Robert Hazard, musician and songwriter, dies

Robert Hazard, a seasonal resident of Vero Beach who wrote the Cyndi Lauper classic, "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," died unexpectedly after surgery on August 5 at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He was 59.

Born as Robert Rimato (and still known by that name to many friends), he exploded onto the Philadelphia music scene in the 1980s as leader of the band Robert Hazard and the Heroes.

He recorded an album in the early '80s that included "Escalator of Life" and "Change Reaction," and it sold more than 50,000 copies in the Philadelphia area.

But his biggest success came during 15 minutes in a motel bathtub in Wilmington, Delaware, when he wrote "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun." The song, subsequently used in several movies as well as Carnival Cruise Line commercials, is said to have ultimately brought Hazard more than $1 million in royalties.

In recent years, the singer songwriter played country music with a band called The Hombres and his most recent album, "Troubadour," was released last October.

In addition to their home in Summerplace on the Vero Beach barrier island, he and his wife Susan also have a home in Old Forge, NY, where they had an antique shop.

"Robert had the unique gift of portraying individual moments in life through vivid lyrical imagery," Ruby Marchand, head of A&R at his record label Rykodisc, said in a statement.

"His songwriting was timeless and eloquent. As a vocalist, the nuances he brought to his performances were unforgettable."