompanist-conductor for Marlene Dietrich's night club act. Song writing was something Bacharach was already doing in his teens. By the late .1950's same of his songs were showing up on the hit charts in performances by artists from different segments of the popular music field. A number of these were country-rock classics written for Gene Pitney and Marty Robbins. Soon afterwards, he established himself as one of the music industry' top producers, working with singers like Chuck Jackson and, of course, Dionne Warwick.

With Dionne Warwick alone, Bacharach and Hal David scored an incredible string of 39 chart records in ten years, including numerous top ten hits.

Bacharach's scores for films include the recent 1997 Grammy nominated, "God Give Me Strength," a collaboration with Elvis Costello for the film, "Grace of My Heart," "What's New Pussycat?" (the title song was a million-seller far Tom Jones), "Casino Royale," ("The Look of Love" turned Sold for Dusty Springfield as well as Sergio Mendes and Bra+il '66, while the title then was a top ten hit for Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass), "After The Fox," "Together?" (which features the vocals of Michael McDonald, Jackie De Shannon and Libby Titus), "Arthur," "Night Shift," "Making Love, "Baby Boom," and, of course, the movie for which he received two more Academy Awards and a Grammy award, "Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid.

He and lyricist David also wrote a smash Broadway musical, "Promises, Promises, where Bacharach continued to break new ground stylistically and win another Grammy Award. And, he also recorded eight albums for A&M Records. Bacharach feels performing is the icing on the cake to his illustrious career, even if his first love is writing. He is one artist who will always remain in the limelight no matter what endeavor he pursues.

Classic Songs
"Walk On By"	"Close To You"
"I Say A Little Prayer"	"Don't Make Me Over"
"I'II Never Fall In Love Again"	"Are You There With Another Girl"
"Message To Michael"	"The April Fools"
"There's Always Something There To Remind Me"	"What The World Needs Now·ls Love"
"Wishin' And Hopin"'	"The Look Of Love"
"I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself'	"The Story Of My Life"
"Magic Moments"	"Baby It's You"
"Make It Easy On Yourself'	"Any Day Now"
"Only Love Can Break A Heart"	"The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance"
"Twenty-Four Hours From Tulsa"	"Blue On Blue"
"Wives and Lovers"	"This Guy's In Love With You"
"Trains And Boats And Planes"	"My Little Red Book"
"Do You Know The Way To San Jose"	"One Less Bell To Answer"
"Anyone Who Had A Heart"	"Finder Of Lost Love"
"Here I Am"	"Tower Of Strength"
"A House Is Not A Home"	"The Windows Of The World"
"Making Love"	"Heartlight"
"On My Own"	"Love Always"
"Everchanging Times"	"Love Power"
"Sunny Weather Lover"	"Don't Say Goodbye Girl"

Film Scores - A sampling:
"What's New Pussycat"	"Casino Royale"
"After The Fox"	"Alfie"
"Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid"	"Arthur"
"Night Shift"	"God Give Me Strength"

Academy Awards:
"Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" - Best.Song	"Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid" - Best Score
"Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" - Best Song

Grammy Awards:
"Alfie" - Best Instrumental Arrangement	"Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid" - Best Original Score For A Motion Picture
"Promises, Promises" - Best Score From An Original Cast Show Album	"That's What Friends Are For" - Song Of The Year

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Contact: Linda Dozoretz/Angee Jenkins Smith
(213)656-4499
3/97

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