# Remembering Billy Steinberg: The Genius Behind "Like a Virgin" and "True Colors" Leaves Us at 75 **Imagine belting out Madonna's "Like a Virgin" or Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors" without the lyrics that made them timeless**—that's the void left by legendary songwriter Billy Steinberg, who passed away on February 16, 2026, after a battle with cancer.[1][4] Steinberg, born William Endfield Steinberg on February 26, 1950, in Palm Springs, California, crafted some of the 1980s' biggest pop anthems alongside his longtime collaborator Tom Kelly.[2][4] Together, they penned five No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits: **"Like a Virgin"** for Madonna (which topped charts for six weeks in 1984-1985), **"True Colors"** for Cyndi Lauper, **"Alone"** for Heart, Whitney Houston's **"So Emotional"**, and The Bangles' **"Eternal Flame"**.[1][3][4] Their partnership extended to other icons like the Pretenders ("I'll Stand by You"), Divinyls ("I Touch Myself"), and Roy Orbison and Lauper's "I Drove All Night."[1][3] A Palm Springs native whose family ran the Coachella Valley's largest grape harvesting business, Steinberg balanced farm life with music, even naming his early band Billy Thermal after a nearby town.[2] After modest starts with groups like i-Ten (which featured an early "Alone"), he and Kelly exploded onto the scene. Post-1980s, Steinberg kept creating, co-writing Celine Dion's Grammy-winning "Falling Into You" (1997 Album of the Year) and Demi Lovato's "Give Your Heart a Break."[1][3][4] Artists from Linda Ronstadt to Tina Turner recorded his work. Honored with a 2008 Palm Springs Walk of Stars plaque and a 2011 Songwriters Hall of Fame induction (with Kelly), he leaves behind wife Trina and sons Ezra and Max.[1][2][4] Tributes poured in: Cyndi Lauper called him a "nice guy and very supportive" on Instagram, while Heart's Nancy Wilson praised his "wonderful spirit."[3] Steinberg's lyrics captured raw emotion—innocence, vulnerability, fire—that defined generations of pop.
Billy Steinberg at his 2011 Songwriters Hall of Fame induction (Public domain image via Wikimedia Commons)
Citations
1.https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2026-02-16/billy-steinberg-songwriter-like-a-virgin-true-colors-dead
2.https://kesq.com/news/2026/02/16/billy-steinberg-legendary-songwriter-and-palm-springs-native-dies-at-75/
3.https://wtmx.com/billy-steinberg-co-writer-of-like-a-virgin-true-colors-eternal-flame-more-dead-at-75/
4.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Steinberg
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