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Carole Bayer Sager

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Carole Bayer Sager
Bayer Sager in 2013
Born
Carol Bayer

(1944-03-08)March 8, 1944(age 80)[1][2]
New York City, U.S.
EducationNew York University
Occupations
  • Lyricist
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • author
  • painter
Spouses
  • Andrew Sager
    ​
    (m.1970⁠–⁠1978)​
  • ​
    (m.1982⁠–⁠1991)​
  • ​
    (m.1996)​

Carole Bayer Sager(bornCarol Bayeron March 8, 1944) is an American lyricist, singer, songwriter,[3]and painter.

Early life and career

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Carole Bayer was born in New York City, to Anita Nathan Bayer and Eli Bayer.[4]Her family was Jewish.[5]She graduated fromNew York University,where she majored in English, dramatic arts, and speech. She had already written her first pop hit, "A Groovy Kind of Love",withToni Wine,while still a student at New York City'sHigh School of Music and Art.[6]It was recorded by theBritish invasionbandThe Mindbenders,whose version was a worldwide hit, reaching number 2 on theBillboardHot 100.This song was later recorded bySonny & Cher,Petula Clark,andPhil Collins,whose rendition for the filmBusterreached number one on both theUK Singles ChartandBillboardHot 100in 1988.[3]

Solo albums

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Bayer Sager's first recording as a singer was the 1977 albumCarole Bayer Sager,produced by Brooks Arthur. It included the hit single "You're Moving Out Today",a song which she co-wrote withBette MidlerandBruce Roberts.[7]The single became a 1977 Australian number one single and also reached number 6 in theUK Singles Chartin June 1977.Paul Buckmasterprovided horn and string arrangements for the album. The album also included Bayer Sager's versions of two songs previously recorded byMelissa Manchester– "Home to Myself" and the oft-covered "Come in from the Rain". It went platinum in Japan and Australia.

It was followed by...Tooin 1978, also produced by Brooks Arthur, which included all-star cameos by the likes ofMichael McDonald,Alice Cooperand Manchester. It also included the first recording of "It's the Falling in Love"which subsequently would be covered byMichael Jacksonon his 1979 multi-platinum albumOff the Wall.

In 1981, she recordedSometimes Late at Night,which was co-produced by future husbandBurt Bacharachwith Brooks Arthur, and included the single "Stronger Than Before", later recorded byChaka KhanandDionne Warwick.The song became Bayer Sager's only song to hitBillboard'sAmerican Top 40as a performer, peaking at number 30. The track "Just Friends" featured a vocal cameo from Michael Jackson, who also co-produced the track with Bacharach, whileNeil Diamondalso co-produced and played guitar on the track "On The Way To The Sky" which he also recorded as the title track of his concurrent albumOn the Way to the Sky.

Songwriting

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Bayer Sager had many hits during the 1970s. She co-wrote many songs withMelissa Manchesterthat appeared on Manchester's solo albums of the period, including "Come in from the Rain" and "Midnight Blue",which would go on to be covered by many other artists. She also worked with Australian songwriterPeter Allen,crafting hits such as "I'd Rather Leave While I'm in Love""You and Me (We Wanted It All) "and"Don't Cry Out Loud".She also scored major hits collaborating withAlbert Hammond( "When I Need You") andBruce Roberts( "You're the Only One").

WithMarvin HamlischandNeil Simon,she wrote the lyrics for the 1978 stage musicalThey're Playing Our Song,which was loosely based on her relationship with Hamlisch. The musical ran for over three years onBroadway.Many of Bayer Sager's 1980s songs were co-written with her husband at the time, composerBurt Bacharach.[8]She executive-produced the eponymous solo album forJune Pointer,ofThe Pointer Sisters,in 1989.

Bayer Sager withCarole King,Cynthia Weil,andBarry Mannin December 2012

Bayer Sager has won anAcademy Award(out of six nominations), aGrammy Award(out of nine nominations) and twoGolden Globe Awards(out of seven nominations). She was inducted into theSongwriters Hall of Famein 1987. Bayer Sager won theAcademy Award for Best Original Songin 1982 for "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)",theme song to the romantic comedyArthur.[3][9][10]

Bayer Sager received theGrammy Award for Song of the Yearin 1987 for the song "That's What Friends Are For",which she co-wrote with Bacharach.[3]This song was originally written for the 1982 filmNight Shift,for which it was recorded byRod Stewart.The song was popularized in a 1986cover versionbyDionne Warwick,Stevie Wonder,Gladys KnightandElton John.

Her song with David Foster, "The Prayer",originally recorded byCeline DionandAndrea Bocelli,won the Golden Globe, and is often performed at weddings and funerals.

She was awarded a star on theHollywood Walk of Fameand was inducted into theSongwriters Hall of Fame.Bayer Sager received the New York University Steinhardt Distinguished Alumni award in 2006. She received the 2019 "Johnny Mercer Award" from theSongwriters Hall of Fameduring their 50th-anniversary induction ceremony. She was the sixth female songwriter to ever be awarded this honor.[11]

She occasionally collaborated withNeil Sedaka,[12]with 11 songs co-written between the two.

Alongside Bruce Roberts andKenneth "Babyface" Edmonds,Bayer Sager co-wrote "Stronger Together", sung byJessica Sanchez.[13]The song was played afterHillary Clinton's speech at the2016 Democratic National Convention.The song is named after the slogan that theClinton campaignused as a show of uniting behind the Democratic nominee.[14]

In 2018, she co-wrote the song "Living in the Moment" for the filmBook Club,[15]recorded byKatharine McPhee,as well as two songs onBarbra Streisand's albumWalls:"Better Angels" and "What's on My Mind". She contributed lyrics to "GhostTown" onKanye West's albumYe.

