A marimba player in Herb Alpert’s Tijuana Brass, Wechter wrote “Spanish Flea”, which became a hit for the Brass and was recorded by more than 60 other bands. The snappy tune is best known as the theme song for the classic game show The Dating Game.
A musician since age 5, Wechter worked with groups as diverse as the Beach Boys, Sonny & Cher, and the Righteous Brothers, as well as his own group, the Baja Marimba Band, which recorded 18 albums over five years. Wechter died of lung cancer February 1. He was 63.