Richard Perry, a music producer who worked with The Beatles, died after suffering a cardiac arrest
American music producer who worked with The Beatles, Richard Perry, has died aged 82.
His close friend, Daphna Kastner, confirmed he died in a Los Angeles Hospital on Tuesday following a cardiac arrest. She said: “He maximized his time here” before calling him a “father friend” and the godfather to her son.
“He was generous, fun, sweet, and made the world a better place,” she added. “The world is a little less sweet without him here, but it’s a little sweeter in heaven.” Richard worked with the likes of Carly Simon, Ringo Starr, Rod Stewart and more was hugely known as a “musician’s producer”.
Richard, who dated the likes of Jane Fonda and Elizabeth Taylor, had a huge impact in the industry, with musicians turning to him to update their sound or revive their careers. His production credits include Rod Stewart’s The Great American Songbook series, Carly Simon’s You’re So Vain and Ringo Starr’s 1973 album Ringo – which reached No.2 on the charts.
He also worked with Barbra Streisand, Harry Nilsson, Martha Reeves, Fats Domino and The Band. Barbra previously talked about Richard in her memoir, My Name is Barbra, and said: “Richard had a knack for matching the right song to the right artist.”
Richard was classically trained on piano, drums, guitar, bass and oboe and was even a member of a doo-wop group in the 1950 called The Escorts. He began his career in rock music as a local performer during his younger years. After graduating from University of Michigan in 1964, he shifted into songwriting and acting.
When it came to his career as a producer, his early projects including Captain Beefheart’s debut Safe as Milk and Fats Domino’s Fats Is Back. Richard began well established as a producer by 1970, with him collaborating with Art Garfunkel, Diana Ross, Manhattan Transfer, Leo Sayer, Andy Williams and Fanny.
By the late 70s, he launched his own label, Planet Records, and rant it for six years before it was purchased by RCA Records. In the 90s and 00s, he worked with Ray Charles on 1993’s My World. He was also credited with helping to create Rod Stewart’s charting albums in the Great American Songbook series, including It Had To Be You: The Great American Songbook.
The last credit on his discography page was him producing the cast recording of the Broadway production of Baby It’s You in 2011.
Richard was briefly married to actor Rebecca Broussard from 1987 to 1988. The two didn’t have any children together. He also dated Jane Fonda from 2009 to 2017.
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