He might’ve been the greatest contemporary Jewish songwriter you’ve never heard of.
Billy Steinberg, who wrote or co-authored such pop classics as Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” and “Eternal Flame” by The Bangles, died on Monday Feb. 16, after a battle with cancer.
The California native was 75.
“Peace and Love Dear Billy,” posted Susanna Hoffs, the Jewish lead singer of The Bangles. “I’ll miss you forever.”
In a statement to media outlets, his family wrote, “Billy Steinberg’s life was a testament to the enduring power of a well-written song — and to the idea that honesty, when set to music, can outlive us all.”
Among the smash hits from the 1980s and ‘90s penned or co-written by Steinberg were “True Colors” by Cyndi Lauper, Whitney Houston’s “So Emotional,” “I’ll Stand by You” by The Pretenders, The Divinyls’ “I Touch Myself,” “Alone” by Heart, and Celine Dion’s “Falling into You.”
In addition, he co-wrote “I Drove All Night,” recorded by Roy Orbison and later Cyndi Lauper, “Sex as a Weapon” by Pat Benatar, “How Do I Make You” by Linda Ronstadt, and Demi Lovato’s “Give Your Heart a Break.”
“I’m so sorry to hear that my friend Billy Steinberg has passed away. He was such a nice guy and very supportive,” wrote Lauper. “My thoughts are with his family, loved ones during this sad time.”
Steinberg grew up in Fresno and Palm Springs, California. His father, Lionel, was the longtime president of David Freedman & Co., the largest table grape grower in southern California’s Coachella Valley.
Billy Steinberg grew up listening to Ricky Nelson and Everly Brothers records. He attended Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, and began his career as a musician and songwriter after graduating.
In a Q&A posted on his website, Steinberg explained how he and his primary songwriting partner, Tom Kelly, merged their talents and backgrounds.
“Tom comes from Indiana,” Steinberg said. “He plays golf, I play tennis, I’m sort of very driven and a neurotic Jew in a very stereotypical sort of way and Tom would be a little more relaxed. We sort of complemented each other, but at the same time, we’re so opposite.”
Steinberg and Kelly were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2011.
“it was Billy and Tom that I learned to collaborate with other songwriters,” posted Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders. “Billy, a gentle soul and great talent, will be greatly missed.”
Wrote Nancy Wilson of Heart: “Billy Steinberg was a true artist and such a great collaborator with his writing partner Tom Kelly. There was a classic Brill Building vibe always around those guys and they delivered one of Heart’s most romantic songs of all time. Alone. Rest in music sweet Billy.”
When asked about his legacy during a 2017 interview with Palm Springs Life magazine, Steinberg said, “I’d like for people to say, ‘There’s a significant body of work there. They weren’t just songs that came and went. They wrote great pop songs that endure.’ That’s what means something to me.”
Steinberg is survived by his wife, Trina; his sons, Ezra and Max; his sisters, Barbara and Mary; and his stepchildren, Raul and Carolina.
“As a father, he passed down not only his love of music, but his discipline, integrity, and reverence for great songwriting,” Ezra Steinberg, a songwriter, said in a statement. “He believed in building things that last — in art, in relationships, and in legacy.”
This report was culled from various media sources.
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