Farewell to a Legend: Richard Perry Dead at 82
Legendary music producer Richard Perry died on December 24 in Los Angeles. He was 82 years old. His death was due to cardiac arrest, a friend, Daphna Kastner Keitel, said. "He maximized his time here," Keitel reflected on the life of Perry. "He was generous, fun, sweet, and made the world a better place. The world is a little less sweeter without him here. But it's a little bit sweeter in heaven."
A Stellar Career Spanning Four Decades
In the course of his remarkably successful career, which spanned more than four decades, Perry has managed to work with some of the most prominent names in the history of popular music, including Rod Stewart, The Beatles, Carly Simon, Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross, and The Pointer Sisters. In 2015, he was given the Grammys Trustee Award for his services to the music industry.
Early Life and Interest in Music
Born on June 18, 1942, in Brooklyn, New York, Perry was born into a family of musicians. His parents were music teachers and instrument makers, thus nurturing his love for the craft. He pursued music and theatre at the University of Michigan, graduating in 1964. He then started an independent production company, Cloud Nine Productions, based in New York, before moving to Los Angeles in 1967.
Breakthrough Projects and Iconic Hits
Perry's career as a producer got underway with Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band's debut album Safe as Milk. Soon after he was signed to Warner Bros. Records, where he produced an array of projects including Tiny Tim's debut album God Bless Tiny Tim, and Ella Fitzgerald's Ella.
One of Perry’s most iconic achievements came in 1972 with Carly Simon’s chart-topping single You’re So Vain. Featuring Mick Jagger on backing vocals, the song became a cultural phenomenon. Perry later revealed in his memoir Cloud Nine that the song was inspired by a blend of men Simon dated in the ’60s and ’70s, primarily his friend Warren Beatty.
Bringing the Beatles Together Again
In 1973, Perry almost reunited the Beatles in his production of Ringo Starr's album Ringo. The album featured all the other Beatles, John Lennon and George Harrison, plus Paul McCartney, just not together on any one song. The album sold more than one million copies to reach the Number 2 position on the Billboard Album Charts.
Shaping Billboard Hits and Collaboration with Legends
Throughout his career, Perry produced over 30 Top 20 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Memorable tracks included:
- The Pointer Sisters’ I’m So Excited
- Barbra Streisand’s Stoney End
Streisand praised Perry’s ability to match songs to artists in her 2023 memoir, My Name is Barbra.
Rod Stewart and the Great American Songbook
Other significant successes for Perry came between 2002 and 2005 when he enjoyed another surge of activity with Rod Stewart's The Great American Songbook series. The albums resuscitated Stewart's career, which had been plagued by a spell of writer's block. Stewart paid a glowing tribute to Perry, referring to him as a "dear buddy." He said he remembers "great times" with his buddy and "unforgettable music."
View this post on Instagram
"Now I've lost you, and I am devastated," Stewart wrote. "You were there when Penny and I started going out, encouraging our budding relationship. We are in tears as I post this goodbye." The unprecedented contributions of Richard Perry to music will be remembered through the ages. His legend will continue to live with all those timeless songs and albums he brought into existence.
