Renowned music producer, Richard Perry, dies at 82
Renowned music producer Richard Perry, who worked on Carly Simon's You're So Vain among other hits, has died at the age of 82. The news was confirmed by Perry's friend Daphna Kastner. He died in Los Angeles on Tuesday after suffering cardiac arrest. Apart from his illustrious career as a record producer, Perry was also a former drummer, oboist, and doo-wop singer who showcased his prowess in multiple genres.
Perry's illustrious career and personal life
Perry shot to fame in the 1970s, producing for artists such as Barbara Streisand, Diana Ross, Art Garfunkel, Simon, and Ringo Starr. In the late 1970s, he started his own label, Planet Records, signing acts like The Cretones, Pointer Sisters, and Billy Thermal. He sold the label to RCA Records in 1983. Perry's personal assistant Ben McCarthy said the producer had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and was unable to speak toward the end of his life.
Perry's contributions to music and personal relationships
Perry was also credited as a producer of Rod Stewart's It Had to Be You: The Great American Songbook. He collaborated with acts like Donna Summer, Julio Iglesias, Neil Diamond, and Randy Travis. He received the Grammy Trustees Award in 2015 for his contributions to the field of recording music. His personal life included relationships with Jane Fonda and Elizabeth Taylor, and a brief marriage to actor Rebecca Broussard.
Perry's impact on artists and near-Beatles reunion
Perry was a "musician's producer," treating artists as equals instead of instruments of his own tastes. Singers like Barbra Streisand, Stewart, Fats Domino, and Leo Sayer approached him at various stages of their careers to leave with magic. In the '70s, Perry helped facilitate a near-Beatles reunion by producing a track on Starr's first solo album, Sentimental Journey.
