Richard Van Perry(born June 18, 1942)[1]is an Americanrecord producer.He began as a performer in his adolescence while attendingPoly Prep,his high school in Brooklyn. After graduating from college he rose through the late 1960s and early 1970s to become a successful and popular record producer with more than 12gold recordsto his credit by 1982. From 1978 to 1983, he ran his own record label,Planet Records,which scored a string of hits with the main act on its roster, pop/R&B groupThe Pointer Sisters.After Planet's sale toRCA Records,Perry continued his work in the music industry as an independent producer. With hit records stretching from the 1960s through the 2000s, his successful modern releases include albums byRod StewartandCarly Simon.
Richard Perry | |
|---|---|
 Perryc.1975 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Richard Van Perry |
| Born | June 18, 1942 Brooklyn,New York, U.S. |
| Occupation | Record producer |
| Years active | 1968–present |
| Labels | |
| Website | richardperrymusic |
Early life
editBorn inBrooklyn,New York City,[1]Perry came to his interest in rock music young. Perry hasJewishancestry. He has three younger brothers. His brother Fred Perry, who lives in New York, helped work as a promoter atPlanet Recordsin the late 1980s. His parents sold and manufactured musical instruments and also served as musical teachers. He was classically trained on piano, guitar, drums, bass, and oboe, and was a member of adoo-wopgroup in the 1950s called the Escorts, which was subsequently signed toCoral Records.In 1955, at the age of 12, he attended the first ofAlan Freed's live rock shows atthe Paramount Theatre.[2]He began his career in rock music as a local performer during his adolescence.[1]He attendedPoly Prep Country Day Schooland graduated in 1960. After graduating from theUniversity of Michigan(BMus ’64), he shifted intosongwritingandactingbriefly, working atKama Sutra Recordsin its marketing division, collaborating withKenny Vance.Perry was launched on his career as a producer, with early projects includingCaptain Beefheart's debutSafe as MilkandFats Domino'sFats Is Back.In 1967, Perry moved toLos Angelesand, in 1968, producedGod Bless Tiny Tim,the debut album ofReprise RecordsartistTiny Tim.[1][3]The album was Perry's firstcharting hit,reaching No. 7 onBillboardmagazine'sPop Albumschart.[1][4]
Career
edit1970s and 1980s
editPerry was well established as a producer by 1970. His credits during the subsequent decade included albums byHarry Nilsson(Nilsson Schmilsson,Son of Schmilsson),Barbra Streisand(Stoney End,Barbra Joan Streisand,Live Concert at the Forum),Carly Simon(No Secrets,Hotcakes,Playing Possum),Art Garfunkel(Breakaway),Diana Ross(Baby It's Me),Martha Reeves(Martha Reeves),Manhattan Transfer(Coming Out),Leo Sayer(Leo Sayer), andAndy Williams(Solitaire). Among his projects was the 1973 albumRingo,byBeatlesdrummerRingo Starr.The album featured work by the other three Beatles and reached No. 2 on the Pop Albums chart. Another high point was his work withFanny.Perry produced the group's first three albums,Fanny(1970),Charity Ball,which featured the top 40 title track (1971), andFanny Hill(1972).[5]
According toAllMusic's Bruce Eder, the 1970s found Perry "the most renowned producer in the field of popular music"; Eder goes on to indicate that "his mere involvement with a recording project was enough to engender a mention in the music trade papers and even the popular music press, and the array of gold- and platinum-selling albums with which he was associated made his name synonymous with success."[1]As early as 1973,Village Voicesaid of Perry that "the rungs on the ladder of success seem so much closer together when Perry is your guide."[6]
In 1978, Perry launched his own label,Planet Records,which he ran for six years until it was purchased byRCA Recordsin 1983, by which point Perry had produced throughout his career at least fifteen gold records (four of which had gone platinum) and a dozen gold singles. Perry had achieved these figures by February 2, 1982.[1][7]Among the label's roster during his tenure were acts such asBilly Thermal,Bates Motel,thePlimsouls,the Cretones,Bill Medley,Sue Saad and the Next,and thePointer Sisters,[1]whose charting albumEnergywas the label's debut.[8]After leaving Planet Records, Perry continued producing some of its acts, including the Pointer Sisters, as well as producing efforts by such artists as Streisand,Donna Summer,Julio Iglesias,Neil Diamond,andRandy Travis.While pursuing these projects, Perry spent the latter part of the 1980s also pulling together a passion project, 1989'sRock, Rhythm & Blues,which featured contemporary artists likeElton John,Rick James,andChaka Khanperforming classic rock songs by musicians of the 1950s and early 1960s.[2]Also in 1978, Perry played the part of a record producer in the filmAmerican Hot Wax,which was based on the life of disc jockeyAlan Freed.
1990s and 2000s
editIn the 1990s and the 2000s, Perry worked withRay Charleson 1993'sMy World,which was a minor chart success, reaching No. 145 onBillboard200.[9]He is credited with helping to craftRod Stewart's chartingpop standardsalbums in theGreat American Songbookseries, includingIt Had to Be You: The Great American Songbook.[10]Perry would go on to co-produce the first three records in the series. In 2004, he reunited with Carly Simon.[11]The resultant collaboration was 2005'sMoonlight Serenade,which reached No. 7 on the Billboard 200 and was also a top Internet download.[12]In 2006, he re-entered the studio with another previous collaborator, Art Garfunkel,[13]receiving both producer andsingingcredits on 2007'sSome Enchanted Evening.[14]
Personal life
editPerry was married to actressRebecca Broussardfrom 1987 to 1988. They had no children together.
Perry andJane Fondawere in a relationship from 2009 to 2017.[15]
References
edit- ^abcdefghEder, Bruce."Richard Perry".Allmusic.RetrievedJuly 6,2009.
- ^abHolden, Stephen (May 3, 1989)."Old Grandpa Who".New York Times.RetrievedJune 7,2009.
- ^"biography".richardperrymusic.RetrievedJuly 6,2009.
- ^"God Bless Tiny Tim, Billboard albums".Allmusic.RetrievedJuly 6,2009.
- ^""Ringo", Billboard albums ".Allmusic.RetrievedJuly 6,2009.
- ^Adels, Robert (November 8, 1973)."Beatles to Blue Eyes".The Village Voice.RetrievedJuly 6,2009.
- ^"Richard Perry has his own pet project".The Ledger.February 2, 1982. p. 35.RetrievedJuly 6,2009.
- ^Arar, Yardena (May 28, 1979)."Pointer Sisters' rollercoaster career is at highest point".Toledo Blade.RetrievedJune 7,2009.
- ^"My World, Billboard albums".RetrievedJuly 6,2009.
- ^Friedman, Roger (October 27, 2004)."Rod Stewart: No. 1, at Last, From the Get-Go".Fox News.RetrievedJuly 6,2009.
- ^Friedman, Roger (December 20, 2004)."Carly Simon back with original hit producer".Fox News.RetrievedJune 7,2009.
- ^"Moonlight Serenade, Billboard albums".RetrievedJuly 6,2009.
- ^Friedman, Roger (March 8, 2006)."Paris Hilton Opens Up on Career, New Album".Fox News.RetrievedJune 7,2009.
- ^"Some Enchanted Evening".Allmusic.RetrievedJuly 6,2009.
- ^"Prime Time & Oscars".JaneFonda. February 29, 2012.