Richard Perry, a celebrated record producer known for his ability to blend classic and modern sounds, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 82 after suffering cardiac arrest at a Los Angeles hospital. Perry’s illustrious career spanned decades, and he achieved major success with hits such as Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain,” Rod Stewart’s “The Great American Songbook” series, and an album by Ringo Starr that featured all four members of The Beatles.
Perry’s longtime friend, Daphna Kastner, shared that he was a beloved figure, calling him a “father friend” and noting he was the godfather to her son. “He maximized his time here,” she said, remembering him as generous, fun, and kind. “The world is a little less sweet without him here, but it’s a little bit sweeter in heaven.”
Throughout his career, Perry was known for his versatility as a producer, having No. 1 hits across pop, R&B, dance, and country charts. He worked on a wide range of successful projects, including Harry Nilsson’s “Without You,” The Pointer Sisters’ “I’m So Excited,” Tiny Tim’s quirky “Tiptoe Through the Tulips,” and the iconic duet “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before” by Willie Nelson and Julio Iglesias. He was admired for being a “musician’s producer,” collaborating closely with artists as equals rather than imposing his own preferences. Perry was the go-to producer for singers looking to evolve their sound, revive their careers, or recapture their past success.
In her 2023 memoir, My Name is Barbra, Barbra Streisand praised Richard Perry for his exceptional ability to pair the perfect song with the ideal artist.
Richard Perry’s life was marked by famous connections and memorable moments in the right places.
He was present at legendary events such as 1950s concerts by Little Richard and Chuck Berry, sat in the third row for Otis Redding’s unforgettable performance at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, and participated in a recording session for the Rolling Stones’ iconic Let It Bleed album. His social calendar was filled with high-profile dinners, sometimes with Paul and Linda McCartney, and other times with Mick and Bianca Jagger. Perry also dated major stars like Elizabeth Taylor and Jane Fonda, and had a brief marriage to actress Rebecca Broussard.
In Rod Stewart’s autobiography Rod, he recalled Perry’s West Hollywood home as a hotspot for wild late-night gatherings throughout the 1970s and beyond. It was a place where friends could always count on finding music, dancing, and drinks at the end of an exciting night out.
Richard Perry’s life was defined by his connections with famous people and being in the right places at the right time. He was backstage at iconic 1950s performances by Little Richard and Chuck Berry, sat near the front for Otis Redding’s unforgettable set at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, and was present during the recording of the Rolling Stones’ Let It Bleed album. His social life was equally star-studded, with dinners that could include Paul and Linda McCartney one night, and Mick and Bianca Jagger the next. Perry also had relationships with celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor and Jane Fonda and was briefly married to actress Rebecca Broussard.
In Rod Stewart’s autobiography Rod, he fondly remembered Perry’s West Hollywood home as the go-to spot for late-night fun throughout the 1970s and beyond. It was a place where friends could always count on a lively gathering with music, drinks, and dancing to end their night.
In the 1970s, Richard Perry played a key role in facilitating a near-reunion of The Beatles. He had previously worked on Ringo Starr’s first solo album, Sentimental Journey, and grew closer to Starr through mutual friends, including Harry Nilsson. Starr’s 1973 album Ringo showcased his commercial potential as a solo artist, featuring notable collaborations. The album included contributions from Nilsson, Billy Preston, Steve Cropper, Martha Reeves, and all five members of The Band. It reached No. 2 on the Billboard charts and sold over a million copies. The album produced hit singles, including the chart-topping “Photograph,” co-written by Starr and George Harrison, and a popular cover of the 1950s song “You’re Sixteen.”
For Richard Perry and others, the most unforgettable track on Ringo Starr’s Ringo album wasn’t a hit, but a special creation. John Lennon’s “I’m the Greatest” was a playful anthem for the modest drummer, featuring three of The Beatles in the studio just three years after the band’s breakup. Starr played drums and sang lead, Lennon contributed keyboards and backing vocals, and Klaus Voormann, a longtime friend of the Beatles, played bass. As they were working on the song, George Harrison’s assistant called, asking if Harrison could join them, and he arrived shortly after.
In his 2021 memoir Cloud Nine, Perry reflected on the moment: “As I looked around the room, I realized that I was at the very epicenter of the spiritual and musical quest I had dreamed of for so many years,” he wrote. “By the end of each session, a small group of friends had gathered, standing silently along the back wall, just thrilled to be there.”
While Paul McCartney wasn’t present for the recording of “I’m the Greatest,” he did contribute to the album by co-writing and arranging the ballad “Six O’Clock,” which featured both McCartney and Linda McCartney on backing vocals.
In 1972, Richard Perry made pop history as the producer of Carly Simon’s iconic hit “You’re So Vain,” which he later described as the closest he ever came to producing a perfect record. The song, with Voormann’s distinctive bass lines and Mick Jagger’s chorus contribution, topped the charts and sparked widespread speculation about the identity of Simon’s mysterious subject. Perry’s take on the matter aligned with Simon’s own eventual revelation.
In his memoir, Perry shared, “The person that the song is based on is really a composite of several men that Carly dated in the ’60s and early ’70s, but primarily, it’s about my good friend, Warren Beatty.”
Perry’s success continued beyond the 1970s, with hit singles such as The Pointer Sisters’ “Neutron Dance” and DeBarge’s “Rhythm of the Night,” as well as albums by Carly Simon, Ray Charles, and Art Garfunkel. His most significant achievement, however, came with Rod Stewart’s The Great American Songbook albums, a project born out of Stewart’s struggles with writer’s block and his tumultuous personal life. After Stewart’s marriage to Rachel Hunter ended in the early 2000s, Perry was a source of support for the rock star. With Stewart unable to create original songs, they decided to record an album of classic standards, including tracks like “The Very Thought of You,” “Angel Eyes,” and “Where or When.”
In his memoir, Richard Perry recalled a pivotal moment with Rod Stewart, where the two sat at a back table in their favorite restaurant, brainstorming ideas for a new project. They wrote their thoughts on a napkin, with Stewart softly singing the options. Perry reflected that, as they exchanged ideas, it was clear they both sensed they were onto something special.
Perry, a native of New York City, was born into a musical family. His parents, Mark and Sylvia Perry, co-founded Peripole Music, a company that pioneered musical instruments for children. Encouraged by his family, Perry learned to play drums and oboe and even helped form a doo-wop group, the Escorts, which released a few singles. Initially, he aspired to be a Broadway actor, studying music and theater at the University of Michigan. However, in the mid-1960s, he made a life-changing decision to start a production company with Gary Katz, a partnership that would later lead Katz to work with Steely Dan.
By the late 1960s, Perry was already a rising star in the music industry. He worked on Captain Beefheart’s cult classic Safe As Milk, Tiny Tim’s debut album, and Ella Fitzgerald’s Ella, which featured her renditions of songs by The Beatles, Smokey Robinson, and Randy Newman. In the early 1970s, he produced Barbra Streisand’s Stoney End, a million-selling album where Streisand ventured away from her show tune roots to explore pop and rock, including the title track by Laura Nyro and Gordon Lightfoot’s “If You Could Read My Mind.”
Streisand, in her memoir, shared her immediate affection for Perry when they first met. She described him as tall and lanky, with a mop of dark, curly hair and a big smile that matched his generous spirit. At their first meeting, Perry arrived with a collection of songs, and they listened to them together. Any initial hesitation she had about their collaboration quickly vanished, and she thought, “This could be fun, and musically liberating.”
