Net Worth Ranker
What Is Hal David’s Net Worth?
Hal David, the celebrated American lyricist, had a net worth of $20 million at the time of his passing in September 2012. His financial success stemmed primarily from his prolific songwriting career, marked by numerous collaborations and timeless hits.
Early Career and Songwriting Partnerships
Harold Lane David was born on May 25, 1921, in New York City. He began his career writing lyrics in the 1940s, crafting material for bandleaders Sammy Kaye and Guy Lombardo. His early work also included collaborations with Morty Nevins of The Three Suns, contributing to four songs for the 1951 film “Two Gals and a Guy.” During this time, they co-wrote the holiday song “I Believe in Santa Claus”, which The Stargazers recorded in 1950. While working at Famous Music in the Brill Building in New York, Hal David met Burt Bacharach in 1957. One year later, Marty Robbins recorded the song “The Story of My Life” and it reached number one on the Billboard Country Chart. Perry Como recorded “Magic Moments” for RCA Records which reached number four on the Most Played by Disc Jockeys chart.
David’s most fruitful partnership began in 1957 when he met Burt Bacharach. The pair’s initial collaborations quickly led to success, including the hit song “The Story of My Life,” recorded by Marty Robbins. Together, Bacharach and David crafted songs for numerous iconic artists, including Dionne Warwick, The Carpenters, Dusty Springfield, and B.J. Thomas. Dionne Warwick made her solo recording debut in 1962 with “Don’t Make Me Over”, which became her first hit.
Their songwriting partnership extended to film, with title songs for movies such as “What’s New Pussycat?” and “Alfie” receiving Oscar nominations. In 1970, they won an Academy Award for “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” from “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”. In 1968, Bacharach and David wrote music for the Broadway musical, Promises, Promises which earned them a Tony Award nomination and a Grammy Award for the cast album. Burt Bacharach and Hal David ended their partnership after working together on the score for the 1973 film, Lost Horizon.
Beyond Bacharach, David collaborated with other composers, creating hits such as “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before” with Albert Hammond, which was a hit for Willie Nelson and Julio Iglesias. He also co-wrote Sarah Vaughan’s “Broken Hearted Melody” with Sherman Edwards.
Awards, Recognition, and Later Life
Hal David’s contributions to music were recognized with numerous accolades throughout his career. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1972 and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984. In 2011, he received the Visionary Leadership Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Lincoln College bestowed a Doctor of Music degree on Mr. David for his major contribution to American music, and he also received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters Degree from Claremont Graduate University. In October 2007, he received an Honorary Degree from the Five Towns College in Long Island, and they named their new Music Library building “The Hal David Music Library”.
In 2012, David and Bacharach were awarded the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song by the Library of Congress, marking the first time a songwriting team received this honor. Hal David served as the president of ASCAP from 1980 to 1986. He also served as Chairman and CEO of the Songwriters Hall of Fame from 2001 to 2011.
David was a founder of the Los Angeles Music Center and served on the Board of Governors of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. David lived in East Hills, New York, for many years, in the Mackay Estate Dairyman’s Cottage of the Harbor Hill estate. Hal David passed away on September 1, 2012, at the age of 91, due to complications from a stroke.
