According to Dr. Jenn Mann, daughter of Cynthia Weil, who wrote songs including “On Broadway,” “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” and others, Weil passed away on June 1st. There was no mention of the reason of death. Weil had her last breath at 82. Her life was full of achievements as an established songwriter.
Cynthia Weil long and renowned career:
Weil was raised in a Jewish home in New York and was born there in 1940. She majored in theatre at Sarah Lawrence College after having learned piano as a young age. Weil first met Barry Mann, her future husband and songwriting collaborator, in 1960. Alongside pop artists, the duo soon integrated themselves into Manhattan’s Brill Building songwriting scene.
The song “Bless You,” sung by Tony Orlando, became Weil and Mann’s debut success and peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961. The following year, Mann-Weil’s popularity increased as the authors of the top 15 singles “Uptown,” “He’s Sure the Boy I Love,” “My Dad,” and “Conscience” by the Crystals, Paul Petersen, and James Darren.
Then, in 1963, Mann-Weil worked with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller on one of their first truly legendary songs, the Drifters’ “On Broadway.” The song, which reached its highest point at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100, perfectly encapsulated Weil’s longtime adoration of Manhattan. George Benson successfully covered the song on his album Weekend in L.A. fifteen years later.
Contribution To Numerous Songs:
Mann-Weil continued to have success after “On Broadway,” and they continued to work with producer Phil Spector, with whom they had previously co-written singles for the Crystals. The Ronettes’ “Walking in the Rain” and “Born to Be Together” as well as the Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” among other songs, were produced and co-written by Spector. Mann-Weil’s first number-one single was “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” and they accomplished the feat again in 1966 with the Righteous Brothers’ “(You’re My) Soul and Inspiration.”
Weil and Mann created songs for a variety of artists over the years, including Dusty Springfield, the Partridge Family, Quincy Jones, Dionne Warwick, Bette Midler, the Pointer Sisters, Ray Charles, Hanson, and more. For the soundtrack of the animated film An American Tail, Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram released the single “Somewhere Out There,” which Mann-Weil co-wrote with James Horner in 1986. It was the couple’s biggest hit since the 1960s, peaking at No. 2 on the singles list. In addition to being nominated for Best Original Song at the 1987 Academy Awards, “Somewhere Out There” went on to win two Grammy Awards: Song of the Year and Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television.
Hall Of Fame
Weil and Mann received the Johnny Mercer Award, the institution’s highest honour, in 2011, after being elected into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987. The Ahmet Ertegun Award winners Mann-Weil were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.
It was King who inducted her into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. After her demise, he took to social media and said, “My favorite Cynthia lyric is, ‘Just a little lovin’ early in the mornin’ beats a cup of coffee for startin’ out the day.’ If we’re lucky, we know this is true, but she wrote it—and then she rhymed ‘mornin’’ with ‘yawnin’’ in the next verse. May the legacy of lyrics by Cynthia Weil continue to speak to and for generations to come. Rest in peace with love and gratitude.”
Of course, her death has left a void in the world of music and the hearts of music lovers. She has lived a glorious life which inspires a million of lives and garners admiration across generations.
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