
Remembering Burt Bacharach: Conservatory Alum Reflects on Meeting the Legendary Songwriter Shelbie Rassler says getting to know her idol was the silver lining of a lifetime following her reimagining of Bacharach's hit What the World Needs Now Is Love.
By
Sarah Godcher Murphy
February 13, 2023
Shelbie Rassler (center) and fellow alums met with the late songwriter Burt Bacharach (to Rasslers left) as part of CNNs Fourth of July news coverage in 2020.
With the passing of songwriter and composer Burt Bacharach, who died on February 8 at the age of 94, the music world lost a true icon and beloved source of inspiration. For generations, artists have looked to Bacharach as a role model of pop sophistication and distinctive compositional style. But very few have been as fortunate as Boston Conservatory alum Shelbie Rassler (B.M. 20, composition), who became personally acquainted with Bacharach in the final years of his life-an experience she refers to as the silver lining of a lifetime.
When COVID-19 brought the world to a halt in March 2020, Rassler turned Bacharach's 1965 hit What the World Needs Now Is Love, into a viral phenomenon. Her senior year ended with a shift to remote learning, just two months shy of graduation; so Rassler focused her energy on creating an orchestral arrangement of the classic song, inviting dozens of her classmates to contribute homemade recordings of themselves performing it. The resulting music video spread rapidly on social media platforms and major network news programs including the Today Show, Good Morning America, and NPR.
Arriving at the leading edge of the pandemic, Rassler's creation captured the sadness and uncertainty of the moment, as the world adjusted to a new reality of lockdowns and social distancing. Beyond the song's hopeful lyrics (penned by Hal David), there was a poignancy to the compiled footage of young artists making music alone in their rooms-yet trying to remain connected with each other, whatever way they could.
Bacharach himself was deeply moved. Speaking to an interviewer from NBC's Sunday TODAY in April 2020, he said, As many times as I've done this song, it means so much more now. Because these are really, unimaginable, tough times. And if you can get uplifted, like these kids have done with this song, I'm very, very grateful for that.
WATCH: The late Burt Bacharach spoke to Sunday TODAY in 2020, praising Shelbie Rasslers adaptation of What the World Needs Now Is Love.
As many times as I've done this song, it means so much more now. Because these are really, unimaginable, tough times. And if you can get uplifted, like these kids have done with this song, I'm very, very grateful for that.
- Burt Bacharach, April 2020
Rassler's video brought a renewed focus on Bacharach's work-though, in truth, he was seldom very long out of the limelight. With a string of hits beginning in the 1950s and still charting late into the 1990s, Bacharach created his own category of elegant-and elevated-pop music, distinguished by complex harmonies, polished orchestrations, and shifting time signatures. A great many of those hits became cherished standards, including Walk on By and I Say a Little Prayer, originally recorded by frequent collaborator Dionne Warwick; (They Long to Be) Close to You, made famous by the Carpenters; and Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head, recorded by B.J. Thomas for the Oscar-winning film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. For these accomplishments and more, Bacharach received an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music in 2009.
Bacharach's catalog is so vast that even fans like Rassler, who knows his work well, are occasionally surprised to find his name in a songwriting credit. To this day, I hear songs and I find out that's also another Burt Bacharach song, she said. He's written so many unbelievably important songs that the world has resonated with for literal decades.
Though Rassler and Bacharach were not able to meet in person due to the pandemic, they got to know each other via Zoom. Bacharach invited Rassler (and about a dozen other musicians from Boston Conservatory at Berklee and Berklee College of Music) to join him for a mentoring session, which was recorded by CNN for the network's Fourth of July coverage in 2020. Not only did he lead the students in a virtual performance of What the World Needs Now Is Love in the broadcast, Bacharach spent hours with them, sharing stories from his career, and offering advice and encouragement.
He was soft spoken, but everything he was saying had decades of experience and knowledge and wisdom behind it-and also just kindness, Rassler said. To be able to share those few moments with him in his last chapter is something that I will cherish forever.