In April 2020,Lady Gagaclosed out herOne World: Together at Homeconcert with a new rendition of "The Prayer", co-performed with Dion, Bocelli,John Legendand classical pianistLang Lang.The performance helped raise $127 million for the World Health Organization battlingCOVID-19cases in America.

In May 2022, she was honored with a BMI Icon award at the 70th Annual BMI Pop Awards[16]

Visual art

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Sager is an accomplished visual artist whose work includes large-scale photorealistic paintings.[citation needed]

Personal life

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She married record-producer Andrew Sager in 1970, and they divorced in 1978.[17]Bayer Sager was involved in a romantic relationship with composerMarvin Hamlischin the late 1970s.[17]On April 3, 1982, she married composer and pianistBurt Bacharachafter over a year's co-habitation: in December 1985 the couple adopted an infant son, whom they named Cristopher Elton Bacharach.[18]Bacharach and Sager divorced in 1991.[19]

Since June 1996, Bayer Sager has been married toRobert Daly,[20]former chairman ofWarner Brothersand former chairman / CEO of theLos Angeles Dodgersbaseball team, and currently chairman of theAmerican Film Institute(AFI). They live in Los Angeles.[18]

In October 2016, Bayer Sager published her memoir,They're Playing Our Song: A Memoir(Simon & Schuster).[21]She also narrated theaudiobookversion.

Discography

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Studio albums

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List of albums, with Australian chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart
positions 		Certification
AUS
[22]
Carole Bayer Sager
  • Released: 1977
  • Format:LP
  • Label: Elektra
 4
...Too
  • Released: 1978
  • Format: LP
  • Label: Elektra
 68
Sometimes Late at Night
  • Released: 1981
  • Format: LP
  • Label: Boardwalk
 -

Charting singles

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List of singles, with Australian chart positions
Year Title Peak chart
positions
AUS
[22]
1977 "You're Moving Out Today" 1
"Don't Wish Too Hard" 82
1978 "I'd Rather Leave While I'm in Love" 98

Selected songs, with artists who performed them

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Works for stage

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Television

References

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  1. ^"Carole Bayer Sager Biography".Musicianguide.com.RetrievedAugust 7,2023.
  2. ^"Celebrity birthdays for the week of March 6–12".AP News.February 28, 2022.
  3. ^abcdColin Larkin,ed. (1997).The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music(Concise ed.).Virgin Books.p. 1052.ISBN1-85227-745-9.
  4. ^"Deaths: Bayer, Anita Nathan".The New York Times.March 5, 2008.
  5. ^Sager, Carole Bayer (2016).They're Playing Our Song: A Memoir.New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 2.ISBN9781501153266.
  6. ^Rosenfeld, Megan (October 29, 1985)."Carole Bayer Sager's Novel Technique".Daytona Beach Morning Journal.RetrievedJune 22,2012.
  7. ^"You're Moving Out Today";Musicnotes.com. Retrieved June 22, 2012
  8. ^"Burt Bacharach with Carole Bayer Sager";The Vancouver Sun(Vancouver B.C.), June 7, 1984. Retrieved June 22, 2012
  9. ^"The 54th Academy Awards, 1982".Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. March 2022.
  10. ^"Carole Bayer Sager on creating the hit theme from" Arthur "".CBS News.October 14, 2016.
  11. ^"Carole Bayer Sager to Receive Johnny Mercer Award at Songwriters Hall of Fame".Variety.March 6, 2019.RetrievedMarch 6,2019.
  12. ^Gaydos, Steven (June 14, 2019)."Songwriter Carole Bayer Sager Reflects on Her First Hit, 'A Groovy Kind of Love'".Variety.
  13. ^De Elizabeth (August 1, 2016)."Hillary Clinton taps American Idol's Jessica Sanchez for anthem 'Stronger Together'".Teen Vogue.RetrievedAugust 19,2016.
  14. ^Tina Benitez-Eves (June 16, 2022)."10 Songs You Didn't Know Babyface Wrote for Other Artists".
  15. ^"Carole's song" Living in the Moment "will be featured in" Book Club ".carolebayersager.com.April 11, 2018.RetrievedOctober 17,2020.
  16. ^"Songwriting Legends Carole Bayer Sager and Mike Stoller To Be Honored as BMI Icons at 70th Annual BMI Pop Awards".April 12, 2022.
  17. ^abTerry, Clifford (October 20, 1985)."Singer-songwriter Carole Bayer Sager makes career change".Chicago Tribune.
  18. ^ab"About Carole Bayer Sager".CaroleBayerSager.com. Archived fromthe originalon February 14, 2012.RetrievedMarch 11,2012.
  19. ^Heller Anderson, Susan (July 13, 1991)."Chronicle: Discord in the pop-music world".The New York Times.
  20. ^"Weddings of the Year: Carole Bayer Sager & Robert Daly (June 8, 1996)".People.February 10, 1997.
  21. ^"Carole Bayer Sager on her new memoir: They're Playing Our Song, a New York Times Best Seller".CBS News.RetrievedOctober 17,2016.
  22. ^abKent, David(1993).Australian Chart Book 1970–1992(illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 28.ISBN0-646-11917-6.
  23. ^"Cashbox Magazine"(PDF).Billboard.October 8, 1977. p. 65.RetrievedNovember 12,2021– via World Radio History.
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