From 1961 to 1972, most of Bacharach and David's hits were written specifically for and performed by Dionne Warwick, but earlier associations (from 1957 to 1963) saw the composing duo work with Marty Robbins, Perry Como, Gene McDaniels, and Jerry Butler. Over 1,000 different artists have recorded Bacharach's songs. He arranged, conducted, and produced much of his recorded output. Bacharach's music is characterized by unusual chord progressions and time signature changes, influenced by his background in jazz, and uncommon selections of instruments for small orchestras. Starting in the 1950s, he composed hundreds of pop songs, many in collaboration with lyricist Hal David. Burt Freeman Bacharach ( / ˈ b æ k ər æ k/ BAK-ə-rak May 12, 1928 – February 8, 2023) was an American composer, songwriter, record producer, and pianist who is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential figures of 20th-century popular music.
