Richard Perry, one of the most fashionable and successful record producers of the 1970s and ’80s, died Tuesday (December 24) in a Los Angeles hospital. He is 82 years old.
Perry’s greatest singles include Nielsen’s “Without You” and Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain,” both of which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned a Grammy Award. Les Mills Award for Record of the Year. These two classic songs represent Perry’s production style – perfect, powerful and precise. Other hits with clear Perry signatures include Leo Sayer’s “When I Need You” (also a No. 1 Hot 100 hit) and Burton Cummings’ stately “Stand Tall” (a Top 10 hit on the Hot 100 in 1977). .
Perry has written more than 30 Hot 100 hits, including Barbra Streisand’s dynamic version of Laura Nyro’s “Stoney End,” one of was the legendary star’s first foray into contemporary pop music; and featured The Pointer Sisters’ long list of hits, including the electrifying “I’m So Excited” and “Jump (for My Love).”
perry is advertising billboardHe was named top singles producer twice in the magazine’s year-end reviews, in 1977 and 1984.
His albums remained among the top 10 albums on the Billboard 200 chart for 42 years. album. His last top ten album project was Rod Stewart’s Fly Me to the Moon…The Great American Songbook, Vol. 5 November 2010.
Perry had consecutive No. 1 hits on the Hot 100 with songs by two different artists: Ringo Starr (1973-74’s “Photograph” and “You’re Sixteen”) and Sayer (“You Make Me Feel Like Dancing” and “When I Need You,” both occurred in 1977.) Starr’s hit single was historic – it was the former Beatle’s first The first and only time that back-to-back singles reached number one on the Hot 100.
Perry never won a Grammy in the competition, but eventually won the Recording Academy’s Trustees Award in 2015. Nelson Schmilson (The album included “Without You” and its quirky follow-up hit “Coconut.”) The instrumental “Jump (For My Love)” won best pop instrumental performance (the Pointer Sisters won best pop duo ) or vocal version by a group with vocals) and Best Music Video, Short Film, Pointer Sisters so excited compilation, of which he was the film director.
Perry’s string of hits with the Pointer Sisters really showcased what he was capable of. When Perry announced they were signed to his New Planet Records label in 1978, the band was considered B-list acts at best. The band had some great hits, but few expected them to become one of the most consistent acts in pop music. Under Perry’s guidance, they did just that, with five singles reaching the top five on the Hot 100 – a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Fire,” “He’s So Shy” (Tom Snow / A song by Cynthia Ware in a style reminiscent of That Girl – a hit from the early 1960s), “Slow Hand,” “Automatic” and “Jump (For My Love)” that later became part of the movie The soundtrack to one of the smartest scenes. true lovewhen the Prime Minister played by Hugh Grant simply cannot resist the rhythm. (Who can?)
Perry is very much a pop producer, but his music touches on other genres as well. He produced Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson’s “To All the Girls Ive Loved Before,” which hit No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart in 1984 and won the Academy of Country Music Award for Single of the Year. Nominations in this category. Perry also had No. 1 hits on the R&B and dance charts.
Richard Van Perry was born on June 18, 1942, in Brooklyn, New York, to Mack Perry and Sylvia Perry, who manufactured and selling musical instruments and also serving as a music teacher. After graduating from the University of Michigan in 1964 with a degree in music and theater, Perry returned to New York. In June 1965, he established his own independent record production company, Cloud Nine Productions. His first album production job was the debut album of Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band, as safe as milkwhich he co-produced with Bob Krasnow. The album was released in June 1967.
His first assignment was to record Tiny Tim, who became a novelty sensation online. Rowan and Martin’s Laughterthe runaway #1 show on television. The ukulele-playing falsetto singer’s debut album, God bless Tiny Timrose to No. 7 on the Billboard 200 chart, driven by a remake of the 1920s novelty song “Tip-Toe Thru’ the Tulips With Me,” which became a Top 20 hit on the Hot 100 chart.
Perry also recorded an album with legendary star Fats Domino (Fat is back) and Ella Fitzgerald (Ella), both of which charted on the Billboard 200.
His first major hit as an independent producer was Streisand’s stoney endReleased in late 1970, the then 28-year-old superstar performed for the first time a song written by an audience similar to her own age. The album entered the top ten on the Billboard 200 in March 1971, becoming Streisand’s first top ten album in more than four years. Perry also produced her next two albums, barbra joan streisand and Forum Live Concert. These projects pointed to a more modern direction for many of Streisand’s biggest successes in the 1970s, including a star is born 1976.
In 1978, Perry played a record producer in the film. American hot waxa film about DJ Alan Freed. (In 1955, at age 12, Perry became a regular at Fried’s Live Show at the Paramount Theater in Brooklyn.)
Perry produced DeBarge’s “Rhythm of the Night,” a Top Five hit in 1985 and the first Top Five hit written by hit machine Diane Warren . While most of Perry’s hits were new songs, he also wrote some hit covers, including Johnny Burnette’s “You’re Sixteen” (a hit for Ringo Stone, who was 33 at the time). Tar (written by Ringo Starr), an age-inappropriate song choice that caused barely any ripples at the time but is even more problematic today), “Mockingbird” by Inez Foxx (with Charlie Foxx) (for Pop 1974’s “It Couple” (written by Carly Simon and James Taylor), the Platters’ “Only You” (also written by Ringo Starr) and the Flamingos’ “I Only Have Eyes for You” (dedicated to Art Garrison) Finkel).
In 1988 Perry produced a passion project, rock, rhythm and blueswhich includes classic oldies from the 1950s, each performed by a different contemporary artist. Elton John, Kristen McVie, Chaka Khan and Michael McDonald all appear on the album. One of the tracks, Randy Travis’ version of Brook Benton’s “It’s Just a Matter of Time,” topped the charts advertising billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart and won a Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance.
In 1993 Perry produced Ray Charles minecraftentered the Billboard 200.
Perry and Carly Simon reunited in 2004 to create the Criterion Collection Moonlight Serenadewhich peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 and won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. Perry does his best work with Simon. “You’re So Vain” is simply one of the greatest singles of the 1970s. this no secret The album, which topped the Billboard 200 chart for five weeks in early 1973, was a classic, from its revealing album cover (very provocative for 1972) to its can’t-skip song lineup. “Nobody Does It Better,” released in 1977, is one of the best and sexiest James Bond themes ever written (hat tip: songwriters Marvin Hamlisch and Carole Bayer Sager).
Perry’s last hurray advertising billboard Ranking List on Rod Stewart’s great american songbook series. All five volumes released between 2002 and 2010 reached the top five on the Billboard 200 chart. Perry is credited as a producer on four of the five volumes.
In April 2020, Perry published his memoir, Cloud Nine: A Record Producer’s Memoirs.
Perry is survived by his brothers Roger, Fred and Andrew; His marriages to Linda Goldner and Rebecca Broussard ended in divorce. Perry was in a relationship with actress and activist Jane Fonda from 2009 to 2017.
