BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA: Cynthia Weil, the legend behind the song 'You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling' died at the age of 82 at her home in Beverly Hills on Thursday, June 1. The cause of death has not been revealed. Her daughter Dr Jenn Mann confirmed the songwriter's death in a statement.
"My mother, Cynthia Weil, was the greatest mother, grandmother, and wife our family could ever ask for. She was my best friend, confidant, and my partner in crime and an idol and trailblazer for women in music," Mann wrote in a statement to TMZ.
Who was Cynthia Weil?
Weil who penned legendary tunes with her husband Barry Mann was born in New York City in 1940. The iconic duo composed hit songs between the 1960s and the 1990s. The Righteous Brothers' 1964 song 'You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling' was among her most notable tracks and according to the music rights org BMI, the tune was one of the most played tracks of the 20th century with more than eight million 'airplay'.
With a successful career spanning six decades, Weil and her fellow song scribe who was married for 62 years gained popularity through their iconic hits including 'We Gotta Get Out of this Place' by the Animals, The Drifters' and George Benson’s 'On Broadway,' 'You’re My Soul and Inspiration' by the Righteous Brothers, and 'Uptown' by the Crystals.
Weil and her husband's songwriting dream team
The music icons helped in uplifting the music career of many leading singers. Dolly Parton's success came through 'Here You Come Again' penned by Weil and Mann who also composed tracks including Chaka Khan's 'Through the Fire', 'Kicks' by Paul Revere & the Raiders, and 'Walking in the Rain' by The Ronettes. The Grammy Award winner has sold an estimated 200 million albums.
In 2010, Weil and Mann won the first-ever Ahmet Ertegun Award from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the songstress became the first to receive that honor. They also became the first recipients of the National Academy of Songwriters Life Achievement Award.
"From the bottom of my heart and with the greatest humility, I thought you guys would never ask," she said upon receiving the award. In 2015, Weil also wrote and published a mystery novel 'I'm Glad I Did'.
"Cynthia Weil’s Grammy award-winning lyrics touched the hearts and souls of hundreds of millions of people around the world, making her one of the most iconic songwriters of the 20th Century," the family stated following Weil's death.
"I’m a lucky man. I had two for one, my wife and one of the greatest songwriters in the world, my soul and inspiration," her husband added. Weil is survived by her daughter Dr. Jenn Mann, who is a host of the series 'Couple Therapy' on VH1, an author, and a psychotherapist.
