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Songwriter Jerry Ragovoy passes away

Songwriter Jerry Ragovoy passes away

The songwriter Jerry Ragovoy who enjoyed a string of hits with his work has died. He was 80.

Mr. Ragovoy wrote or co-wrote such numbers as Time Is On My Side, which was first released by Irma Thomas before it became a massive hit for the Rolling Stones, and Cry Baby which was first recorded by Garnet Mimms before being covered by Janis Joplin.

However, Mr. Ragovoy had originally set his sights on writing musicals for Broadway.

Indeed, when he wrote Time Is On My Side he released it under the pseudonym of Norman Meade so that he could keep his own name for what he hoped would be fame on Broadway.

But it soon became clear that his genius lay in being able to write brilliant pop songs and also a gift for record producing.

He had founded the Hit Factory recording studio in New York in 1969 where he developed a reputation of being a first-class producer and arranger. He sold the business in the mid-1970s to concentrate on his songwriting.

He co-wrote with a number of people, including Bert Berns, with whom he wrote Cry Baby and Piece Of My Heart which was recorded by Erma Franklin, sister of Aretha.

Among his other work was Get It While You Can for Howard Tate, and Stay With Me, which he co-wrote with George David Weiss, for Lorraine Ellison.

Mr. Ragovoy died in New York after suffering a stroke.

To see the Rolling Stones perform Time Is On My Side click here.

 

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