He was a producer, musician and singer-songwriter born in Burbank, California, to a musical family. His father was the Academy Award winning composer Ernest Gold and his mother was Marni Nixon who was the singing voice used for Audrey Hepburn and Natalie Wood among others, in films.
When he was thirteen he began to write songs and co-founded the band Bryndle a few years later with Kenny Edwards, Karla Bonoff and Wendy Waldman . By the time it was the early 1970s he was already acting as a musician, producer and songwriter for Art Garfunkel, Linda Ronstadt and several other artists. His work with Linda Ronstadt is most recognised for his guitar solo and playing the majority of the instruments on her No. 1 hit single “You’re No Good”.
He became a solo artist in 1975 as well as a sought after session musician and he saw hits with songs such as “Lonely Boy” and “Thank You For Being a Friend”. He also released four studio albums, which would much later be followed by a collection of country songs and an album for children.
Recording and writing with the British group 10CC, he was involved in the founding of the group Wax, which was an offshoot of the band.
Other artists he worked with are Steve Ambrose, Stephen Bishop, Sarah Brightman, Eric Carmen, Randy Edelman, The Four Seasons, Vince Gill, Jaki Graham, Don Henley, Hal Ketchum, Nicolette Larson, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Bette Midler, Maria Muldaur, Aaron Neville , Juice Newton, Frankie Valli, Loudon Wainwright III, Jennifer Warnes, Trisha Yearwood and the Japanese artist Eikichi Yazawa.
The countless albums he appeared on include his own All This and Heaven Too, Andrew Gold, Whirlwind, Never Let Her Slip Away, Halloween Howls, Leftovers, Spence Manor Suite, Wax Bikini and What’s Wrong With This Picture and Human Nature by America, Heart of Stone by Cher, Fall Into Spring by Rita Coolidge , Lovescape by Neil Diamond , Breakaway by Art Garfunkel , French Record by Kate & Anna McGarrigle, King of Hearts by Roy Orbison , Heart Like a Wheel by Linda Ronstadt , Force Behind the Power by Diana Ross , Playing Possum by Carly Simon , Time Takes Time by Ringo Starr , Border Town: The Very Best Of by J.D. Souther , Greatest Hits by James Taylor , 10 out of 10 by 10CC, I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times by Brian Wilson , Living With War by Neil Young and the soundtracks of Arachnophobia, Cry-Baby and 8 Seconds.
His writing and composing took him to writing for television and movies and he sang the theme song for the series Mad About You and The Golden Girls.
In Los Angeles, California in June 2011, after having received treatment for renal cancer, he passed away in his sleep at just 59 years old.
Linda Ronstadt recordings
Get Closer (Jonathan Carroll )
Here he is singing his hit “Lonely Boy”…
Sources:
- http://www.andrewgold.com/
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Gold
- http://www.answers.com/topic/andrew-gold?cat=entertainment
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Living_in_the_USA
- http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:d9fwxqy5ldte~T4
- http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:d9fwxqy5ldte~2~T40B
- http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:d9fwxqy5ldte~3~T40B