Don Black (lyricist)

Don Black, OBE (born Donald Blackstone, 21 June 1938) is an English lyricist. He is best known for his collaborations with composers such as John Barry, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Quincy Jones, Charles Strouse, and Matt Monro.

Black's career began in the music publishing business, but he soon turned to songwriting. He gained prominence in the 1960s, writing lyrics for numerous hit songs. He has written lyrics for several James Bond themes, including "Thunderball", "Diamonds Are Forever", and "The Man with the Golden Gun". Other notable songs include "Ben" (for Michael Jackson), "Born Free" (for Matt Monro), and "To Sir, with Love" (sung by Lulu).

In addition to his work in popular music, Black has also written lyrics for stage musicals. His most successful collaborations include Tell Me on a Sunday, Aspects of Love, Sunset Boulevard (with Christopher Hampton), Bombay Dreams (with Meera Syal), and Stephen Ward the Musical.

Black has received numerous awards and nominations throughout his career, including an Academy Award for Best Song ("Born Free"), a Golden Globe Award ("Ben"), and several Tony Awards for his work on Broadway musicals. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2013 for services to music.