Richard Perry, the music producer behind hits like Carly Simon's “You So Vain,” has died. He was 82 years old.
The record producer died Tuesday in Los Angeles after suffering cardiac arrest.
Dafna Kastner, Perry's friend, said: AP She referred to him as “daddy’s friend,” and added: “He made the most of his time here. He was generous, funny, kind, and made the world a better place. The world is a little less sweet without him here. But it's a little sweeter in heaven.”
Perry made a big name in the 1970s, producing for the likes of Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross, Art Garfunkel, Carly Simon, and Ringo Starr. In the late 1970s, he started his own Planet Records label and signed acts such as The Cretones, Pointer Sisters and Billy Thermal, among many others. He sold the label to RCA Records in 1983.
TMZ reported that according to Perry's personal assistant, Ben McCarthy, the producer has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and is unable to communicate verbally anymore.
Perry is credited as Rod Stewart's producer It Should Have Been You: The Great American Songbook. The producer has also worked with acts such as Donna Summer, Julio Iglesias, Neil Diamond and Randy Travis.
Perry received the 2015 Grammy Trustees Award for his contributions to the field of music recording.
The producer was in a relationship with Jane Fonda between 2009 and 2017.
Listen to Carly Simon's “You're So Cocky” in the video below.
