Famed music producer Richard Perry, who shared an eight-year romance with Jane Fonda, has died at the age of 82.
The visionary behind Carly Simon’s You’re So Vain and Rod Stewart’s The Great American Songbook died of cardiac arrest, as confirmed by his girlfriend Daphna Kastner to AP.
“He maximized his time here,” said Kastner, who described Perry as a “dad friend” and her son’s godfather. “He was generous, fun, sweet and made the world a better place. The world is a little less sweeter without him here. But in heaven it’s a little sweeter.’
Ben McCarthy, Perry’s personal assistant for nearly thirty years, shared TMZ that the producer had battled Parkinson’s disease.
McCarthy said he visited Perry about a month ago and noted that although Perry could no longer communicate verbally, he remained in good spirits.
In the 1970s, Perry collaborated with a string of legendary artists, including Carly Simon, Barbra Streisand, Art Garfunkel, Diana Ross and Ringo Starr, cementing his legacy as one of the most sought-after producers of his time.
Famed music producer Richard Perry, who shared an eight-year romance with Jane Fonda, has died at the age of 82; (Fonda/Perry in 2015)
The visionary behind Carly Simon’s You’re So Vain and Rod Stewart’s The Great American Songbook died of cardiac arrest, as confirmed by his girlfriend Daphna Kastner to AP; (seen in 1982)
In 2017, Perry and Fonda amicably parted ways, with Perry saying in a statement, “We continue to maintain a close friendship and care deeply about each other.”
He added at the time: “Jane has rededicated herself to activism and I am finishing my memoirs. So all is well with the Fonda-Perry relationship. We’re just starting a new chapter.’
A versatile musician turned legendary producer, Perry mastered a variety of genres and achieved number one hits on the pop, R&B, dance and country charts.
Widely regarded as a producer for musicians, Perry has collaborated with artists such as Harry Nilsson on Without You, The Pointer Sisters on I’m So Excited, and Willie Nelson and Julio Iglesias on To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before.
He was known for helping Barbra Streisand modernize her sound, reviving careers like Fats Domino’s and taking rising stars like Leo Sayer to the next level.
A New York native born to musical parents who co-founded Peripole Music, Perry was an accomplished drummer and oboist.
Early in his career, he joined the doo-wop group Escorts and later studied music and theater at the University of Michigan before switching to production.
Working with Gary Katz, who later collaborated with Steely Dan, Perry began producing in the 1960s and quickly rose to prominence with projects such as Captain Beefheart’s Safe As Milk and Ella Fitzgerald’s Ella, which featured covers of songs by the Beatles and Smokey Robinson.
By the 1970s, Perry had established his legacy with million-selling albums such as Barbra Streisand’s Stoney End, which accompanied her transition into contemporary pop and rock.
In the 1970s, Perry collaborated with a series of legendary artists, including Carly Simon, Barbra Streisand, Art Garfunkel, Diana Ross and Ringo Starr, cementing his legacy as one of the most sought-after producers of his time; (seen in 2016)
In 2017, Perry and Fonda amicably split, with Perry saying in a statement: “We continue to maintain a close friendship and care deeply about each other.”
Streisand remembered their collaboration as creative and musically liberating, noting his enthusiasm and vision.
In addition to music, Perry’s life was filled with connections to cultural milestones and iconic figures.
He dated Elizabeth Taylor and Fonda, attended major events like Otis Redding’s performance at the Monterey Pop Festival, and mingled with music legends like Paul McCartney and Mick Jagger.
Rod Stewart described Perry’s West Hollywood home as a hub for late-night revelry.
Although Perry initially dreamed of a career on Broadway, his decision to focus on production turned him into an industry giant whose influence spanned decades and genres.