Composer, born in Kansas City, Missouri. He played piano in a high school dance band (in Queens, New York City) and studied piano and composition at Mannes School of Music, Berkshire Music Center, and McGill University (Montreal). Drawn to popular music, he played the piano during his army service (1950--2) and then worked as accompanist for Vic Damone and other singers. In 1957 he met Hal David, already a fairly successful lyricist, and they teamed up to write such hits as "Magic Moments' (1957) and "The Story of My Life' (1957). Between 1958--61, Bacharach was musical director for Marlene Dietrich's shows, but he returned to collaborate with Hal David and during the 1960s and early 1970s their music earned singer Dionne Warwick several Grammy Awards and gold records. "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head' (1969) was another of their superhits, while Promises, Promises (1968) was their most successful musical. In 1975, Bacharach broke with Dionne Warwick (they were reunited in 1984), Hal David, and his then-wife, Angie Dickinson, but he found a new career as performer of his music on tour and television. Starting in the late 1970s he revived his career as a composer with lyricist and wife (from 1982) Carol Bayer Sager.