Legendary Composer Hal David Gets Walk Of Fame Star At 90
HOLLYWOOD (CBS) — It's unlikely you can go an entire day without hearing a Hal David song. And you have surely sung his songs in the car or in the shower.
David on Friday became the oldest recipient of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, honored for writing the lyrics for such memorable songs as "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on my Head," "What The World Needs Now is Love" and "Do You Know the Way to San Jose."
"From time to time, I found myself stargazing on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame, never dreaming that one day one of the stars would be mine," the 90-year-old David said at the late-morning ceremony in front of The Musicians Institute on Hollywood Boulevard as he accepted the 2,451st star.
"My lovely wife Eunice is excited, my grandchildren Adam and Sara are excited and what do you know, I'm more excited than they are."
Paul Williams, the singer/songwriter said, "This is a star that every time I `Walk On By', I will get `The Look of Love' in my eye that will be deep and from the very bottom of my heart."
Williams called David a warrior for his efforts on behalf of songwriters as the president and a member of the Board of Directors of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, which licenses and collects royalties for musical performances.
"Long after Hal and I are gone, when people are walking by this star, remembering his wonderful songs, which they will still be singing, young songwriters will be making a proper living because of the kind of work that Hal David did on their behalf for the last 40 years," Williams said.
David served as a mentor to the jazz musician and producer Steve Tyrell, who said, "Raindrops have fallen on all our heads, but only one man could turn that into a song that became a national treasure."
David shared a best original song Academy Award with writing partner Burt Bacharach in 1970 for "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on my Head," which appeared in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid."
David also received best original song nominations with Bacharach for "The Book of Love" for the 1967 version of "Casino Royale," and the title songs for "Alfie" and "What's New Pussycat."
David's other memorable songs include "I Say a Little Prayer," "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me," "One Less Bell To Answer" and "To All The Girls I've Loved Before."
David, a New York City native, was also the lyricist for the 1968 Broadway musical "Promises, Promises," receiving a Grammy Award for its cast album.
Today's ceremony comes three days before David is to be honored with a musical tribute entitled "Love Sweet Love" at the Mark Taper Forum, benefiting The Blue Ribbon of the Music Center and The ASCAP Foundation in connection with his 90th birthday.
Scheduled performers include Herb Alpert, Bacharach, Kristin Chenoweth, Jackie DeShannon, Marilyn McCoo, Smokey Robinson, Dionne Warwick and Williams.
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