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Andrew Gold, the SoCal-based singer-songwriter who penned the iconic Golden Girls theme, "Thank You For Being A Friend," as well as the 1977 hit "Lonely Boy," passed away at his Encino home on June 3 after suffering a heart attack in his sleep, according to the LA Times. He was 59.
Burbank-born Gold, the child of Academy Award-winning composer Ernest Gold and singer Marni Nixon, was an influential collaborator with Linda Ronstadt considered "a vital component" to the star's pop success. Versatile, he was a highly regarded session player for folk-rocker "James Taylor, Carly Simon, Loudon Wainwright III and J.D. Souther as well as the producer of recordings by Stephen Bishop, Nicolette Larson and others."
He is survived by his wife and three children.
