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New York anthem lyricist Fred Ebb dies

NEW YORK, Sept. 13 (UPI) -- Fred Ebb, lyricist of "New York, New York" and Broadway musicals "Chicago" and "Cabaret," has died in New York, it was reported Monday.

The songwriter died Saturday at his home of an apparent heart attack, said David McKeown, an assistant to Ebb's composing partner John Kander, the New York Daily News reported.

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Some sources list Ebb's age as 71, with others saying he was as old as 76, the Daily News said.

Ebb teamed with Kander in 1962 to create 11 musicals during their 40-year career, including "Zorba," "Woman of the Year" and "Kiss of the Spider Woman."

The pair wrote "New York, New York" for Martin Scorsese's 1977 film of the same name, a song that became a hit for Frank Sinatra in 1980.

In 1985 former Mayor Edward Koch made the tune the city's official song.

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