AMERICAN SONG-WRITING LEGEND Jerry Leiber has died. He was 78.

The rock-n-roll lyricist, best known for writing Elvis Presley’s hits ‘Hound Dog’ and ‘Jailhouse Rock’, died yesterday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, reports the LA Times.

The president of his publishing company, Randy Poe, said Leiber died of cardiopulmonary failure.

The New York Times today writes of Leiber’s “loathing” for Presley’s interpretation of  ’Hound Dog’, which he originally penned for blues singer Big Mama Thornton in 1952. Elvis rehashed it in 1956, making it a huge hit.

As one part of a song-writing duo, Leiber was the word-man behind an impressive songbook of hits.  During a 60-year partnership, composer Mike Stoller and Lieber produced more than 200 songs, including the oft-covered ‘Stand By Me’ and ‘Kansas City’.

As well as ‘Jailhouse Rock’ and ‘Hound Dog’, they also wrote and composed ‘Loving You’, ‘Don’t’, ‘Treat Me Nice’ and ‘King Creole’ for the King.

The pair were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.

In 1995, a Broadway musical was created with their song catalogue as the soundtrack.

Meanwhile, the music industry is also mourning the loss of Motown songwriter Nick Ashford.

Also one part of a legendary duo, Ashford worked with his wife Valerie Simpson.

The Telegraph reports that the man who co-wrote ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ for Diana Ross and ‘I’m Every Woman’ for Chaka Khan died from throat cancer in New York. He was 70.