Barry Mann

Barry Mann (born Barry Imberman; February 9, 1939) is an American songwriter, musician, and record producer renowned for his contributions to pop, rock, and R&B music during the Brill Building era and beyond. Best known for his long-term creative partnership with his late wife and longtime collaborator lyricist Cynthia Weil, whom he married in 1961, Mann co-wrote iconic hits such as "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" for the Righteous Brothers, which became the most played song in radio history, as well as "On Broadway" for the Drifters and "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" for the Animals. His work spans over six decades, encompassing more than 800 registered compositions with Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI), and collaborations across genres including country and film scores.

Born in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York, to a Jewish family, Mann discovered his musical talent early, beginning piano lessons at age 11 after demonstrating an aptitude for the instrument. He initially pursued architecture but abandoned it in 1958 to focus on songwriting, signing with Don Kirshner's Aldon Music in the famed Brill Building, a hub for New York songwriters. Mann's early success came as a teenager with the novelty hit "She Say (Oom Dooby Doom)" in 1959, followed by his own recording career, highlighted by the self-penned Top 10 single "Who Put the Bomp (In the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp)" in 1961, which showcased his skills as both writer and performer.

Mann's partnership with Weil proved transformative, yielding over 50 chart hits in their first five years together, including "Uptown" for the Crystals, "Kicks" for Paul Revere & the Raiders, "Just Once" for James Ingram, and "Here You Come Again" for Dolly Parton. Their songs often explored themes of love, longing, and social commentary, produced by luminaries like Phil Spector, and later extended to film and theater, such as the score for An American Tail (1986) with James Horner, earning an Academy Award nomination. Mann's versatility also led to solo efforts in the 1970s, including the minor hit "The Princess and the Punk," and photography exhibitions later in life.

Throughout his career, Mann has received numerous accolades, including induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's Ahmet Ertegun Award in 2010 alongside Weil, and the Johnny Mercer Award—the Hall's highest honor—in 2011. He and Weil amassed over 112 BMI Pop, Country, and R&B Awards, plus 115 BMI Million-Air Awards for songs exceeding one million radio plays, and a Grammy Trustees Award in 2015. Their enduring influence is evident in covers by artists from the Beatles to Linda Ronstadt, cementing Mann's legacy as one of pop music's most prolific and impactful creators.