Oscar-winning rock composer Jack Nitzsche dies

LOS ANGELES, AUG 28: Rock composer Jack Nitzsche, who worked with the Rolling Stones and Neil Young and won an Academy Award for co-writin...

LOS ANGELES, AUG 28: Rock composer Jack Nitzsche, who worked with the Rolling Stones and Neil Young and won an Academy Award for co-writing the theme song to An Officer and a Gentleman, has died, his publicist said on Sunday.

Nitzsche died on Friday at the Queen of Angels hospital in Hollywood following cardiac arrest brought on by a recurring bronchial infection. He was 63, according to a statement issued by Susan Clary, a publicist and friend of Nitzsche8217;s.

Nitzsche8217;s handiwork graces many of the biggest songs and albums of the rock era. He arranged many of the songs produced by Phil Spector, including the Crystals8217; She8217;s a Rebel and Ike and Tina Turner8217;s River Deep, Mountain High.

With an ambitious young talent scout named Sonny Bono, who had given Nitzsche his first job in the music industry, he co-wrote the Searchers8217; 1964 hit-song, Needles and Pins.

Nitzsche worked with the Rolling Stones during the 1960s, playing keyboards on such tracks as Let8217;s Spend the Night Together, Play With Fire and Paint It, Black.

He also worked as a session-man and producer for Neil Young over several decades, beginning with the 1967 Buffalo Springfield song Expecting to Fly. He was a member of the Stray Gators, the backing band on Young8217;s biggest selling album, Harvest.

His film music work included the 1970 Mick Jagger movie Performance, The Exorcist, Starman, One Flew Over a Cuckoo8217;s Nest, An Officer and a Gentleman, and the recent Sean Penn movies The Indian Runner and The Crossing Guard.

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He received an Academy Award nomination in 1976 for his original score to Cuckoo8217;s Nest. In 1983, he shared the best song Oscar with Buffy Sainte-Marie and Will Jennings for Up Where We Belong, the theme to An Officer and a Gentleman. His original score for Officer was also Oscar-nominated.

Nitzsche8217;s career was frequently marked by bouts with drugs and scrapes with the law, and a statement said he once was featured on the reality TV show Cops.

But his health was reportedly better than ever in recent years. In June, he visited Australia to take part in a film conference.

He is survived by son Jack Jr, born to his first wife, Gracia Ann May. Nitzsche was also married to Sainte-Marie at one point. The funeral is scheduled for Wednesday in Los Angeles. Further details were not immediately available.