To be able to share those few moments with him in his last chapter is something that I will cherish forever.
- Shelbie Rassler
Following the global success of Rassler's What the World Needs Now Is Love for virtual orchestra, she was invited to collaborate with the production team of the 2021 Presidential Inauguration Concert, helping to create a compiled video performance that featured Broadway luminaries performing Seasons of Love/Let the Sunshine In. She also produced virtual performances for Stacey Abrams's Rock the Runoff Concert, as well as fundraisers for the NAACP, Americans for the Arts, and several pandemic-related healthcare workers funds-all while completing her master's degree in music composition at the Juilliard School.
Rassler has also composed music for commercials and documentaries, and is preparing to premiere a composition with the New York City Ballet's Choreographic Institute. Having cofounded a musical services company, Jenkins & Rassler, in 2022, she will be featured on a creative en
Most recent headlines
13/12/2025
Powering Client Growth: Horizon Deepens Nielsen Partnership, Enabling More Effic...
13/12/2025
In a move that will help it offer more flexible and less costly programming options, YouTube TV has announced that it will be launching YouTube TV Plans with mo...
13/12/2025
SINGAPORE Magna Systems has designed, built and completed what is believed to be the first full UHD and IP-based OB truck in Southeast Asia for a Singapore medi...
12/12/2025
SVG Summit 2025 Preview: Everything You Need to Know for Next Week's Big Sho...
12/12/2025
Hailey Gates at the Atropia premiere (photo by George Pimentel / Shutterstock for Sundance Film Festival)...
12/12/2025
Last month, Spotify announced a new collaboration with the ATP Tour, the global governing body of men's professional tennis, aimed at bringing the next gene...
12/12/2025
CONWAY, Ark. In a notable example of how the elimination of Federal federal funding is forcing public stations to make massive cuts and changes in the way they...
12/12/2025
Wisycom and DPA Microphones announce the appointment of Ren Moerch as Group Product Director, Wireless, a strategic leadership role that will guide the combine...
12/12/2025
SMPTE , the home of media professionals, technologists, and engineers, in conjuncture with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the Entertainment Technolog...
12/12/2025
Keepit, the vendor-independent, cloud-native data protection provider, today announced a strategic go-to-market relationship in Poland with Ingram Micro, a lead...
12/12/2025
Atomos announced the immediate availability of a new firmware update for its Ninja TX GO and Ninja TX monitor-recorders, unlocking Open Gate 48P RAW recording w...
12/12/2025
Professional Wireless Systems (PWS) once again played a critical role in delivering flawless wireless coordination and support at the 2025 Latin Grammy Awards a...
12/12/2025
The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS), together with the Video Services Forum (VSF), the Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) and the European Broadc...
12/12/2025
DHD audio will demonstrate the latest additions to its range of digital audio production solutions on Booth 321 in Hall B6 at Hamburg Open 2026. The show will b...
12/12/2025
Chaos today announces the release of V-Ray for Blender, update 2, bringing its award-winning rendering technology to even more Blender users by adding support f...
12/12/2025
Lighting specialist UltraLEDs has launched Precision LED Tape, a high-CRI lighting solution designed specifically for professional film, TV, and studio use.
P...
12/12/2025
Zixi, the Emmy Award-winning leader in live broadcast-quality video over IP, today announced that Roi Sasson has joined the company as Vice President, Engineer...
12/12/2025
BitFire (bitfire.tv), the leader in software-defined live production and IP transmission, today announced a strategic partnership with Appear, a leader in high-...
12/12/2025
LOS ANGELES The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) today said futurist Robert Tercek, creative technologist Jessie Hughes from Leonardo.AI and Emmy-winnin...
12/12/2025
HUDSON, Mass. BitFire and Appear have struck a strategic partnership aimed at offering broadcasters, sports leagues and streaming platforms a faster, more flexi...
12/12/2025
The broadcast industry is evolving faster than ever. #IPWorkflows #remoteproduction, and next-gen audio systems are reshaping how teams design, deliver, and sca...
