Phil Leka Dead At 68 [VIDEO]

You may not recognize the name but you know his music. Songwriter-producer Phil Leka best known for co-writing Steam's 1969 #1 hit, "Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye)", passed away October 12th of lung cancer near his home in Sharon, Connecticut. Ironically, the song Leka will most be remember for wasn't even suppose to be played on radio:

In '69, Leka was working on a B-side single for his friend Gary DeCarlo. Originally titled 'Kiss Him Goodbye,' the song clocked in at only two minutes. The duo (under the name Steam) wanted to ensure the A-side would get radio play, so they extended 'Kiss Him Goodbye' to over four minutes with a drawn out chorus. But the result didn't turn off any radio prospects, as it soon shot to the top of the charts. - Spinner.com

Leka also co-wrote and produced the Lemon Piper's #1 hit, "Green Tambourine". Leka was also responsible for signing REO Speedwagon to Epic Records and co-produced the band's first 3 albums.