“His lyrics often began as deeply personal reflections, transformed into anthems in which millions found themselves”: Tributes paid to Billy Steinberg, co-writer of Madonna's Like A Virgin, The Bangles' Eternal Flame, and Cyndi Lauper's True Colors

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 16: Billy Steinberg performs onstage at the Songwriters Hall of Fame 42nd Annual Induction and Awards at The New York Marriott Marquis Hotel - Shubert Alley on June 16, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Songwriters Hall of Fame).

Billy Steinberg, the songwriter responsible for a string of 1980s and 9'0s classics, has died, aged 75. He had been suffering from cancer.

Together with his writing partner Tom Kelly, Steinberg penned Like A Virgin for Madonna, Eternal Flame for the Bangles, Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors, Alone by Heart, Whitney Houston’s So Emotional, I Touch Myself for the Divinyls, I’ll Stand By You for the Pretenders and I Drove All Night, originally recorded by Roy Orbison but which was first a hit for Cyndi Lauper.