12/12/2025
LOS ANGELES The payroll and production accounting platform Wrapbook has announced the acquisition of Cinapse, a modern scheduling platform for film and televisi...
12/12/2025
DEHLI Ross Video has announced that it is expanding and restructuring its commercial and technical teams in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation...
12/12/2025
LONDON Following the success of its UK launch in January 2025, Rise AV, the global not-for-profit initiative dedicated to supporting and advancing women in the ...
12/12/2025
SAN FRANCISCO Ad-supported streaming service Tubi next week will launch Matter Casting, a new casting standard that will enable seamless mobile-to-TV viewing di...
12/12/2025
LOS ANGELES The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) today said futurist Robert Tercek, creative technologist Jessie Hughes from Leonardo.AI and Emmy-winnin...
12/12/2025
Friday 12 December 2025
Ted is back! Seth MacFarlane's live-action comedic ...
12/12/2025
In Las Vegas's T-Mobile Arena, fans of the Golden Knights are getting more than just hockey - they're getting a taste of the future. ADAM, a robot devel...
12/12/2025
Uachtar n na h ireann, Catherine Connolly visited RT Raidi na Gaeltachta's...
12/12/2025
Ireland AM host Eric Roberts has been revealed as the sixth contestant taking to...
12/12/2025
Scripps Research team pioneers an efficient way to stereoselectively add fluorine to drug-like molecules A new method uses a novel catalyst and inexpensive fluo...
11/12/2025
Thomson and the Center for News, Technology and Innovation (CNTI) convened a two-day workshop in Sarajevo bringing together more than 35 journalists, editors, p...
11/12/2025
ESPN's Aims for Spectacular With Heisman Trophy ShowEvent firsts include 1080p HDR production airing on both national broadcast and cableBy Dan Daley, Audio...
11/12/2025
SVG Students To Watch: Frankie Patton, University of ColoradoThe 2025 grad is hitting the ground running as a PA on national broadcastsBy Brandon Costa, Directo...
11/12/2025
SVG Summit 2025 Technology Exhibits Preview, Part 3By SVG Staff
Thursday, December 11, 2025 - 7:24 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
The 2...
11/12/2025
SVG Sit-Down: What Makes Gen Z, X, and Y Fans Tick? Dave Gavant of WSC Sports Go...
11/12/2025
SVG Summit 2025 Preview: 5G, MXL, Spectrum Loss, and Outerspace on Tap for Tues...
11/12/2025
2025 Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame: David Levy, Turner Titan and Master of Al...
11/12/2025
SVG Launches Follow the Money' Podcast: Go Inside the Sports Media Biz with...
11/12/2025
A Deep Dive Inside Game Creek Video's Bird and Magic Mobile Units, Home to A...
11/12/2025
How Sound Effects for Monsters Funday Football' Emulated the Sonic Soul of ...
11/12/2025
SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: CSP Mobile Productions' Len Chase on Upgrading Tr...
11/12/2025
Having the right song soundtrack your moves can make all the difference when gam...
11/12/2025
It's been a big year for Taylor Swift. Her highly anticipated album The Life...
11/12/2025
New satellites for the SDA Tranche 1 Tracking program in production at L3Harris&...
11/12/2025
The Meadowlands system, a compact and mobile version of the CCS, uses ground-based radio frequency units to disrupt satellite communications....
11/12/2025
The L3Harris demonstration united tactical communications devices, counter-UAS c...
11/12/2025
Throughout 2025, L3Harris delivered innovative solutions to U.S. and allied warfighters across every domain.
With an unrelenting commitment to excellence, our...
11/12/2025
A Majority of the World's Population (51%) Identify As Soccer Fans
The 2025 MLB postseason notched 58.2 billion viewing minutes, up +24% from the prior y...
11/12/2025
WALTHAM, Mass. Video-over-IP software provider Zixi said Roi Sasson has joined the company as vice president, engineering....