Jerry Ragovoy | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Jordan Ragovoy |
| Also known as | Norman Meade |
| Born | September 4, 1930 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Died | July 13, 2011 (aged 80) |
| Genres | Pop music |
| Occupation(s) | Songwriter, record producer, studio owner |
| Years active | 1953–2003 |
Jordan "Jerry" Ragovoy (September 4, 1930 – July 13, 2011)[1][2] was an American songwriter and record producer.
His best-known composition "Time Is on My Side" (written under the pseudonym of Norman Meade) was made famous by the Rolling Stones, although it had been recorded earlier by Kai Winding and Irma Thomas. Ragovoy also wrote "Stay With Me", which was originally recorded by Lorraine Ellison and made famous by Bette Midler in her film The Rose. It was also performed by Mary J. Blige at the 49th Grammy Awards.[3]
He also wrote "Piece of My Heart" which became a significant hit for Big Brother and the Holding Company, featuring Janis Joplin. During the 1960s, Ragovoy "helped mould the new African-American sound of soul music", according to the obituary in The Guardian.[4] During this venture, he co-wrote the Afro-pop dance song "Pata Pata" with Miriam Makeba; the song became a major hit for Makeba and was covered by numerous other artists.
He was the founder of The Hit Factory.
Jerry Ragovoy, who has died aged 80 from complications following a stroke, was the songwriter behind some of the best-loved ballads of the 1960s, including Time Is On My Side, a hit for the Rolling Stones, and Piece of My Heart, which became Janis Joplin's signature song. Ragovoy specialised in creating three-minute songs of intense emotion, enhanced by complex orchestral arrangements and was one of several white American songwriters and producers who, in the 1960s, helped mould the new African-American sound of soul music.