Yahoo Movies Jon Lind, Songwriter for Madonna and Earth, Wind & Fire, Dead at 73
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Legendary songwriter Jon Lind has died after a two-year battle with cancer. He was 73.
Lind, who helped create songs like Earth, Wind & Fire's "Boogie Wonderland," Madonna's "Crazy For You" and Vanessa Williams' "Save the Best for Last," died Saturday, his attorney, Jeremy Rosen, confirmed to Variety.
The accomplished writer also worked with artists like Cher, Deniece Williams, Atlantic Starr, Aaron Neville and the Emotions during his decades-long music career, according to Variety.
Tonya Wise/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
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The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers also confirmed Lind's death in a statement obtained by Billboard.
"The songwriting community lost a great songwriter and a beautiful soul in Jon Lind, who leaves a legacy of iconic songs both as a songwriter and supremely talented A&R man," ASCAP said. "The ASCAP family mourns his loss but his humor, his music and his wonderfully generous spirit live in our hearts."
Lind began his career in folk music in the 1960s, when as a teen, he opened for Judy Collins, Tom Paxton and Harry Chapin, according to Variety. Later, as a student at Mannes College of Music, Lind helped form the Fifth Avenue Band. He went on to create two more music groups: Howdy Moon and White Horse.
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After creating the track "Sun Goddess" for Earth, Wind & Fire, Lind's songwriting career took off, according to Variety, who reports that he was "hitting his stride" in the '80s and '90s while collaborating with Cheap Trick, Mica Paris, Jennifer Holliday, Rick Astley, and more.
Although Lind was a successful songwriter, he also worked as a music executive later in his career, working as head of A&R at Hollywood Records from 1998-2011, according to Billboard.
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While at Hollywood Records, Lind worked with stars like Miley Cyrus, The Jonas Brothers, Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato and Jesse McCartney, per Billboard.
Lind is survived by his wife, Susan Drew; his daughters Jenny and Joanna; his stepchildren Daniel D'Astuges and Catherine Jones; and his three grandchildren, according to Variety.
