Stephen Bates, 50; Conducted, Wrote Songs for ‘Barney’

Stephen Bates, 50, a stage conductor and songwriter for the children’s television show “Barney and Friends,” died Wednesday in Chicago of AIDS-related lymphoma.

Born Stephen Baltes in Madison, Wis., he dropped the “l” to create his stage name. The musician began playing piano at age 4 and church organ at 12.

Bates rose from rehearsal pianist to conductor while he was touring with “42nd Street” and went on to conduct in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. He conducted for Chicago’s production of “The Lion King.”

In addition to writing 20 songs for “Barney and Friends,” Bates was a contributing composer for the Bailiwick Repertory Theater’s long-running show “Naked Boys Singing.” He also wrote about 30 songs for “Starr Struck,” a spoof of the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky scandal.