‘Like a Virgin’ and ‘Eternal Flame’ songwriter Billy Steinberg dies at 75

Together with his songwriting partner Tom Kelly, Steinberg wrote some of the biggest hits of the 1980s

Billy Steinberg, who co-wrote some of the biggest hit songs of the 1980s, has died. He was 75.

The Fresno-born songwriter, primarily a lyricist, formed a partnership with musician Tom Kelly. They were behind a string of number one hits including Madonna’s “Like a Virgin”, Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors”, the Bangles’ “Eternal Flame”, Whitney Houston’s “So Emotional” and Heart’s “Alone.”

Steinberg died Monday after a long battle with cancer, his attorney Laurie Soriano told The Independent.

He was born William Steinberg on February 26, 1950, and grew up in Palm Springs, the son of a successful grape farmer. He studied literature at Bard College in upstate New York.

In 1980, when Steinberg was 30, his band Billy Thermal was signed to a record contract by producer Richard Perry. Although the group never released an album, one of Steinberg’s songs “How Do I Make You” was covered by Linda Ronstadt and became a top 10 hit. Two more of his songs were covered by Pat Benatar.

The following summer Steinberg met Kelly, who had also written for Benatar, at a party. They decided to form a songwriting team, with Steinberg focusing on lyrics and Kelly writing the music.

Billy Steinberg, who has died at 75, performing in New York in 2011 (Getty)

Tom Kelly (left) and Billy Steinberg performing together in 2011 (Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Songwriters Hall of Fame)

In 1983, while working at one of his father’s vineyards, Steinberg wrote the lyrics to “Like a Virgin”. Kelly recorded it as a demo which made its way to Madonna, who recorded it as the title track for her second album with producer Nile Rodgers. The single became a huge hit in 1984, spending six weeks at the top of the U.S. charts.

Neither Steinberg or Kelly met Madonna until after the song had become a huge hit. Writing on his personal website, Steinberg recalled that they were eventually introduced to her at a Hollywood party that the pop star was attending with her then-partner Warren Beatty.

“Warren Beatty started to laugh, thinking it was a joke because Madonna would have surely already known the writers of her signature song,” wrote Steinberg. “I gave her my biggest smile and said, ‘Madonna, I’ve wanted to meet you for so long.’ She said, ‘Well, now you did,’ grabbed Warren and walked away. I was devastated. Tom started to laugh... I think it’s funny now. And I’ve never met Madonna since.”

Madonna and Warren Beatty together in 1990 (Brenda Chase/Online USA/Getty)

After the success of that song, Steinberg and Kelly continued to work together productively on a string of hit singles, including Roy Orbison’s “I Drove All Night”, Divinyls’ “I Touch Myself” and The Pretenders’ “I’ll Stand by You.”

ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

After Kelly retired in the 1990s, Steinberg had further success writing or co-writing songs including Celine Dion’s “Falling Into You” and Demi Lovato’s “Give Your Heart a Break.”

Steinberg is survived by his wife, Trina; his sons, Ezra and Max; his sisters, Barbara and Mary; and his stepchildren, Raul and Carolina.

In a statement shared with The Independent, Ezra Steinberg said: “As a father, he passed down not only his love of music, but his discipline, integrity, and reverence for great songwriting. He believed in building things that last — in art, in relationships, and in legacy.”