Jane Hansen made headlines after her husband, Burt Bacharach, passed away earlier this year. People were curious to know more about the lady he left behind and their two kids.
Burt Bacharach was a world-renowned composer and pianist who left behind a legacy. Here’s everything we know about his wife, Jane Hansen, including her age and how she met Bacharach on a chance encounter.
Who Is Jane Hansen Bacharach?
Jane Hansen is Burt Bacharach’s wife. She used to be an athlete and is a former ski instructor. Their relationship was an odds-defying one that lasted longer than most people expected it to, and through it all, Hansen was the best wife she could be to the music maestro.
Her positive influence in his life can not be understated, and on the rare occasions he would talk about her while he lived, it was clear he was deeply in love and very contented.
Hansen supported all his endeavors so much that it freed Bacharach to pursue more creative activities that brought him happiness. Now that he has passed, she works twice as hard to preserve his legacy while dealing with the vacuum of his absence.
How Old Is Jane Hansen?
Jane Hansen was born in California, USA, on August 19, 1949. This makes her 62 years old as of 2023. She entered the world during a period of cultural and social change and got to experience the vibrant music industry as it was in the 1960s and 70s.
This would eventually influence her interests and push her to cross paths with the man who became the love of her life even though he was 32 years older than her.
How Did Jane Hansen and Burt Bacharach Meet?
Indeed, Jane Hansen’s life changed completely when she met Burt Bacharach. However, their first meeting happened absolutely by chance.
According to reports, the couple met during an Aspen, Colorado holiday. At the time, the now-late composer’s third marriage to lyricist Carole Bayer Sager had ended, and nothing stopped him from falling headfirst for the beautiful Jane Hansen.
The wedding of Burt Bacharach and Jane Hansen happened in 1993, and even though many frowned upon the lengthy age gap between them, the union lasted decades until his demise.
Details of their marital life were kept private by the pair. They only appeared in public when they attended media events, and it was always apparent to those who cared to check that Bacharach was indeed happy. Of course, it was not an easy find, and Bacharach tried three times before he got it right.
Jane Hansen Is Burt Bacharach’s Fourth Wife
His relationship with Hansen was near perfect, but Bacharach had to fail three times before he found it. In a past interview, the composer talked about finding true love, likening it to making the perfect track.
He said: “I don’t like splitting up with people. But then the harder part of me will say. ‘I’ve just got this one shot, and I’ll just keep going until I get it right.’ So it’s not so far away from trying to make the perfect record.”
Bacharach’s first marriage was to actress Paula Stewart. It lasted from 1953 to 1958.
In 1965, he tied the knot with actress Angie Dickinson, with whom he welcomed his first child, daughter Nikki Bacharach. Unfortunately, Nikki, diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome as a child, passed away after committing suicide in 2007 at 40.
Between 1982 and 1991, the composer married lyricist, singer, and songwriter Carole Bayer Sager. While together, they adopted a son named Cristopher.
In 2015, Bacharach talked about his marital failures and said he “didn’t mean to hurt anybody.” He also stated: “I thought I was a good kid, and I didn’t mean to hurt anybody, but when you wind up being married four times, there are a lot of bodies strewn in your wake.”
His marriage to Hansen was his last, giving him two more children, a son called Oliver and a daughter named Raleigh. They are both grown-ups now and are doing well for themselves.
Other famous couples like Hansen and Bacharach’s with lengthy age gaps between them include Eddie Murphy & Paige Butcher, Dennis Quaid & Laura Savoie, and Emilie Livingston & Jeff Goldblum.