Biography

Richard Van Perry (June 18, 1942 – December 24, 2024) was an American record producer. He began his musical career as a performer while attending Poly 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. He had more than 12 gold records to his credit by 1982, four of which went platinum. 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 and R&B group The Pointer Sisters. After Planet's sale to RCA 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 included albums by Rod Stewart and Carly Simon. In 1972 he produced Simon's hit single "You're So Vain".