American songwriter Billy Steinberg, one of the most prolific songwriters of the 80s and 90s, known especially for writing Madonna's "Like a Virgin," died Monday in California at the age of 75, according to US media reports. His lawyer, Lori Suriano, told Variety magazine that he died after a long battle with cancer. In addition to Madonna, Steinberg wrote songs for Cyndi Lauper ("True Colors"), Whitney Houston ("So Emotional"), and The Pretenders ("I'll Stand by You") in collaboration with composer Tom Kelly. He also wrote songs for Canadian singer Celine Dion. Steinberg won a Grammy in 1996 for his work on Celine Dion's album "Falling into You," which won Album of the Year. Steinberg was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2011. The organization dedicated to songwriters said upon his induction: "Many of his songs have become timeless classics and continue to inspire many renowned artists."
