Jon Lind, Writer of Hits for Earth, Wind & Fire, Madonna, Dies at 73
There are songwriters, and then there are songwriters whose work has soundtracked your entire life without you even knowing their name. Jon Lind was the latter, and the music world lost him on Saturday after a two-year battle with cancer. He was 73.
If you’ve ever danced to “Boogie Wonderland.” If “Crazy for You” ever made you feel some type of way. If “Save the Best for Last” played at your prom or your wedding or just on the radio while you were driving somewhere that mattered – that was Jon Lind.
His attorney Jeremy Rosen confirmed the news to Variety.
The Brooklyn native started as a folk singer in his teenage years, opening for legends like Judy Collins, Harry Chapin, and Tom Paxton. But it was a chance encounter with Earth, Wind & Fire’s Maurice White that changed everything.
The story goes that Lind was in Bob Cavallo’s waiting room, just strumming his guitar, playing what he called a “fragment” of music. Maurice White walked by, heard it, and told him to record it. Three months later, that fragment became “Sun Goddess,” and Jon Lind’s career as a professional songwriter was born.
What followed was nothing short of remarkable. “Boogie Wonderland” in 1979. “Crazy for You” with John Bettis for Madonna in 1985 – and here’s the thing, according to Billboard, when they wrote that song, Lind and Bettis had no idea who Madonna was. The movie studio wanted this unknown artist to record it. By the time Vision Quest came out 58 weeks later, she’d released “Holiday,” “Borderline,” and “Lucky Star” and become the biggest artist in the world.
“Save the Best for Last” for Vanessa Williams earned him ASCAP’s Song of the Year in 1992 and Grammy nominations for both Song of the Year and Record of the Year.
Later in his career, Lind became head of A&R at Hollywood Records, where he helped develop Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers, Selena Gomez, and Demi Lovato. ASCAP called him “a great songwriter and a beautiful soul” who leaves behind “a legacy of iconic songs.”
He is survived by his wife Susan Drew, daughters Jenny and Joanna, stepchildren Daniel D’Astuges and Catherine Jones, and three grandchildren.
The music industry has lost one of its greatest craftsmen. As NME noted, his songs didn’t just chart – they became part of our collective memory.
