Billy Steinberg, Hitmaker Behind Madonna’s ‘Like a Virgin’ and Heart’s ‘Alone,’ Dead at 75
The celebrated songwriter, best known for his work with Tom Kelly, helped write five Number Ones during the 1980s
By Jon Blistein
Billy Steinberg, the accomplished singer-songwriter who dominated the Eighties and Nineties with hits for Madonna, Whitney Houston, Cyndi Lauper, and more, has died, the BBC reports. He was 75.
Steinberg died in Los Angeles after a battle with cancer, his lawyer confirmed, though no further details were given. In a statement, Steinberg’s family called him a “visionary lyricist, devoted husband, loving father, and one of the most influential songwriters of his era.”
They continued: “[H]is lyrics often began as deeply personal reflections, transformed into anthems in which millions found themselves. 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.”
Often working alongside Tom Kelly, who handled the music, Steinberg penned the lyrics to an array of Eighties and Nineties classics, five of which went to Number One on the Billboard Hot 100: Madonna’s ‘Like a Virgin,’ Lauper’s ‘True Colours,’ Houston’s ‘So Emotional,’ the Bangles’ ‘Eternal Flame,’ and Heart’s ‘Alone.’