Burt Bacharach songs: was he in Austin Powers, who was his wife Jane Hansen, is his cause of death known?

Award winning composer Burt Bacharach has died at the age of 94, it has been announced.

The song writer passed away at his home in Los Angeles his publicist Tina Brausam said on Thursday (9 February). His death is due to natural causes, she added.

Burt won six Grammy’s and three Oscars during his illustrious career. He is best known for his collaborations with lyricist Hal David.

His music is notable for its use of unsual chord progressions and was influenced by his background in jazz harmony. Among his best known works are the songs Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head, That’s What Friends Are For and I Say A Little Prayer, which he co-wrote.

Here is all you need to know:

How old was Buch Bacharach?

Born in 1928, he was 94 at the time of his death in February 2023.

Is his cause of death known?

Buch Bacharach died from natural causes, his publicist Tina Brausam said.

Did Burt Bacharach appear in the Austin Powers movies?

As well as being an award winning song writer and composer, Burt also turned his hand to acting and made cameos in Hollywood movies during his career. He appeared in all three Austin Powers films, which were released in the 1990s and 2000s.

Burt composed the score for the James Bond parody film Casino Royale in 1967 and the Austin Powers films were inspired by that movie.

What songs is Burt Bacharach best known for?

Over the past 70 years, only Lennon-McCartney, Carole King and a handful of others have rivalled his genius for instantly catchy songs that remained performed, played and hummed long after they were written. He had a run of top 10 hits from the 1950s into the 21st century, and his music was heard everywhere from movie soundtracks and radios to home stereo systems and iPods, whether Alfie and I Say A Little Prayer or I’ll Never Fall In Love Again and This Guy’s In Love With You.

Dionne Warwick was his favourite interpreter, but Bacharach, usually in tandem with lyricist Hal David, also created prime material for Aretha Franklin, Dusty Springfield, Tom Jones and many others. Elvis Presley, the Beatles and Frank Sinatra were among the countless artists who covered his songs, with more recent performers who have sung or sampled him including White Stripes and Ashanti.

He won six Grammy Awards and three Academy Awards (Oscars) during his career. Picking up the trophies for the following:

• 1968, Grammy Award, Instrumental Arrangement, Alfie (1966)
• 1970, Grammy Award, Score Soundtrack, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) and Musical Theater Album Promises, Promise
• 1970, Academy Award, Best Original Song, Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head
• 1970, Academy Award, Best Original Score, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
• 1981, Academy Award and Golden Globe, Best Original Song, "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)"
• 1987, Grammy Award, Song, That's What Friends Are For
• 1999, Grammy Award for the single "I Still Have That Other Girl", in collaboration with Elvis Costello
• 2006, Grammy Award, Contemporary Instrumental Album, At This Time
• 2008, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, when he was proclaimed music's "Greatest Living Composer"

More to follow.