He Wrote Hits for Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Whitney Houston

Billy Steinberg, the lyricist behind some of the most recognizable pop hits of the 1980s and '90s, has died in California after a long battle with cancer, his attorney confirmed to Variety. He was 75. Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2011, Steinberg was best known for his partnership with composer Tom Kelly. Together, they turned out a run of era-defining singles, including Madonna's "Like a Virgin," Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors," the Bangles' "Eternal Flame," Heart's "Alone," Whitney Houston's "So Emotional," the Divinyls' "I Touch Myself," the Pretenders' "I'll Stand by You," Linda Ronstadt's "How Do I Make You," and "I Drove All Night," recorded by both Lauper and Roy Orbison.

The duo's collaboration followed a clear division of labor—Steinberg wrote the lyrics, Kelly the music—though Steinberg often sat in on melody and chord work. He liked to start with striking titles, from "Like a Virgin" to "I Touch Myself," and build songs around them. Steinberg's career began as frontman of Los Angeles band Billy Thermal, whose material attracted covers from Ronstadt and Pat Benatar and ultimately led to his meeting Kelly in 1981. After Kelly retired in the mid-1990s, Steinberg continued to score hits with other partners, co-writing Celine Dion's "Falling Into You," JoJo's "Too Little Too Late," Demi Lovato's "Give Your Heart a Break," and Nicole Scherzinger's UK chart-topper "Don't Hold Your Breath."

Steinberg's songs were also recorded by Tina Turner, Bette Midler, Belinda Carlisle, Cheap Trick, REO Speedwagon, Taylor Dayne, and many others. Skeptical of committee-style songwriting, Steinberg preferred small teams and emphasized crafting songs, not just "tracks." Last year, he extended a long-running relationship with Sony Music Publishing in a joint deal that also covered his songwriter son, Ezra, under the "Steinberg Music" banner. "Billy was an American treasure, such a lovely pure soul who was able to give us the most poetic lyrics that moved millions of people all over the world," his attorney said in a statement, per People. Steinberg is survived by his wife, Trina; sons Ezra and Max; sisters Barbara and Mary; and stepchildren Raul and Carolina, per Variety.