The Connecticut state medical examiner confirmed Steinman's death to Variety, though a cause was not immediately announced.
Steinman was born Nov. 1, 1947, in New York City, but he found his calling while studying at Amherst College in Massachusetts. There, he became involved in musical theater, writing music and lyrics for his 1969 productionThe Dream Engine, which led to work with Joseph Papp, founder of the New York Shakespeare Festival. His career expanded the following decade. His song "Happy Ending" appeared on Yvonne Elliman's 1973 album,Food of Love; that same year, he wrote music and lyrics for the musicalMore Than You Deserve, which costarred his future collaborator Marvin Lee Aday, performing under the stage name Meat Loaf