Burt Bacharach Net Worth

What was Burt Bacharach's Net Worth?

Burt Bacharach was a hugely successful composer, songwriter, and record producer, boasting a net worth of $160 million at the time of his passing. He carved a niche for himself in the realm of pop music, writing hundreds of hit songs from the late 1950s through the 1980s, many in collaboration with lyricist Hal David. Their partnership produced numerous #1 hits and memorable tracks, especially those performed by the iconic Dionne Warwick. Some of his most popular co-written songs include "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head," "(They Long to Be) Close to You," "I Say a Little Prayer," "What the World Needs Now," and "That's What Friends Are For." Bacharach's illustrious career earned him three Academy Awards and six Grammy Awards, with his songs recorded by over 1,000 artists. In 2011, he and Hal David were honored with the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song by the Library of Congress.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Burt Bacharach was born in 1928 in Kansas City, Missouri, and grew up in the Kew Gardens neighborhood of Queens, New York City. His mother, Irma, was a painter and songwriter, and his father, Mark, was a newspaper columnist. Bacharach resided in Forest Hills High School during his teenage years and initially took classical piano lessons. However, his true passion laid in jazz and bebop. He pursued further musical studies at Montreal's McGill University, the Mannes School of Music in New York, and the Music Academy of the West in Montecito, California.

Following a stint in the US Army, Bacharach spent three years as pianist and conductor for singer Vic Damone. He later worked with several noted artists, including Polly Bergen, Steve Lawrence, Paula Stewart, and the Ames Brothers. In 1956, he started touring globally with Hollywood actress Marlene Dietrich as her conductor and arranger.

Start of Songwriting Career

In 1957, Bacharach met Hal David, marking the beginning of one of pop music's most fruitful collaborations. Their first major success was "The Story of My Life," which topped the US Country Chart with Marty Robbins' recording. They continued producing hits such as "Magic Moments" by Perry Como and "Make it Easy on Yourself" by Jerry Butler. During the early 1960s, the Bacharach-David duo wrote over 100 songs together, often collaborating with Dionne Warwick on hits like "Don't Make Me Over," "Walk on By," "Alfie," "I Say a Little Prayer," and "I'll Never Fall in Love Again."

Bacharach's solo album "Hit Maker! Burt Bacharach Plays His Hits" released in 1965, becoming a significant hit in the UK. He and David also created the iconic "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" for the film "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," winning an Academy Award for Best Original Song. The 1960s also saw them receiving Oscar nominations for songs like "The Look of Love," "What's New Pussycat?," and "Alfie."

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Further Songwriting Career

Bacharach's prolific career continued into the 1970s and 1980s, with him often appearing in concerts and on television. Despite the commercial failure of the 1973 musical "Lost Horizon," he persisted in creating music. His brief 1975 reunion with Hal David to produce Stephanie Mills' album "For the First Time" marked a temporary truce. By the early 1980s, Bacharach's collaboration with lyricist and wife Carole Bayer Sager led to hits like "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)," "Heartlight," and "On My Own." They also penned "That's What Friends Are For" for Dionne Warwick. Bacharach's performances often saw him sharing the stage with Warwick at sold-out events.

In 1998, Bacharach teamed up with Elvis Costello to co-write and record the album "Painted from Memory," winning a Grammy for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for their song "I Still Have That Other Girl." His work in the 2000s included albums like "Here I Am" with Ronald Isley and "At This Time," featuring guest artists such as Elvis Costello and Rufus Wainwright. In 2016, he composed the score for "A Boy Called Po" alongside Joseph Bauer. His collaboration with Daniel Tashian on the 2020 EP "Blue Umbrella" earned a Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.

Television and Film Appearances

Bacharach's television presence in the 1960s and 1970s included musical specials for NBC, such as "An Evening with Burt Bacharach" and "Another Evening with Burt Bacharach." He also featured in Martini & Rossi commercials with then-wife Angie Dickinson. In film, Bacharach made memorable cameo appearances in all three "Austin Powers" movies, most notably performing "What the World Needs Now is Love" atop a double-decker bus.

Personal Life

In 1953, Bacharach married actress Paula Stewart but divorced in 1958. He later married actress Angie Dickinson, with whom he had a daughter named Nikki. After their divorce in 1980, and Nikki's tragic death in 2007 due to Asperger syndrome, Bacharach married Carole Bayer Sager. Together, they adopted a son named Christopher before divorcing in 1991. In 1993, he married Jane Hansen, with whom he shares two children, Oliver and Raleigh.

Real Estate

In January 1998, Burt acquired a home in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles for $2.5 million. With its prime location, the property is now valued at approximately $12-15 million. Listed for sale in March 2024, his heirs initially priced the home at $17 million. Additionally, in December 2015, Burt purchased a beach home in Del Mar, California, for $5.5 million.