'Like a Virgin' songwriter Billy Steinberg dies at 74

Billy Steinberg, who wrote the lyrics to immoderate of the biggest popular hits of the 1980s — including Madonna’s “Like a Virgin,” Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors” and Heart’s “Alone” — died Monday astatine his location successful Brentwood. He was 74.

His decease was confirmed by his lawyer, Laurie Soriano, who said the origin was cancer.

A Palm Springs autochthonal who grew up moving for his father’s array grape business, Steinberg got into euphony archetypal arsenic a performer with the groups Billy Thermal and i-Ten, the second of which helium formed with a chap songwriter, Tom Kelly. Together the duo wrote “Like a Virgin,” which spent six weeks atop Billboard’s Hot 100 successful precocious 1984 and aboriginal 1985.

With Kelly, Steinberg scored 4 much No. 1s connected the Hot 100: “True Colors,” Whitney Houston’s “So Emotional,” the Bangles’ “Eternal Flame” and “Alone.”

Steinberg’s different hits see the Pretenders’ “I’ll Stand by You,” the Divinyls’ “I Touch Myself” and “I Drove All Night,” which was recorded by some Lauper and Roy Orbison.

Steinberg won a Grammy Award successful 1997 for his enactment connected Celine Dion’s “Falling Into You,” which was named medium of the year. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame successful 2011. His survivors see his wife, Trina, and his sons Ezra and Max.

This obituary volition beryllium updated.