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Every day, somewhere in the world, someone enjoys the music of Andrew Gold. Whether it's his joyful anthem "Thank You for Being a Friend," his poignant hit "Lonely Boy," his vibrant guitar playing and rich arrangements on classics like Linda Ronstadt's chart-topper "You're No Good," his clever, catchy art-pop as part of the duo Wax UK, or one of his captivating children's albums, Andrew created some of the most cherished sounds of the last half-century.
Andrew’s extraordinary career in popular music highlighted his exceptional talents as a smooth, heartfelt singer; a polished, insightful songwriter; a creative, meticulous producer, arranger, and engineer; and a masterful multi-instrumentalist. Born in Burbank, California, on August 2, 1951, and raised in Hollywood, Andrew was a gifted child. He began writing songs at just 13, inspired by the shimmering sounds of the British Invasion bands—especially The Beatles. He diligently mastered a full band’s worth of instruments, including guitar, bass, keyboards, and drums. Music was clearly his destiny. His father, Ernest Gold, was a leading Hollywood composer who won an Academy Award for scoring the epic film Exodus. His mother, Marni Nixon, was a renowned singer and performer, famous for providing the singing voice for actresses such as Natalie Wood in West Side Story, Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady, and Deborah Kerr in The King and I.
While studying in England during his teenage years, Andrew secured his first recording contract at 16 after submitting demos to Polydor Records’ London office. A few years later, he made his initial major impact on pop music by joining forces with rising country-rock singer Linda Ronstadt and her producer Peter Asher. Starting with her 1974 breakthrough album Heart Like a Wheel, Andrew contributed to most of Linda’s records throughout the 1970s. He sang and played in her band, handling nearly every instrument on her #1 hit "You're No Good" (featuring a signature Gold guitar bridge) and much of Heart Like a Wheel. As Linda’s primary arranger, he shaped the sound of memorable hits like "When Will I Be Loved" and "Heat Wave." Andrew was part of Linda’s band from 1973 to 1977 and occasionally collaborated with her through the 1980s and 1990s.
Gaining acclaim from critics and fans alike, as well as respect from fellow musicians, Andrew was invited to lend his talents to a star-studded roster of music legends. His vocal and instrumental skills and adept songwriting enhanced the recordings and performances of artists such as Celine Dion, Carly Simon, 10cc, James Taylor, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, Brian Wilson, Jackson Browne, Don Henley, Diana Ross, Cher, Art Garfunkel, Trisha Yearwood, Wynonna Judd, Jesse McCartney, Eric Carmen, Jennifer Warnes, Stephen Bishop, Nicolette Larson, Maria Muldaur, Neil Diamond, Juice Newton, Leo Sayer, Vince Gill, Aaron Neville, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and Japanese superstar Eikichi Yazawa.
Andrew also flourished as a solo artist. In the mid-1970s, he released four well-received pop-rock albums: Andrew Gold (1975), What's Wrong with This Picture (1976), All This and Heaven Too (1978), and Whirlwind (1979). The elegant, bittersweet single "Lonely Boy" from What's Wrong with This Picture reached the Top 10 in the U.S., as did "Thank You for Being a Friend" from All This and Heaven Too. The latter song later became the theme for the hugely popular TV sitcom The Golden Girls, which continues to be loved worldwide through cable, syndication, and DVD since its NBC run from 1985 to 1992. The track is regarded as a classic pop anthem celebrating friendship, resonating across generations. Meanwhile, "Lonely Boy" has been featured in the soundtracks of films like Boogie Nights (1997), The Waterboy (1998), and The Nice Guys (2016).
Over the next thirty years, Andrew continued to create memorable music. In the UK and beyond, he scored solo hits with singles such as "Never Let Her Slip Away" and "How Can This Be Love." His popularity in the UK was so strong that he was invited to join the successful British band 10cc in the early 1980s. Though he declined, he partnered with 10cc’s Graham Gouldman to form Wax UK in 1983, recording three albums that produced two international hits, "Right Between the Eyes" and "Bridge to Your Heart." Although Wax disbanded in 1989, Gold and Gouldman continued collaborating whenever possible. In the early 1970s, Andrew had co-founded the group Bryndle with Karla Bonoff, Wendy Waldman, and Kenny Edwards; they reunited in the early 1990s, releasing the engaging albums Bryndle (1995) and House of Silence (2001) before parting ways again.
Following his musical heritage, Andrew composed and produced songs for numerous TV and film soundtracks. He also performed "The Final Frontier," the theme for the popular TV sitcom Mad About You. Notably, Andrew’s recording of "The Final Frontier" was used as the wake-up call for the Mars Pathfinder space probe in 1996, making his voice the first human sound heard on Mars. He produced and wrote for many of his friends and collaborators and contributed tracks to The Stars Come Out for Christmas charity albums. Additionally, he created holiday-themed children’s albums like Halloween Howls and A Sugarbeats Christmas. With a playful spirit, he crafted Greetings from Planet Love under the pseudonym The Fraternal Order of the All, writing and performing original songs inspired by his favorite 1960s bands such as The Beatles, The Byrds, and The Beach Boys. He released a collection of Wax UK rarities titled Bikini Wax and a best-of compilation with bonus tracks, The Wax Files. A career retrospective, Thank You for Being a Friend: The Best of Andrew Gold, was released in 1997.
Andrew’s creativity didn’t wane. He produced and released finely crafted solo albums including Since 1951, Warm Breezes, The Spence Manor Suite, and Intermission. There remains a significant amount of unreleased studio work that is expected to be shared with the public in the future.
Andrew Gold passed away peacefully in his sleep, likely from heart failure, on June 3, 2011, at the age of 59. He is survived by his second wife, Leslie Kogan, his three daughters from his first marriage, and his mother. Though he is gone, his music endures.
As longtime friend and Grammy-winning producer Peter Asher remarked, "Andrew’s talent was almost uncanny. He was a self-taught, instinctive musician who seemed able to play any instrument he set his mind to. He was a brilliant writer, a great singer, and a highly imaginative producer and arranger—on top of being a multi-instrumentalist of the highest caliber. And he never failed to create something extraordinary every time he played.
