Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth and for LAist. Make your tax-deductible donation now.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Thank You For Being A Friend: Golden Girls Theme Songwriter Andrew Gold Dies At 59
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.