Rod Stewart reveals devastating Christmas death and says both he and Penny are 'in tears'
Rod Stewart is mourning the loss of his dear friend, music producer Richard Perry, who sadly passed away at the age of 82. Richard, who had worked with both Rod and The Beatles, suffered a cardiac arrest and died in a Los Angeles hospital on Tuesday 24 December. His close friend Daphna Kastner confirmed that he "maximised his time here". Upon hearing the tragic news, Sir Rod took to Instagram to share a heartfelt tribute to his late friend.
"Dearest Richard, farewell, my dear buddy. They say in life a man is lucky if he can count his true friends on one hand, and you were certainly one of them," he wrote on his social media page. "Now I've lost you, and I'm devastated. We played and worked so closely together for so many years, creating some of the most memorable music together."
Sir Rod continued: "You were there when Penny and I first started dating, encouraging our relationship. We are both in tears as I post this farewell."
READ MORE: Eamonn Holmes drives four hours on Christmas Day to reunite with new girlfriend Katie Alexander
READ MORE: Katie Price enjoys day at waterpark with son Harvey and boyfriend JJ Slater on Cyprus holiday
Richard's close friend Dapha also paid a touching tribute to him, stating: "He was generous, fun, sweet, 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."
Richard, who collaborated with stars like Carly Simon, Ringo Starr, and Rod Stewart, was widely recognised as a "musician's producer". He had been romantically linked with Hollywood icons like Jane Fonda and Elizabeth Taylor, made a significant mark in the music industry. Many artists sought his expertise to refresh their sound or rejuvenate their careers.
His impressive production portfolio includes Rod Stewart's The Great American Songbook series, Barbra Streisand's Stoney End and Ringo Starr's 1973 album Ringo, which climbed to No. 2 on the charts. He was also the producer behind Carly Simon's classic hit You're So Vain, and in 2010 Carly revealed to Uncut Magazine that Richard went through three drummers and recorded 100 takes of the song before he was satisfied. While Carly has always been coy about who the song is based on, it was Richard who revealed that she told him her inspiration was actor Warren Beatty.
Barbra Streisand said in her autobiography that "Richard had a knack for matching the right song to the right artist," while Carly Simon said in a 1973 interview that working with him was like working with a movie director. “He sees himself as holding the camera, as directing the players, as calling the final shots, as doing a theme, rather than as an interpreter,” she said.
